Category: Ducati

1. Rob Guiver leads the Ducati TriOptions Cup championship once more while Sean Neary gets that elusive first win

   Posted on 2:00pm Sunday 2nd Oct 2016

   • Guiver overtakes and extends championship lead over Morris
   • Neary claims his first victory after a series of 2nd place finishes
   • First double podium for the Boast Plumbing team

   Race 1

    

   Rob Guiver (Hyside Motorcycles) started race 1 at TT Circuit Assen from pole, having qualified half a second ahead of the field. But it was the current championship leader Leon Morris (Carl Cox Motorsport/P&H Motorcycles) that got the holeshot from 3rd on the grid to temporarily take the lead into the first corner ahead of Guiver and Sean Neary (Zoek Racing Team).

    

   As the race went on Guiver and Neary were pulling away from the rest of the field and by half race distance had a gap of more than 2 seconds over Robbie Brown (Boast Plumbing) who was now in 3rd place and coming under pressure from his teammate Jonathan Railton.

    

   By the final lap Guiver and Neary had extended their lead to 4 seconds. Despite his best efforts Neary was unable to make a pass for the lead and finished in 2nd place with Guiver taking the chequered flag and his 8th win of the season, overtaking Morris in the championship standings. Jonathan Railton (Boast Plumbing) took the final podium position, his first for 2 years.

    

   Rob Guiver - Hyside Motorcycles

   “I thought it was Leon behind me the whole race, because it was Leon who had the holeshot and I passed him. I just saw +0, +0, +0 on my board. Whenever I get in that situation I just try and stay calm and see where they attack me really. And obviously Sean never had a go. So on the last lap I thought if anyone was going to pass it would be into that final chicane. So I really set myself up for a good half a last lap and as soon as I went into the chicane I knew I’d got it. So it’s fantastic. And with Leon to finish in 5th makes it even better for me really.”

    

    

   Race 2

    

   After setting the fastest lap in Race 1 it was Railton who lined up in pole, but championship leader Guiver made the most of his front row start in 2nd to take the lead going into the first corner before being passed later on the opening lap by Neary.

    

   Following a brief safety car period the race restarted on Lap 3 with Neary immediately making good progress and going on to take a 1 second lead. By half race distance Neary led with Railton, Morris, Louis Dawson (Wolverhampton Ducati) and Guiver making up the rest of the top 5.

    

   Railton was starting to chase down Neary down and was able to make a pass but Neary never let him out of his sight, retaking the lead on the penultimate lap and going on to win his first ever Ducati TriOptions Cup race.

    

   Railton took second, with his Boast Plumbing teammate Brown taking the last podium position. Guiver finished just in front of Morris in 4th to extend his new championship lead by another 2 points. He now sits at the top of the standings with 262 points.

    

   Sean Neary – Zoek Racing

   “The front tyre was absolutely finished by the end. But I would rather not finish than finish 2nd again. I really wanted that win. I’m so happy for the Zoek Racing team and all the boys, Ducati Coventry, all the people who’ve stood by me and backed me. It’s a great present for them. Just need to get more of them now.”

    

   The Ducati TriOptions Cup heads to Brands Hatch in 2 weeks round for the final round. Rob Guiver holds an 8 point lead over nearest rival Leon Morris.

    

   Championship points:

    

   1. Rob Guiver           262
   2. Leon Morris          254
   3. Sean Neary          239

2. New Ducati XDiavel at the 76th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally‏

   Posted on 12:00pm Thursday 18th Aug 2016

    

   • Ducati took part in the epic U.S. motorcycling event with the XDiavel
   • Rally participants get a world exclusive debut of an XDiavel-based concept motorcycle built by California customizer Roland Sands
   • The Roland Sands built XDiavel unites the Ducati cruiser with iconic American motorcycling

   Sturgis, South Dakota (USA), 15 August 2016 – Ducati and the new XDiavel took part at the 76th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally (from August 5 to 14 at Sturgis, South Dakota, USA), the largest motorcycle rally in the USA and the world's renowned cruiser event. Dating back to 1938, the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally draws over half a million bikers from every corner of the globe, all like-minded enthusiasts looking to celebrate and share their passion.

    

   This is Ducati's first official participation at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and we brought the entire XDiavel world along with us. The Black Hills surrounding Sturgis are home to some of the planet's most legendary motorcycling roads and with the XDiavel they have been turned a shade darker.

    

   Presented in 2016, the Ducati XDiavel brings two worlds together: the American cruiser world of high-torque at low RPM, foot-forward controls for long road trips, and the Ducati world of Italian style, refined engineering, unparalleled performance and adrenaline-fueled sports riding.

    

   The unmistakable look of the XDiavel, the recent winner of the Red Dot Design Award in 2016, now has an American design influence by Californian customizer Roland Sands. At Sturgis he presented - together with Ducati - his own interpretation of the Bologna-built cruiser.

    

   An exercise in pure style, this XDiavel-derived concept bike built by Roland Sands features a top-class finish and a design that reflects the strong personality of this celebrated Californian customizer. With a one-piece body fixed to the distinctive Ducati trellis frame, a 19” front wheel for a bold look, and a collection of billet aluminum details that deliver a unique result, this XDiavel has transformed into an even more decisive, radical sport-chopper cruiser that still retains its inimitable Ducati DNA.

    

   This special one-off build is indeed something of a logical evolution for Roland Sands who has always had a thing for the Ducati cruiser. In addition to the custom design XDiavel, Roland Sands Design has created an exclusive line of special accessories and components, featured in the Ducati Performance catalogue, and currently available at Ducati dealers.

    

   “The response to our presence here at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally has been exceptionally welcoming. The passion for two wheels, twin-cylinder engines, and beautiful roads is shared by everyone at this gathering of the motorcycle community,” said Jason Chinnock, CEO of Ducati North America. “As motorcyclists we are part of a tribe, but we also embrace our individuality. This custom-built XDiavel by Roland Sands Design embodies the spirit of personalization that makes this Rally so special. The XDiavel and this interpretation provides us an opportunity to share Ducati with all in attendance.”

    

   "The XDiavel is a beast. A wolf in wolves’ clothing and a serious piece of speed equipment,” said Roland Sands, owner of Roland Sands Design and lead designer on the custom build. “We really wanted to pivot off all that amazing technology and not mess it up by tearing it out. So the bike is still very stock from a functional standpoint. The bike was a 3-month build, with careful consideration and deliberation about the direction of the design. Ultimately, we decided to twist the aesthetic while retaining decidedly 'stock' bike functionality. I’m proud to say that’s exactly what we've achieved,” said Roland of the build.

3. DUCATI GLOBETROTTERS 90TH: the seven finalists have been nominated for the round-the-globe trip‏

   Posted on 10:00am Thursday 30th Jun 2016

   DUCATI GLOBETROTTERS 90TH: the seven finalists have been nominated for the round-the-globe trip

   • To celebrate the 90th anniversary of Ducati, all is set for the Globetrotter 90th round-the-world trip, reaching places and discovering people who made the history of the Italian motorcycle manufacturer
   • Seven Globetrotters have been selected out of over 3,000 candidates from all over the world to ride the Multistrada 1200 Enduro
   • Departure for the first of the seven riders is scheduled on July 4th, from the Ducati factory in Borgo Panigale (Bologna, Italy).

   Borgo Panigale, Bologna (Italy), 29 June 2016 – Now the seven Ducati Globetrotters 90th have been selected, the round-the-world trip is ready to retrace the most significant stages of the 90 years of history belonging to Ducati. Over 30,000 kilometres await the seven “torchbearers” split into a relay race as they step in to replace each other on the Multistrada 1200 Enduro, recording the places and people that have built the brand’s history in an online diary at www.globetrotter90.ducati.com

    

   The first of the seven Globetrotters will be leaving Monday July 4, 2016, exactly 90 years after Ducati was founded and obviously starting out from the Borgo Panigale factory. Having taken part in the World Ducati Week, the major gathering taking place from July 1 – 3 at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli”, a parade of motorcycles from the DOC’s (Ducati Owners Clubs, the heart of the Ducati Community), will escort the first lucky Globetrotter from Misano to Bologna to officially start this extraordinary adventure. The seven riders, with their characteristic globetrotter attitude, will respectively undertake the seven different legs of this round-the-world trip on a Multistrada 1200 Enduro. A relay across 3 continents, passing from one to another the specially designed “torch” created by the Ducati Design Center to symbolically spread the fire of passion around the globe, the passion that burns and fuels the spirit of Ducati.

    

   It was by no means a simple task selecting the finalists. Choosing the "magnificent seven" was a very methodical  operation, which began in April with an online "casting" on the Ducati website. Regardless of gender, amateur or professional, whatever the nationality, enrolment was open to everyone, the only requirements being: long-distance travel experience, preferably solo; editorial and photographic ability and aptitude; good knowledge of the English language and a great spirit of adventure. Just a few days after the contest started, the number of applications rocketed to over 3 000, far beyond all expectations. Candidates showed up from all over the world and of all ages.

    

   After close scrutiny, 14 semi-finalists were chosen, and on June 14 were called up to the Bootcamp in the scenic setting of the Castello di Nipozzano, in Tuscany, in the heart of the Chianti district. The location was not chosen by chance: the lands of the Marchesi de' Frescobaldi, spanning over 600 acres, hosts the DRE Enduro, a real Ducati riding academy where one can learn technical skills and off-road driving tricks under the supervision of experienced and qualified riders, led by Beppe Gualini of ex-Dakar fame. Ducati staff examined the 14 candidates, who were tested on the Ducati Multistrada 1200 Enduro and on basic mechanical skills. As a result of the day, seven Globetrotters from seven different countries were designated, ready to embark on the greatest adventure of their lives.

    

    

   THE SEVEN GLOBETROTTERS AND SEVEN STAGES

    

   1. BOLOGNA-MOSCOW |  Rider: VIR NAKAI - INDIA

   37 years old, Vir has a motorcycle repair shop in Mumbai, but he is a travel writer and photographer. Motorcycling is all his life and has been since he was a child, travelling on the tank of his father's bike. "There is no other adventure in the world but the one you can find riding a motorcycle," he says. He has travelled throughout India, from the Himalayas to Bangalore, and in the coming venture he would like to “absorb every drop of it in order to become a part of it, smell the scents, smile and tell the tale".

    

   2. THE TRANS-SIBERIAN ROUTE | Rider: STEVE FRASER - AUSTRALIA

   50 years old, from Kalamunda, Perth, Steve describes himself as a "professional photographer and adventurer". Specialised in portraying panoramas, at the age of 8, Steve would run home from school to get on his little bike and ride it into the night. He loves to learn about new cultures and experience the intense sense of adventure while riding a motorbike. Sharing the experience is what he is passionate about.

    

   3. JAPAN | Rider: JESSICA LEYNE – BELGIUM

   27 years old, from Leke, Flanders, Jessica is a maths teacher and web designer - but above all, as she says, "has more oil and fuel than blood in her veins". She has visited Norway and Romania, Slovakia and Italy riding her motorcycle, with no obstacles that would have stopped her - not even the frozen visor, mud up to the saddle or as much as a fractured wrist. Because "on a motorbike I’ve had many challenging days, but I’ve never had a single bad day".

    

   4.SAN FRANCISCO – INDIANAPOLIS | Rider: EDUARDO GENERALI – BRAZIL

   28 years old, from Itu, São Paulo State, Eduardo is a travel guide and instructor. His passion for bikes, which his father passed on to him, has become his job. He arranged and conducted tours through the Atacama desert in Chile, in Patagonia and Bolivia. But the journey that he loved most was the one accomplished with his brother – 30,000 km from Brazil to Alaska. He loves motorcycling so much, that when he’s not riding he’s planning the next trip.

    

   5. INDIANAPOLIS – LISBON | Rider: SAMUEL BENDALL - USA

   31 years old, from Los Angeles, a brilliant journalist and photographer, at the age of 5 Samuel decided to devote himself entirely to his passions: writing, photography, travel and especially motorcycling, also as an instructor. “Since I was a child, I’ve always wanted to explore, learn about new cultures and travel the world” says this Ducati Globetrotter. “Today I can finally accomplish that dream on a Multistrada Enduro and it’s going to be awesome!”.

    

   6. LISBON – ISLE OF MAN | Rider: HUGO WILSON - UK

   54 years old, motorcycle magazine publisher, Hugo comes from Stamford in Lincolnshire - the land of Isaac Newton, Margaret Thatcher, as well as of great explorers such as Sir John Franklin. He has travelled by motorcycle mostly around Europe and the Mediterranean. A writer and photographer, he admits his passion for motorcycling started at the age of 10 when he first saw his cousin’s Ducati. “It was love at first sight! And when I finally bought my first bike, it could only have been a Ducati... Once a Ducati, always a Ducati”.

    

   7. THE ISLE OF MAN – BOLOGNA | Rider: TIMO SCHÄFER - GERMANY

   30 years old, from Karlsruhe, Timo is a mechanical engineering student with a passion for motorcycles that he acquired from his brother. His first motorcycle was a Cagiva Elephant, so he likes to say that Ducati actually was a question of fate (the Cagiva Elephant had a Ducati engine, when the latter became part of the Castiglioni Group). Cheerful and enthusiastic, he wants to live every adventure to the full.

    

    

   FOLLOW THE GLOBETROTTER 90th ADVENTURE on:

   • the official globetrotter90.ducati.com website

4. Get paid for giving your views and opinions on a future generation Motorbike!

   Posted on 10:00am Friday 1st Apr 2016

   A famous motorbike manufacturer is looking for roadster/naked bike owners over 500cc+ who bought their bike from new and since 2013.

    

   A group of riders will be given the opportunity and privilege to see a Motorcycle that has been designed for the future and before it has been released to the general public. You will be part of the development as your views and opinions will assist in this future generation bike.

    

   This will be held in Birmingham next weekend (9th / 10th April). Those who take part will be paid for your time, which includes travel expenses. Refreshments will be provided. The session will last 2.5 hours during one specific time and day over the weekend. The times will depend on the bike you own. 

    

   Examples of qualifying bikes are: Ducati Monsters, Harley-Davidson forty eight, Harley-Davidson softail slim, Street Bob, Yamaha Bolt, Honda CB1000, Yamaha XJR1300, Kawasaki Z800/100, Asprilia, MV Augusta Brutale, BMW R800/R1200R among others.

    

   If you have such a Motorcycle and fancy being part of this, contact Simon @ [email protected] letting him know which model you own, along with contact details.

5. World Ducati Week 2016, tickets for the world Ducati rally are now on sale‏

   Posted on 5:00pm Wednesday 30th Mar 2016

   • From 1 to 3 July Ducatisti from all over the world will take over the “Marco Simoncelli Misano World Circuit” to celebrate the 90th anniversary of Ducati
   • The online platform for buying tickets is up and running
   • WDW2016 is the first Ducati event to claim ISO 20121 certification

   There are just over three months to go until the 9th edition of the World Ducati Week and it's already all systems go for the complex organisation of the event. The location of the unmissable event is the “Marco Simoncelli Misano World Circuit” where thousands of motorcycling enthusiasts from all over the world will gather from 1 to 3 July.

    

   Tickets for WDW2016 are now on sale and participants can choose the formula best suited to their requirements. Rider passes are available (rider and motorcycle) and so are passenger/visitor passes valid for just one day or for the entire three-day event. The three-day pass – subject to availability – includes a selection of interesting opportunities including the chance to ride your own motorcycle round the prestigious Misano World Circuit racetrack. Further information on purchasing tickets and passes is available on www.ducati.com
   

    

   The 9th edition of the World Ducati Week will most certainly be a special one as it coincides with such an important date as the 90th anniversary of Ducati. Founded in 1926 by the Cavalieri Ducati brothers (the company takes its name from the family), the Bologna-based motorcycle manufacturer has been creating dreams on two wheels, unique in their style and technology and powered by the beat of a “desmodromic heart” since 1946. Bikes that have achieved significant accomplishments and written unforgettable pages of the world’s motorcycling history. WDW2016 will be the highlight of the company's 90th anniversary celebrations with the Ducati community. With this important anniversary in mind, the paddock of the “Marco Simoncelli Misano World Circuit” will be alive with numerous initiatives including an area dedicated to the 90th anniversary celebrations thanks to which participants will be able to explore the company's history. The atmosphere will be unique and those present will have the opportunity to meet the heroes who have made the Ducati brand and bikes as great as they are today.

    

   The Ducati Heritage Contest will reward the most stunning of all the amazing historic bikes present in the paddock during this special edition of the World Ducati Week. All historic single-cylinder bikes produced between 1946 and 1978 will be eligible for the contest, along with twin-cylinder bikes produced between 1971 and 1996. During WDW2016 a special team of judges will select the best conserved and restored bikes. The winner will be chosen from amongst all the motorcycles participating in the final and its owner will be awarded by one of the legendary riders from Ducati's history.

    

   Another event which will involve the whole Ducati community is the Ducati Garage Contest, which, since WDW2002, has awarded the best custom bikes created by Ducatisti from all over the world. Participants must first make it through an online selection, sending one or more photos of the bike they've created, together with the competition entry form, to the following address: [email protected] by 29 May 2016 at the latest. Ducati will select the 10 best-looking bikes and these will have the privilege of being displayed during WDW2016. The final selection will then take place in Misano and the public shall have the last say in proclaiming the winner of the coveted award for the best custom bike.

    

   Alongside these, a multitude of other initiatives are being devised to make the 90th anniversary of Ducati really special and well and truly celebrated at WDW2016. In order to communicate and share such an important anniversary, Ducati has activated various channels such as the #‎90YearsOfDucati hashtag present on the official Facebook page where every week, on Thursdays, historical images and stories are published with the active involvement of followers and the international DOCs (Desmo Owners Clubs).

    

   WDW2016 will mark another important achievement. In order to demonstrate the close attention Ducati pays to sustainability in a practical way, the Bologna-based company has requested official certification in accordance with the ISO 20121 regulation. This will officially certify that an event such as the World Ducati Week, which can draw over 60,000 enthusiasts from all over the world, can also be synonymous with well-balanced management from an economic, environmental and social point of view.

    

   The countdown to WDW2016 has begun and being there will be a unique experience, to be lived to the full. Ticket prices for the World Ducati Week 2016 are as follows:

    

   3 day pass(1/2/3 July):

   • Biker Pass € 95 and visitor/passenger pass € 65 (full cost)
   • Biker Pass € 70 and visitor/passenger pass € 55 (reduced cost only if purchased from a Ducati dealer)
   • Biker Pass € 45 and visitor/passenger pass € 45 for DOC members (only available to members of a Desmo Owners Club and can only be purchased from an official Ducati club)

   1 day pass:

   • Biker Pass € 50 and visitor/passenger pass € 40

   Purchasing a 3-day pass enables you to sign up for one or more tours on the WDW2016 Tour programme, lasting a full or half-day. These are motorcycle itineraries through the most attractive areas of Emilia Romagna including the Riviera and its hinterland and the Republic of San Marino.

    

   “MOTOR VALLEY” TOUR (Thursday 30 June 2016, 9.15am – 5.30pm) – Setting off from the Ducati headquarters in Borgo Panigale, Bologna, and ending up at the “Marco Simoncelli Misano World Circuit”, Misano.

   “NINETIETH” TOUR (Thursday 30 June 2016, 9am – 7.30pm) 290 km - Setting off from the Ducati headquarters in Borgo Panigale, Bologna, and ending up at the “Marco Simoncelli Misano World Circuit”, Misano.

   “WELCOME TO WDW!” TOUR (Friday 1 July 2016, 11am – 2pm) 80km – Start and finish: “Marco Simoncelli Misano World Circuit”.

    

   For further information on the World Ducati Week 2016 see www.ducati.com and on social media using #worldducatiweek.