meaning they one-up'd ducati... oh thanks for the idea you can't figure out, we'll take it and improve it.
Not really. The Yamaha still has a frame connecting the headtube to the swingarm, whereas the D16 used the motor as the connection without a frame. Increasing the area (i.e. moment of inertia) of the head tube connection to allow for a thinner wall and also an overall stiffer structure isn't the same thing as eliminating the frame altogether. This would have happened regardless of what Ducati did, as it sounds like a more compact motor makes it possible.