Ducati UK start the New Year on the back of a record breaking 2011 which not only saw significant increases in sales but also ‘best ever’ figures across the board.

Ducati UK closed 2011 with its best sales result since 2003 with 2345 units sold and in a challenging economic environment recorded best ever market share figures in the UK. On the back of these results it also became the fastest growing Motorcycle brand in the UK with motorcycle sales up 15.3%.

Sales were spread evenly across the product range with Monster, Superbike, Multistrada and Diavel sharing equal slices of the cake. Traditionally Superbikes accounted for 50% of Ducati UK’s overall sales, however, with the shrinking of the Superbike market, Ducati has reacted to market changes and evolved the range with award winning product such as the Multistrada and Diavel (MCN bike of the year 2011).

It is not only Motorcycle sales that have contributed to the success, Ducati UK also recorded best ever revenues for Apparel and Accessories which contributed to the company’s highest ever turnover. Ducati has not only led the way through sales and product innovation, but also by offering customers a unique experience through events and test ride experiences.

2011 was a busy year for the company with a number of significant events taking place, most notably the move to new purpose built headquarters at Silverstone, the introduction of the 848 Challenge to the British Superbike Championship and the hugely successful ‘Ducati Days’ track event at Silverstone which saw the first public use of the new Silverstone Wing.

For 2012 Ducati UK looks set to continue in this vein with strong New Year sales and the highly anticipated 1199 Paniagle which has already been voted as ‘the most awaited bike of 2012.’ UK dealers are reporting strong interest in the 1199 Panigale with many dealers already asking for an increase in allocation of product to cope with this unprecedented demand.

Tim Maccabee, Ducati UK MD commented “These results reflect not only the hard work of the Ducati UK team, but also the fantastic product and support from our colleagues in Bologna. Delivering the result in the UK would be impossible without our first class dealer network and of course and a big thank is due to every Ducati fan and customer in the UK”

WINNER: Cyril Despres

As the 34th edition of the Dakar Rally came to a close yesterday, KTM’s Cyril Despres was celebrating his fourth title win ahead of close rival and teammate, Marc Coma.

The final stage of the Rally, which ran from Pisco to Lima was won by Pal Anders Ullevalseter, with Marc Coma finishing second, not only in this leg, but overall, and Yamaha’s Helder Rodrigues taking the final podium place.

Stage One - Mar del Plata to Santa Rosa de la Pampa

1: Chaleco Lopez

Stage Two - Santa Rosa de le Pompa to San Rafeal

1: Marc Coma

Stage Three - San Rafael to San Juan

1: Artur Ardavichus – first Kazakh to lead the rally

Stage Four - San Juan to Chilecito

1: Cyril Despres

Stage Five – Chilectio to Fiambala

1: Cyril Despres

Stage Six

Cancelled due to weather conditions

Stage Seven - Copiapo

1: Marc Coma

Stage Eight - Copiapo and Antofagasta

1: Marc Coma

Stage Nine - Antofagasta-Iquique

1: Helder Rodrigues

Stage Ten - Iquique to Arica

1: Joan Barreda

Stage Eleven - Arica to Arequipa

1: Cyril Despres

Stage Twelve - Arica to Arequipa

1: Marc Coma

Stage Thirteen - Nazca to Pisco

1: Helder Rodrigues

Stage Fourteen - Pisco to Lima

1: Pal Anders Ullevalseter

For a full account of the Dakar Rally 2012, bikers blogs, and exclusive videos just visit: www.RedBull.com/Dakar-rally-2012

Honda’s new World Superbike Championship pairing of Jonathan Rea and Hiroshi Aoyama kick off their preparations for the 2012 season with a three-day test at Phillip Island in Australia this week (17-19 January).
 
The team will be running the SBK race specification 2012 CBR1000RR Fireblade for the first time since the 20th anniversary version of Honda’s iconic sports machine was launched last September.
 
The team will start its 2012 campaign boosted by news that, following a year as title sponsor, Castrol will remain as a key secondary partner until the end of the 2013 season.
 
The global lubricants manufacturer used Honda’s World Superbike effort as part of a worldwide marketing campaign to re-launch its Power 1 brand in 2011. Its continued support of the team extends a commercial and technical partnership between Honda and Castrol which dates back to 1959, when the Japanese manufacturer first started world championship racing.
 
Robert Watherston, motorcycle racing manager at Honda Motor Europe, said: “We’re delighted that Castrol has decided to continue its long-standing association with Honda and, in particular, our World Superbike campaign. We are especially please to have signed a two-year agreement, which takes us to the end of the 2013 season.”
 
Donald Smith, sponsorship manager in Castrol's Global Marketing Unit commented: “We are pleased to confirm the continuation of our long-standing relationship and support of Honda and motorcycle racing. World Superbikes is the ideal proving ground for the development of our advanced range of Castrol Power 1 lubricants and we look forward to the future of our continued relationship with Honda.”

The 34th edition of the Dakar and the fourth in South America, comes to its end. After 8400 kilometers, riders have finally crossed the finish line in Lima, and so has Alain Duclos. The Aprilia RXV was the only “factory” rider to complete the Dakar without changing the engine.

LIMA - The Plaza de Armas of Lima was decorated for the celebration of the Dakar´s finish after two weeks of race. Three countries were crossed, 8400 kilometers, and mostly one of the hardest Dakar ever. The marathon rally in South America confirmed once again to be the toughest race for bikes in the world, and only 100 from the 186 riders that started in Mar del Plata on January 1st made it to the end.

And finally Alain Duclos was able to cross the podium of the finish line. For him, things were not easy during the race, electrical problems pushed him far behind at stage seventh, but the French-Malian rider showed from the first days that he had the skills to take the Aprilia RXV to the best positions.

The expectations of Duclos changed in the rest day, and the main goal was reinvented to finish the Dakar with only one engine, with only the engine he started the race in Argentina. The reliability of the v-twin of Aprilia was proved and Duclos completed the Dakar as the only “factory” rider to use just one engine.

There are still regrets for the incident of Francisco López. “Chaleco” also showed his talent during the first half of the race, and it was the only rider that shined behind Coma and Despres. Even if his health condition after the recovery from his fall in Tunisia was not at 100%, he was able to sign a stage win, the sixth victory of his career.

Alain Duclos: “Another Dakar is over. I am glad I crossed the finish line and of course, I expected a better result. The Dakar is always a great life experience and a passionate adventure. And I am also glad to have discovered another country that gives us a warm welcome. Tomorrow I will start thinking about the Dakar 2013.”
 

Ace Cafe London, teaming up with Ace Corner Finland, is delighted to be able to confirm attendance with stand and display at the forthcoming Helsinki Motorcycle Show, 2nd - 5th February 2012.

The Ace presence and display, together with the Finnish Motorcycle Museum and Ace Corner Finland includes an array of Ace Cafe, Rockers and StoMoCo items, and will feature the recently published, comprehensive, 312 page hardbound "Ace Times - speed thrills and tea spills, a cafe and a culture" by author Mick Duckworth.  Mark Wilsmore, MD of Ace Cafe London will be available on Friday 3rd and Saturday 4th to sign copies.

Drop by and say hello and meet the Ace Corner Finland Team at Hall 7, Stand E30

www.ace-corner-finland.fi

www.moottoripyoramuseo.fi

www.finnexpo.fi