01 Ducati 748s on 2040-motos

Moto blog

The quietest Panigale in the world

For 1199 Panigale to be eligble in Japan, Ducati have had to make it quieter by adding a longer exhaust and a different clutch cover to pass noise tests. The exhaust adds 4kg to the overall 164kg weight, it also requires a unique Japan-only engine mapping. Further dampening the sound is a plastic clutch cover that extends up to cover the rear cylinder.

Old Dog, New Tricks: Tackling The LA-Barstow To Vegas Dual-Sport Ride

Joining the 39th running of the famed event on a Ducati DesertX and a Kawasaki KLX300 Credit: Photos by Cait Maher, Evans Brasfield, Grumpy, and Ryan Adams Let’s be honest, dual-sport motorcycles aren’t really designed for touring, despite my best efforts ( here and here). The bikes are merely street-legal dirt bikes without much accommodation for creature comfort. So, spending 220-ish miles flat in the saddle from Las Vegas, NV to Palmdale, CA, mostly on Interstate 15, is a platform for cataloging discomforts, and after riding approximately 360 miles, mostly off road over the two previous days, my aches-and-pains were legion.

George White & Visordown: 848 Challenge

I've never met a motorcycle dealer who isn't flat-out 24/7 and Steve Gannicott, the big cheese at George White Motorcycles, is no exception. George White's have 7 dealerships across the country and 6 outlet stores - a lot to keep on top of so Steve probably didn't need me pestering him all day but that's exactly what he got. When I managed to get hold of Steve, he was really supportive of my entry to the 848 Challenge and wanted to get behind it because George White now has a Ducati dealership.