Australian Motorcycle News Vol 66 Issue 15

 LOOKING AT OUR computer-generated interpretation of the rumoured V4 Ducati Superbike gracing our cover reminds me of the first encounter I had with the lovely Desmosedici RR, Ducati’s limited-production road-legal version of its MotoGP race bike. The rumoured V4 Ducati is said to be destined for the WSBK championship The meeting was entirely accidental; wandering through Fraser Motorcycles at Wollongong I peered into the Ducati area and had my eyes almost sucked from their sockets by the sheer beauty of the V4-powered Italian machine. I had read about the Desmosedici RR, and often wondered who would be in a position to part with $100,000 for a motorcycle. But obviously such people were out there because the bike only lasted two weeks in the showroom before it disappeared into some lucky…

 THE 2018 REPLACEMENT for Ducati’s 1299 Panigale is set to use a 1000cc V4 engine derived from the Desmosedici MotoGP bike. “It is a masterpiece of engineering” — Claudio Domenicali Speaking to the press after the firm’s 2017 MotoGP team launch, both Ducati boss Claudio Domenicali and Sporting Director Paolo Ciabatti referred to the forthcoming bike. Domenicali said: “The engine development we have made in MotoGP has been exceptional; we have an engine which is very reliable, very light, compact and has a lot of interesting technology. We are seriously thinking of introducing it to regular customers as it is a masterpiece of engineering.” He went on to explain that such a bike would be a mass-made model rather than a limited-edition überbike like the firm’s old GP replica, the…

DUCATI MAY BE disappointed to be losing the now-banned winglets from its MotoGP machine in 2017, but a new patent reveals that the company has another idea that could more than make up for the loss. It’s going to turn its exhaust pipes into jet engines. No, it’s not April Fools’ Day. Ducati’s idea is to add a clever variable-size outlet to the exhaust pipe of the Desmosedici that looks and works like the variable-area jet outlet of a fighter plane. On fighter aircraft the size of the exhaust nozzles on the engines can be varied by changing the angle of the overlapping metal petals. The Ducati system is a miniaturised version of the same idea, using a worm gear operated by a remote electric motor via a flexible cable…

THIS SPY SHOT shows a very early mule for Triumph’s next-generation Tiger 800. It’s a testbed machine intended to experiment with different geometries and riding positions, allowing engineers to narrow it down to certain dimensions before taking the next step and sketching out a purpose-made chassis. The centre section is stock Tiger 800, including the engine and much of the frame. At the front, the steering head has been hacked off and replaced with a massive piece of billet aluminium. This will allow the head angle and steering tube position to be adjusted to simulate different chassis layouts. Similarly, the handlebars are mounted on adjustable brackets to allow them to be moved around. At the back, an extension has been welded to the swingarm to add more scope for lengthening…

DESPITE THE NAME, the Ducati Diavel Diesel isn’t a radical leap into the world of compression-ignition engines for the Italian firm. It’s actually a tie-in with the Diesel fashion label, following on from the Monster Diesel offered in 2013. However, Ducati’s description of the bike is nearly as insane as the idea of powering it with diesel fuel. If you’ll indulge us for a moment, the press release accompanying the bike’s unveiling says that the designers “were inspired by a hyperkinetic dynamism of a post-apocalyptic, retro-futuristic world.” Huh?! The bike is covered in brushed-steel panels, with visible welding and rivets. Despite having the appearance of an unfinished special, the Diavel Diesel is a limited production model. The bike’s mechanical spec is stock Diavel; the special parts include bodywork, Diesel logos…

TESTING IS UNDERWAY on the Benelli 750cc parallel twin we first scooped last year – suggesting it will be ready for an official reveal before the end of 2017. Videos have emerged in China, where the Benelli is being developed by parent company Qianjiang, showing finished-looking bikes in action. The as-yet-unnamed bike is even proudly displayed at the firm’s headquarters, as seen in this picture. The red prototype reveals there have been few changes made since our last pics. The exhaust silencer has been mildly reshaped and there are new castings for both the main and pillion footpegs. The headlight is fractionally different and the rear brake caliper has been repositioned from above to below the swingarm. The 750cc twin being developed in Italy is basically two cylinders of Benelli’s…