Everyone’s favorite street racer/personal trainer/male model/art director/fashion designer, Adey, just borrowed a Ducati 1199 Panigale for a couple days from Beverly Hills Ducati. You know what he did with it too, The Snake. Here’s what you’ve all been waiting for, a real rider on a real road on the world’s fastest motorcycle.
Update: two more videos added. :continue:
This 23-photo sequence shows South African Superbike rider Chris Leeson crashing his Ducati 1199 Panigale in Turn 1 at the Kyalami Race Track. Chris was entering the turn at high speed when he lost the front over the track’s notoriously bumpy pavement. No major injuries, to the rider at least. As you can see in the photos, the Ducati sheds pretty much every major sticky-outy part.
After weeks of rumor, Bloomberg and Reuters are both independently reporting that VW has agreed to purchase Ducati for something in the neighborhood of $1.12 billion. But why does a gigantic auto conglomerate want a tiny bike manufacturer? What will VW do with Ducati? And, what does the deal mean for that most evocative of bike brands? Let’s examine the background, business and speak to experts that may be able to share some insight.
Photo: Grant Ray :continue:
Snapped at NOLA Motorsports Park by Pro Italia, dozens of identical Ducati 1199 Panigales are lined up in the pits, ready for the brand’s dealer introduction. Riding the bike on the track, speaking to its designers and engineers and learning how to work on the new superbike enables dealers to better serve their customers with real knowledge and experience. For us it’s just a rare opportunity to see so many of this year’s new Duc in one place.
We’ve previously published CAD renders of what’s underneath the Ducati 1199’s fairings, but Ducati just released these studio photos of the bike, naked. Nothing new is revealed, but these high-res, wallpaper-ready images do emphasize just how compact the “frameless” design is; there’s virtually no free real estate anywhere in the 1199’s 56.6-inch wheelbase. :continue:
The Aprilia Caponord 1200 will receive electronic damping adjustment, the Moto Guzzi Stelvio NTX will cost $15,990, the 76bhp Aprilia SRV850 scooter will come to America and Vespa will import the retro-futuristic 946, Piaggio Group told its dealers last week. The new models form part of a new push into the North American market that will also see an Advanced Design Center opened in Pasadena. :continue:
Penned by Giandrea Fabbro, also responsible for the 1098 and Multistrada 1200, these sketches reveal the process behind the Ducati 1199 Panigale’s design. If you haven’t yet seen the bike in person, it’s a radical twist on the sportsbike theme. The diminutive size — think 250GP bike — accentuates the organic lines, at once evoking the classic proportions of the 916 while taking a big step into the future. :continue:
2012 is going to be a big year for Aprilia Racing. After a definitive Championship in 2010, the team suffered an embarrassing defeat to a privateer rival last year. This is also probably the last year before the 1199 heads to SBK and a year in which Japanese budgets will continue to be low while their bikes remain relatively uncompetitive. These are the bikes Eugene Laverty and Max Biaggi will be campaigning in the series. New graphics reflect the changes made to the consumer 2012 Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC, accentuating that bike’s graphic swoosh with Italian tri-colors.
“Ducati 1199: so light, powerful, stable, comfy and easy to ride with a cockpit full of tech stuff to keep you busy playing all day,” says Troy Bayliss. Because Sean decided to run into a lampost instead of go on the bike’s press launch in Abu Dhabi, here’s riding impressions from the retired SBK racer instead, as well as an onboard video of him lapping Yas Marina. :continue:
No traction control. No ABS. Down on power and heavier than most rivals. It’s easy to write off the 2012 Suzuki GSX-R1000 before even riding it. But should you? We flew down to scenic Homestead, Florida, home of a NASCAR track, to find out. :continue:
