New Ducati 1200?

[onearmedbandit]

Suzuka 24hr? Didn't know they ran one. And indicators and number plate bracket on a race bike??? And road tyres? Now I'm confused...not.

[Marknz]

Suzuka 24hr? Didn't know they ran one. And indicators and number plate bracket on a race bike??? And road tyres? Now I'm confused...not.

not to mention that I doubt a modern race Ducati would enter a 12 or 24 hour race these days... the engines just wouldn't last the distance. Happy to be proven wrong though if there is evidence out the to convict me

[idb]

not to mention that I doubt a modern race Ducati would enter a 12 or 24 hour race these days... the engines just wouldn't last the distance. Happy to be proven wrong though if there is evidence out the to convict me

To be fair, I don't think Ducati produce any endurance racing motors.
They're a completely different beast to GP motor.

[et al]

Getting back to the original point of this thread...... I for one am eagerly awaiting more news regarding whether this is really going to be a new model for 2007. Maybe initially they will just make enough "1200's" to homologate for WSB? Hopefully we will find out soon with the Europe Bike Shows coming up. If those mock up pics we have seen so far are close to what it will actually look like then this is (styling wise) what I reckon the 999 should have been. The 999 is still a desirable bike, but if the 1200 comes to fruition then surely there has to be a lot of cheap 999's/dealer discounts up for grabs?

[motoGP]

Maybe initially they will just make enough "1200's" to homologate for WSB?

I guess this goes a little further to confirm the rumours that the v-twin limit for WSB is that little bit closer to being raised to 1200cc. KTM also has a potential 1200cc v-twin prepared for just that eventuality.

[onearmedbandit]

but if the 1200 comes to fruition then surely there has to be a lot of cheap 999's/dealer discounts up for grabs?

You've got a very strong point there, the arse will fall right out of the 999. The 916/996/998 series however won't take as big of a hit, that shape was an instant classic.

[et al]

You've got a very strong point there, the arse will fall right out of the 999. The 916/996/998 series however won't take as big of a hit, that shape was an instant classic.

Dead right, you can actually see that has already happened - some of the more desirable examples of the 916/996/998 series already fetch a higher price than some of the earlier model 999.

[onearmedbandit]

You're not wrong.


Ducati 999

998

998

[SimJen]

If WSBK allows 1200's then the whole ass is gonna fall out of it. What jap manufacturer is going to want to race in a biased class (as it was a few years ago).
The dukes compete well enough to win as it is. If they cost more to run than the jappers (as Ducati say they do) then isn't that Ducati's problem and not the rest of the teams.
Whats to stop Ducati spending the same money on the 1200's to get them super fast and annihalating everyone in the process.
Problem is it WILL happen as the WSBK governing body is Italian run
Cheap ass bastards, at least the new bike looks cool, according to rumours it will look a little like the 916 type shape to get better sales than the current model. The new Desmosedici RR already sports better styling.

[Marknz]

The 999 is still a desirable bike, but if the 1200 comes to fruition then surely there has to be a lot of cheap 999's/dealer discounts up for grabs?

From an economic perspective you are right. But I have found that as the 916 evolved through to the 999 the previous models were never very well discounted when the new models were released. That said, that was the situation in OZ and it may have been a different experience here in NZ. I suspect that, as a gross generalisation, Ducati prefers that dealers do not heavily discount old stock so as to ensure that owners do not lose too much value in their 'investment'.

[et al]

Agree they don't generally officially discount old models however if the 1200 becomes a mass production model they will have to deal with it somehow -
I suspect they would at least throw in an exhaust/chip upgrade, maybe some carbon etc (like they have done here just recently with some other models). I heard a story that when the 2005 999 came out (more hp, lighter swingarm, subtle styling change, etc), they would not let Japan have any new models until the 2004's had sold out - apparently some of these were very quickly exported out of Japan.

[Ducatidean]

That is not the New Ducati.
The dealer meeting is over in Salt Lake City... the TRUTH about the 1098 !!!
the 1098
3 models coming out
at the very same time
maybe 18K-25K i hear.

If ya want to know more join here..


www.DUCATI.ms

[gav]

That is not the New Ducati.
The dealer meeting is over in Salt Lake City... the TRUTH about the 1098 !!!
the 1098
3 models coming out
at the very same time
maybe 18K-25K i hear.

If ya want to know more join here..


www.DUCATI.ms

Well, after scrolling through that 15 page thread, I'm none the wiser. No photos posted on there either. However note in my original thread that the road bike will a 1100, OK, a 1098, guess they need to allow for the 1099 update in a couple of years huh?
PS, this photo emerged but was dismissed as a photoshop, oh well.

[Pwalo]

From what the commentators were saying at the Assen WSBK round Ducati will be running 1200s in the 2008 season.

The Ducati cup yet again? It's a bit of a shame as the WSBK has been really interesting for the last two years. Perhaps it's time to scrap Superbikes and just run a Superstock series.

[slowpoke]

If WSBK allows 1200's then the whole ass is gonna fall out of it. What jap manufacturer is going to want to race in a biased class (as it was a few years ago).
The dukes compete well enough to win as it is. If they cost more to run than the jappers (as Ducati say they do) then isn't that Ducati's problem and not the rest of the teams.
Whats to stop Ducati spending the same money on the 1200's to get them super fast and annihalating everyone in the process.
Problem is it WILL happen as the WSBK governing body is Italian run
Cheap ass bastards, at least the new bike looks cool, according to rumours it will look a little like the 916 type shape to get better sales than the current model. The new Desmosedici RR already sports better styling.

What's with the Ducati bashing?
Ducati race to the rules which allow a twin to compete equally with a four. Unless you want to turn WSBK into a "Japper Cup" you need to allow different configurations to compete on reasonably equal terms. No one can compete with the Japanese when it comes to building mass produced four cylinder motorcycles hence we have the niche markets being populated by smaller manufacturers. The only problem is a 1000cc four valve twin only has the valve area of about a 750cc multi so it's always gonna be way down on horsepower, albeit with slightly better traction.
Therein lies the problem of equating the two different configurations. The powers that be have tried to equalise the 1000cc formula by allowing greater mods to the twin which also makes them horrendously expensive to race. Ducati are trying to equalise the performance AND THE COST of racing a twin by going for a larger capacity but with less modifications allowed.
As far as I'm concerned it sounds like a great idea...anything that keeps different manufacturers and configurations involved while maintaining parity has got to be a good thing.