2013 Ducati Diavel on 2040-motos

Ducati Other tech info

Type:Cruiser Phone:(866) 770-8595

Moto blog

MotoGP Lifts Rookie Rule, Caps Factory Prototype Entries and Adjusts Other Regulations

As expected, MotoGP organizers have officially lifted the rule barring rookies from racing for factory teams, but the Grand Prix Commission also tweaked some other regulations including a cap on factory prototype machines. We’ve discussed the lifting of the rookie rule already, with the main impetus being to allow a manufacturer such as Honda to sign up-and-coming Moto2 star Marc Marquez when he is expected to move up to the premiere class next season. As of Jan.

Mamola crashes the two-seater Ducati Desmosedici

For years now, at every MotoGP, Ducati have taken VIP guests out on track with Randy Mamola giving them a glimpse of what a MotoGP bike can do. But as we all know: the difference between being on the edge and being over it are smaller than we'd like, especially if you've got a pillion adding another dimension of complexity to the physics you're already battling with. In short: sometimes even ex-GP winners get it wrong.

Rainy BSB tests are nothing new

THE combination of bad weather in the UK and a European testing ban means that most BSB teams will now start the season with very little track time. This sounds like a disaster for the top teams but history has proved this isn’t necessarily true and it sometimes doesn’t matter how much pre season preparation has taken place.  Back in 2002 Sean Emmett won on the IFC Ducati at the opening Silverstone round after first riding it in unofficial practice the same weekend. Steve Hislop took the other win on Pauls Bird’s well sorted Ducati. More recently in 2009, Leon Camier took an untested new model R1 Yamaha to victory at the Brands Hatch opener after GSE took delivery of the bike just the week before. Sylvain Guintoli won the other race on a well developed, well tested Crescent Suzuki. You could argue if no one has had testing then it is a level playing field but you have to feel for riders moving up to the superbike class in the world’s toughest national series.  Tyco Suzuki’s PJ Jacobson is one such rider but having spent some time with him over the past few weeks he seems to be taking it all in his stride. It may be the confidence of youth or maybe the fact he has won in every other class he has entered in his short BSB career, but I suspect he fancies at least standing on the Superbike podium at Brands (He also does a bit of ice racing which is not dissimilar to the this year’s UK testing).  The testing ban was implemented with all the best cost cutting intentions and if it had been any other year in the past decade all would be well. The teams may be feeling frustrated but the fans should be excited. With so many unknowns, the 2013 BSB opener at Brands Hatch could be the best ever!