It costs how much???

[Pwalo]

It's quite interesting what you stumble across watching DVDs. I was enjoying my BSB 2004 Review disc (that's because Suzuki won for a change), and thought I'd check out the disc extra where Steve parrish gives his opinion on the different machines.

Part of his overview was a run down on the relative costs of each bike. Honda couldn't give a price for the then new CBR1000, as there were only six in existence at that stage, and it was being developed for the Suzuzka 8 hour.

The Kawasaki was the cheapest, with a build cost of 25,000 GBP. That's pretty amazing.

The Suzuki could be built from a race kit supplied by Crescent Suzuki for round 45,000 GBP.

The Yamaha was about the same, but being a new model costs weren't available.

The thing that really surprised me was how bloody expensive the Ducatis were. They reckoned that it was about 100,000 GBP for an engine!!

Just imagine what it must cost to run the 1098R.

[enigma51]

The thing that really surprised me was how bloody expensive the Ducatis were. They reckoned that it was about 100,000 GBP for an engine!!

Just imagine what it must cost to run the 1098R.

You would think that seeing they cost so much they should be able to win all the time .........

[Bend-it]

It's the same on their roadbikes! Costs more than everything else for no good reason apart from the badge.

Like Harleys and iCraps, they are a fashion statement more than anything. I object.

[marioc]

1098R is no more expensive than the jap bikes to run for the WSB,take a look at the grid,some of the smallest teams have them.
Ducati have come to the party suppling customer bikes almost identical to factory bikes at an afforable level,what that is I have no idea but just as cheap as the others.

[Pwalo]

1098R is no more expensive than the jap bikes to run for the WSB,take a look at the grid,some of the smallest teams have them.
Ducati have come to the party suppling customer bikes almost identical to factory bikes at an afforable level,what that is I have no idea but just as cheap as the others.

As I said this was for the BSB in 2004. Can you tell me where you were able to get the figures for WSB? It's pretty hard to get a real handle on costs, and the last semi reliable source I came across suggested that it was still pretty expensive to run the big Dukes cf the IL4s.

[Matt Bleck]

I think because they where running a 999. For it to put out the power to keep on par with the IL4's meant rebuilding them after each race due to the stress put on the motors. I think that swas part of the reason for them to go up to the 1300's to bring the cost down.

[marioc]

just hearsay from watching coverage on Tv tbh,makes sense though there are plenty on the grid

[jrandom]

The thing that really surprised me was how bloody expensive the Ducatis were. They reckoned that it was about 100,000 GBP for an engine!!

I don't imagine that there's anything fundamentally more expensive about Ducati parts.

The higher price will be down to amortised development costs.

Ducati have sales volumes of about 10% (give or take a bit, I'm sure) of what the Japanese brands have, so they can't fund their racebike development from income from other activities. They have to recover salaries for their relevant engineers, etc, directly through racing related sales.

[imdying]

I don't imagine that there's anything fundamentally more expensive about Ducati parts.

Yeah, actually they are. They needed to run super high end gear to let them survive at the revs required for a twin to be competitive. That's the reason that a 1098R has got heaps of super tasty stuff inside the motor... homologation of that super tasty gear for WSB use

On a four, all the bits going around and around and up n down are lighter (cause the size and weight is divided across the four of them), which means you can use much cheaper materials etc.

Oh, and development costs aren't a problem for Ducati... not in the slightest. Fucking great huge gobs of tobacco industry money from Mr Morris keeps Team Red in business... one thing that Duke don't want for, is money. The Japanese only dream about having the sort of bottomless pit available to them that the Italians do. They don't have to recover shit related to racing through sales

[marioc]

I think the message here is success in racing = success in sales of road bikes

[johan]

Have a look at the link below. It's the service schedule for the Ducati 748rs race bike. 250km between con rods, pistons, rockers, belts and bearings changes! That's a track day more or less.

http://www.sigmaperformance.com/2000...hedule-big.jpg

The street Ducatis are very reliable compared to what they are racing

[Pwalo]

I think the message here is success in racing = success in sales of road bikes

No I was just wondering how the heck any factory the size of Ducati could keep up with the cost of running a competitive V Twin in competition against the IL4s. Not slagging V Twins. I ride one myself, and it's really good fun.

Good sponsorship, as has been said, I guess.

I'm not convinced that success in racing = sales in road bikes. Sure, for sportsbikes, but they only make up a portion of motorcycle sales. I'm not convinced that HD, Triumph, Hyusong, etc feel they need it. I'm not really sure that the Japanese manufacturers need success in racing to sell bikes.

[jrandom]

Have a look at the link below. It's the service schedule for the Ducati 748rs race bike. 250km between con rods, pistons, rockers, belts and bearings changes! That's a track day more or less.

Crazy, mon!

And what kinda power would that engine put out, 120bhp or so?

Hardly seems worth the bother.

[marioc]

If they dont need it then why bother investing loads of money,of course they need it just like Ferrari needs F1.
A racing heritage is priceless.