Ducati Multistrada Motorcycles in Austin, page #38

Moto blog

Rossi and Hayden Find Improvement but Disappointed with Results

The good news for Valentino Rossi is he managed to narrow the gap in lap times between his Ducati Desmosedici and Casey Stoner‘s Honda RC213V. The bad news is other riders improved more than he did. Rossi completed 57 laps and set a time of 2:01.550 on the third and final day of the second MotoGP test at Malaysia’s Sepang circuit.

2012 Ducati 1199 Panigale S Receives FIM Superstock Homologation

It was only a matter of time but finally the news is official: the 2012 Ducati 1199 Panigale S has been added to the list of homologated motorcycles for the Superstock 1000 Cup The Panigale was noticeably absent from the initial homologation list the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) released a couple of weeks ago. Now, with a month until the 2012 Superstock 1000 Cup starts at Italy’s Imola circuit, the 1199 has been cleared to complete. The delay was merely a formality however, and teams such as Effenbert-Liberty Racing have already begun testing the Ducati 1199 Panigale S in racing trim.

Rain Puts a Damper on Ducati MotoGP Test

Wet conditions limited Ducati factory riders Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden to just 18 laps each on the second of three days of MotoGP testing in Malaysia. Though there is a lot of work to be done for Ducati to be competitive, the heavy rainfall plus Hayden’s still-recovering shoulder limited track time for both riders. They used what time they did have to work on the Ducati Desmosedici GP12‘s electronics including new traction control software.

Hayden and Rossi Back on Track Following Surgeries

Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden returned to the track to test their Ducati Desmosedici GP12 racebikes mere weeks after both undergoing surgery. Rossi had a rod removed from his right leg, a remnant from the 2010 crash that broke his tibia. Hayden meanwhile is still recovering from surgery to repair a shoulder injured in a training crash.

Stoner Tops Day One of Sepang Test – Video

It’s been about a month since Casey Stoner last tested the Honda RC213V racebike at Malaysia’s Sepang circuit but the defending World Champion remains the man to beat, setting the fastest lap at the first day of MotoGP’s February Sepang test. Heavy rain limited teams’ testing and Stoner only completed 16 laps but still managed to set a time of 2:01.761. Stoner was the only rider to lap under 2:02, though his Repsol Honda teammate Dani Pedrosa came close with a time of 2:02.005 while completing 36 laps.

WSBK: 2012 Phillip Island Results – Video

Max Biaggi won the opening race to the 2012 World Superbike Championship while defending champion Carlos Checa came back from a high-speed crash in the first race to win the second at Australia’s Phillip Island circuit. Reigning champion Checa of Althea Ducati had a stunning high-side crash while leading on the sixth lap of Race One. The WSBK paddock was already in shock with the death of 17-year-old Oscar McIntyre in the Superstock 600 race the day before but thankfully Checa was not seriously injured.

848 build blog : 42 days to go

With just 42 days until the British Superbike season starts and the 2012 848 Challenge riders head to Brands for the first of eight rounds, I thought you'd like to see the lastminute.com preparations and hard graft going into my bike to get it ready for the season ahead. Instead of ending the season in one piece, I highsided in Race 1, buggering the bike and busting my shoulder. The bike and I have been feeling very sorry for ourselves ever since.

The Hound: XJR1200 Cafe Racer

Not sure if I've ever seen an XJR given the Cafe Racer treatment? Well, until now that is. Created by Italian motorcycle builders, Emporio Elaborazioni, 'The Hound' is based on an XJR1200.

Effenbert-Liberty Racing Tests Ducati 1199 Panigale Superstock Race Bike

Our own Kevin Duke is in Abu Dhabi this week to test the 2012 Ducati 1199 Panigale, but elsewhere in the world, the Panigale was receiving another shakedown test in Australia. The Effenbert-Liberty race team was at Australia’s Phillip Island circuit to prepare for the 2012 World Superbike Championship and Superstock 1000 Cup. While WSBK racers Sylvain Guintoli and Jakub Smrz tested their Ducati 1198 Superbikes, Superstock racers Brett McCormick and Federico Sandi got their first chance to ride their 1199 Panigale racebikes.

Ducati Recalls Monster and Hypermotard Models for Fuel Line Flaws

Ducati is issuing a recall on its entire 2012 Monster and Hypermotard lineups due to internal cracking of fuel lines. According to documents released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Ducati‘s quality control department discovered micro-cracking on the four-layer extruded fuel lines. The cracks occured on the inner surface of the line that comes in contact with fuel.