Next week, I’ll be headed to the Ascari Circuit in Southern Spain, as Ducati is set to launch the all new 2013 Hypermotard to the world’s motorcycle press. To get everyone excited about the event, the boys from Bologna decided to have a little fun. Together with its factory MotoGP pilot, Nicky Hayden, and a cameo by Ruben Xaus, Ducati has filmed an exciting video to showcase what the bike can do. See it below. Continue Reading »
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With the first round of AMA Pro Road Racing at Daytona now in the books, it’s clear to see this season is going to be exciting in all classes. Entries were healthy in all classes at Daytona, with the prediction that this trend will continue throughout the season. Of course, with more riders comes the need for more protection. Head protection in this case. For 2012, Bell is stepping up to the challenge and sponsoring five riders. Continue Reading »
(Post updated with new photographs)
When it comes to throwing a party, the small boutique manufacturer from Bologna has a penchant for the glamorous. Choosing Drai’s rooftop nightclub for the U.S. unveiling of the 1199 Panigale superbike, Ducati raised the bar in motorcycle swankiness.
With the Hollywood skyline as a backdrop, MotoGP star Nicky Hayden and Ducati brass took the wraps off the most anticipated new motorcycle of 2012. In person the Panigale is compact, radically different from the previous model and simultaneously oozing both ferocity and sex appeal. With the press launch of the bike still months away, the performance of the new machine remains a secret, but if it goes as good as it looks Ducati should be set for success on the showroom floor and in the racing arena.
With the 2011 MotoGP season not going as successfully as hoped, Ducati is introducing a number of significant updates to its Desmosedici racebike including features originally intended for the 2012 version.
Valentino Rossi, whose much heralded union with Ducati has produced just a single podium finish in six races, will be the first to race on the updated Desmosedici, dubbed the GP11.1. Rossi will ride the GP11.1 at the upcoming Assen. His teammate Nicky Hayden however won’t switch to the GP11.1 until the Laguna Seca round, July 22-24 as he has already gone through four engines this season and the GP11.1 would be his fifth of his allotted six engines with more than half the season to go.
The GP11.1 uses the chassis being developed for the 2012 season while the new gearbox, the “Ducati Seamless Transmission”, is Ducati’s response to Honda‘s transmission system that Casey Stoner, Andrea Dovizioso and Dani Pedrosa have been using to great effect. As the name implies, the DST promises “seamless” shifting. Honda has been using a new transmission system all season that allows for significantly faster gear changes.
“We decided to make the GP11.1, which is an 800cc engine in a GP12 chassis, in order to accelerate development on next year’s bike, and also to provide our riders with a potentially better base for the current championship,” says Filippo Preziosi, Ducati technical director. “Considering that Valentino still hasn’t ever ridden the GP11.1, this decision could require some races for the team to completely take advantage of its potential, but we decided to move forward with it because we believe it’s an important step for our development process. The next-generation gearbox, on the other hand, is a solution that we think will be an immediate improvement. The Ducati Corse Department will continue studying further innovations, both for this year and for 2012. At the same time, we have developed an additional step for the frame for Nicky, and he’ll receive the GP11.1 at Laguna Seca.”
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Press release after the jump.
Our sister site, AutoGuide.com is currently at the LA Auto Show covering all of the latest and greatest in the auto industry, managed to catch Nicky Hayden giving the crowd a smokey treat at the Mercedes-Benz booth, officially unveiling the Ducati Diavel for the first time to an American audience. The press conference was setup to also announce Ducati’s partnership with Mercedes-AMG.
Hit the jump and check out the video.