Dall'Igna's new Duc

[triangleforge]

Not sure this qualifies as "news," but Gigi Dall'Igna has put a new engine at the top of the list of revisions to the next Desmosedici.

“The first step is the engine and we hope to have it for the post-Valencia race test [in November]. It will still be a 90 degree engine, but will be smaller, will allow for better set-up and for us to get more from the tyres.”

http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/206225/1/dalligna-new-engine-first-step-for-2015-ducati.html

It feels a bit like confirmation of the speculation that the existing motor was simply too long & didn't allow proper weight distribution on the bike.

I wonder if the idea of the engine as a stressed member (as in the Panigale and in the MotoGP bike until Valentino put his foot down) is simply too poisonous to consider; if so, that's too bad as I thought the idea had a lot of merit, and the Panigale looks like it's starting to come around in WSBK.

[koko64]

How much taller is the Desmo system compared to the gas system? So over to pneumatics, or will Gigi redesign the Desmo system?

[Speeddog]

I'm thinking he's moving the same basic parts around to get it smaller in the direction they need it to be smaller.

A couple years ago they rolled the engine backward 20 degrees or so.
I remember Burgess saying they wanted more, but then the swingarm pivot and countershaft wouldn't be in the good spot.

I don't recall the Desmo heads being appreciably taller.
But I've got a moderately old MotoGP Technology book, I'll look to see what it's got.

[koko64]

I got that one too. I better take a look.

[Triple J]

November...geez

[Speeddog]

I got that one too. I better take a look.

I've got the Second Edition.
Didn't find any good revealing shots from directly side-on so I could scale off of wheels or the like.
There's both 990 and 800's in it as well.
If you've got the same edition and see something good, shout out a page #.

November...geez

Yeah, that's a downer.
But.
Considering how many years the bike has been a pooch.
And that November 2014 is only ~1 year since Gigi came on board.
It's not a lot of time to figure out what he wants to do about the problem, create the design, and turn it into assembled parts ready to roll.
Considering that BS announced it's intention to leave in early May, I'm sure that consigned a lot of electrons to the scrap bin.

[koko64]

I've got the Second Edition.
Didn't find any good revealing shots from directly side-on so I could scale off of wheels or the like.
There's both 990 and 800's in it as well.
If you've got the same edition and see something good, shout out a page #.

1st edition here. I got nothing except for Spalding saying they had issues with the tyre touching the head and radiator under braking.

[duccarlos]

The 2 main complaints have been understeer and power delivery. My concern is that just engine updates might not resolve the understeer issue.

[ducpainter]

The 2 main complaints have been understeer and power delivery. My concern is that just engine updates might not resolve the understeer issue.

I believe the theory is that because of the counter shaft location that the engine couldn't be moved back far enough to redistribute the weight to cure the understeer problem.

[Speeddog]

My reading between the lines is that a 'smaller' engine will allow them to move it to wherever it needs to be to fix the understeer.

[duccarlos]

We can only pray

[Grampa]

as in...move it to a certified honda repair facility.

[koko64]

 

[Düb Lüv]

that redesign came from one eyebrow hair. there's more wizardry to come i'm sure.

[lazylightnin717]

Plenty of eyebrow hair to go around