RACE STUFF THREAD

[Pinocchio]

It's all down to the speed of the processor.

Whoops, sorry, I just noticed those Philip Island pics are from last year! No news of Bayliss on-line since the WDW event at Misano, 6/12/10. I guess he's just quietly clipping his coupons somewhere in Oz....

[fastwin]

Wow, I'm just watching last weekend's MotoGP race on my dvr. Can you say "boring"? I hope Rossi with Ducati spruces things up but I have little faith in that happening. It's what we all have hoped for but it's also one of those things where if the results aren't there then it was a tremendous waste of money. I posted a great article from superbikeplanet.com regarding this. If Ducati isn't involved in WSBK how do they sell bikes? MotoGP doesn't sell 1198S bikes, WSBK does. Anyone at AMS want to clear this up? I'm waiting for the Josh report. And I'm sure it's coming

[Pinocchio]

I think there will always be a market for twin-engine motorcycles, regardless of race results. Still, the L-twin is probably doing as well as it can under the current WBSK no-exotic materials, minimum weight rules that penalize it. Ducati is bowing out of WSBK because they realize it's the end of the line. Now they can support the satellite teams without reservation, since they are not competing against them. If they won't be producing a 4-cylinder street bike to homologate for WBSK anytime soon, why should they stay and continue to get outrun?

Also, the MotoGP rules are going to allow liter bikes in the class in 2012, so Ducati has some big, expensive engine/electronics design decisions to make. Rossi is really going to earn his money as a development rider the next two years. This should really be interesting.

[junior varsity]

gotta trim costs somewhere - that article hangs all of ducatis sales on wsbk. that is incredibly far from correct. remember, the monster is the biggest worldwide seller. the biggest selling superbike is the 848. which of those two race in wsbk?

The 1198 went unchanged this year from the year before, and will remain unchanged again next year. It appears that Ducati put the R&D chips into the MTS1200 bucket, and that has done very well. They are diversifying the line to attract non-superbike only customers. Now its time to start renovating the sbk line.

[muskrat]

Now its time to start renovating the sbk line.

give me the cedici bodywork and I'll buy one. 

[CajunR]

They are diversifying the line to attract non-superbike only customers...

When's the cruiser coming out?

[fastwin]

I have heard the Monster line has been the bread and butter for Ducati for years. But I didn't know that the 848 was that big a seller for them. Actually that's pretty cool news. Honestly, if I were to buy a new Ducati SBK I'd get the 848 over the 1198. I know they have too many irons in the fire with new Multi (and please tell me the "cruiser" thing is just a bad joke and not really happening!) and Streetfighter (winner of the worst bike name ever award! ) but lots of folks out there making noise about why there isn't a 848S in the line up. Forget an "R", how about an "S" with Ohlins??? Why didn't they make the Hayden 848 an "S" That would have been the perfect opportunity to make an Ohlins equipped 848 in a limited/numbered run.

Makes sense to spread your sales around. You're right, not every Ducati owner wants a SBK. But the cruiser? Doesn't the Streetfighter kind of cover that niche? How many V-Rod/V-Max bike potential buyers are out there? New Multi? Sure. I personally don't care for it but I hope they sell a ton of them. I just don't get Ducati doing the cruiser...

Gee, I thread jacked my own thread. OK, back to your regularly programed race stuff.

[muskrat]

But the cruiser? Doesn't the Streetfighter kind of cover that niche? How many V-Rod/V-Max bike potential buyers are out there? New Multi? Sure. I personally don't care for it but I hope they sell a ton of them. I just don't get Ducati doing the cruiser...

more than a few like cruisers .  I will say, however, that the V-Max potential is slim at best.  I'd rather buy an all around'er, maybe that's why I have a Monster and a Hardley.  If they do make that "cruiser" it better look better than the one on the spy pics though.   

[fastwin]

Didn't mean to cast stones at cruisers per se. Really was commenting specifically about "power cruisers". Is that a real term? The V Max comes to mind. Not VTX Hondas, your Harley, etc. I have nothing against cruisers or their owners. I guess if sportbikes can have 1000cc+ superbikes then cruisers can have "power cruisers". But who out there has actually seen a new V Max on the street in real life? (sound of crickets...) I guess I actually haven't seen a new Multi either. But I bet there have been a lot more sold than V Maxs. I just don't get the "power cruiser" direction that Ducati may be going. No more than I see them building a four wheeler. And you're right... the pics of it put the "ug" back in ugly.

[junior varsity]

same thing was said about the new multi, but i like its looks.

dax,

if you want a sedici look, I can get you a 749/999 with sedici bodywork, or a 748/996/998 in sedici bodywork. seriously. And its all carbon. Price tag is going to be reasonable (reasonably high), but you gotta find the donor bike first.

and as far as a cruiser, if that's in the works, they are keeping dealers in the dark. i think it would be fun to play on for sure, and it would bring another set of potential customers into the store. think of it as broadening the customer base

[muskrat]

I've seen 2 vmax and about 3 multis so far

[muskrat]

"reasonably" high scares me.  not sinking any more money into my S4R, those funds will go towards a Multi instead.  I am intrigued so forward links.

[Cher]

<SNIP>
...and as far as a cruiser, if that's in the works, they are keeping dealers in the dark. i think it would be fun to play on for sure, and it would bring another set of potential customers into the store. think of it as broadening the customer base

But I don't like cruiser people.

[muskrat]

Ditto.  I like fat, heavily tastooed, slow, chromed out worthless rides. 

[junior varsity]

"reasonably" high scares me.  not sinking any more money into my S4R, those funds will go towards a Multi instead.  I am intrigued so forward links.

1. world of qb carbon
2. kaemna.de