Ducati: A Photographic Tribute by Phil Aynsley
Ducati: A Photographic Tribute by Phil Aynsley
Phil Aynsley, who’s one of my favorite Ducatista photographers, just dropped a quick line to say that he’s released a brand new masterpiece, ‘Ducati: A Photographic Tribute‘. I haven’t seen the book in person yet, but from the looks of the photos that Phil has posted on his personal website, it sure looks like a must-have for diehard Ducatista everywhere… Certainly makes my mouth water just looking at some of these incredible vintage machines… Well, that and emotionally long to hit the ‘ol road on the Monster, because let’s face it there’s nothing more soul stirring than beautiful vintage machines captured in all their glory 
Here’s a bit from the publisher on the book;
Phil Aynsley has only ever owned Ducatis. Since buying his first, a 250 Desmo, in 1972 he has been a passionate devotee of the Italian marque. As a professional photographer whose work has appeared in books and magazines in Europe, the US and his native Australia he has has the opportunity to photograph a great number of Ducatis over a period of 30 years. This includes rarely seen parts of the Ducati factory to intimate views from inside the pits at many MotoGP and World Superbike rounds to inside private collections to road tests. The images in this book are his personal favorites. The photographs also come with a foreward by World Champion Troy Bayliss and words by internationally known Ducati expert Ian Gowanloch.
More Picts here;
http://www.philaphoto.com/images/TheBook
Congrats Phil!
More Air-Dates for Twist The Throttle
Small update to share about Twist The Throttle — Starting June 1st, HD Theater is going to start encore presentations of all eight episodes of the series, which will continuing running through November!
More info is available on a week by week basis at HD Theater: Twist The Throttle Schedule.
Phil Aynsley Saltarelli Collection Photos
Wicked winter weather got you down? Then pull up a chair and get cozy with your cpu monitor because photographer Phil Aynsley has got a treat in store for you! In the past he has published some terrific pictures of classic Ducati engines and the factory, but this time he’s turned his attention to the Saltarelli Collection in Fano, which houses a tremendous wealth of wonderfully vintage Ducati bikes! Just some really beautiful imagery… So check out the photo gallery at www.philaphoto.com/images/Ducatis-Italy2008/index.html !
We’ve Got Air Dates!!!
Twist The Throttle
A somewhat crazy week ended with a bang — well, not a bang exactly, but we did get some great news…Twist The Throttle now has official air dates!
NETWORK:
DISCOVERY
HD
THEATER
AIR
DATES
&
TIMES
(NOTE:
ALL
TIMES
ARE
’LOCAL
TIMES’ )
MONDAY,
JANUARY
5TH
10PM
- HONDA
MONDAY,
JANUARY
12TH
10PM
- DUCATI
MONDAY,
JANUARY
19TH
10PM
- BMW
MONDAY,
JANUARY
26TH
10PM
- KAWASAKI
MONDAY,
FEBRUARY
2ND
10PM -
SUZUKI
MONDAY,
FEBRUARY
9TH
10PM
- MV
AGUSTA
MONDAY,
FEBRUARY
16TH
10PM
- BIMOTA & ALPINESTARS
MONDAY,
FEBRUARY
23RD
10PM
-
YAMAHA
Quick Update on the Twist The Throttle front — Discovery HD Theater has decided to push the premiere of the series back until later in the 1st Quarter of 2009 in order to give it more promotion on both TV and in the Mags.
Unfortunately we don’t have the new air dates just yet but I’ll post them as soon as the new schedule is announced.
Thank You Rent A Ducati
Rent a Ducati
With the holiday season quickly approaching, I wanted to toss a quick shout out tonight to the the fine folks at Rent A Ducati for sponsoring Twisting Asphalt this year.
For the holiday season they’re offering a nifty two for one special, so if you’re in the market for a bike rental in San Diego my biased opinion is that you ought to check’em out…
And if you’re curious what a day with Rent A Ducati is like then feel free to check out a Twisting Asphalt review on the experience. (pre sponsorship fwiw)…
A Sad Day Indeed… Massimo Tamburini Retires
It is a sad, sad day for motorcyclists everywhere now that word has officially hit the streets that the greatest motorcycle designer of all time has announced his retirement.
Sad because as of December 31st there will be a gigantic void standing at the absolute pinnacle where art and function meet.
Massimo Tamburini has been more then just a ‘designer’ — He didn’t just build bikes for riders around the world — Rather he has been a sculptor who has repeatedly crafted fantasies that we as consumers didn’t even know we wanted. Over the years what his pen has produced has been universally revered as simply being magnificent, yet to only acknowledge his brilliance based solely on the bikes he’s been responsible for doesn’t do him justice.
Instead one has to look at the direct connection that his ideas have had on every other sportbike manufactured by the more mainstream motorcycle brands. His visions have been the baseline inspiration for every other designer out there and while others have jumped from one fad to the next or been constrained by dollars & sense, he has quietly continued to refine his dream and with each minor revision pushed his bikes one step closer to perfection…
Bayliss 1198 Vid
Nifty Vid of Troy Bayliss saying goodbye as he intro’s the new 1198… Not to shabby… Click through to take a peek at it!
Exciting News - Twist The Throttle Goes Broadcast!
Twist The Throttle
‘What a long strange trip its been indeed’…
After many months of hard work, a severe lack of riding, some coy hints, and many days and nights spent in the edit bay, I’m excited to finally be able to share some fantastic news — Twist The Throttle is going to Broadcast!
Starting January 5th, 2009, you’ll be able to check out hour long episodes on each of the eight manufacturers showcased in the original online version of the series but this time around in the comfort of your own living room in high-definition on Discovery HD Theater. The time slot has yet to be finalized, but needless to say once it is I’ll certainly post something about it.
On a personal level, I’m extremely excited about the broadcast version of the series for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that the additional time afforded on air has allowed us to greatly expand on each individual manufacturers story. We’ve added a great number of new ‘voices’, new footage, historical vault material and lengthened just about everything else. If you enjoyed the original online version, I’d imagine you’ll greatly enjoy the new broadcast versions.
Right now I’m limited in how much I can divulge about the shows, but needless to say it’s been quite a trip to get to this point — This is an idea that has been percolating in one form or another for almost two years now and when I look back on it, it’s extremely exciting and fulfilling to see how the smallest germination of an idea can grow into something greater.
There are a number of folks who deserve a great of the credit for all of this, starting with our immensely talented Director of Photography Andrew Warsuzki and 2nd Unit Shooter (and as I’ve mentioned previously, Jack of All Trades) Andrew Cochrane. As I’ve mentioned previously both poured their hearts and souls into the project and each episode proves it. Ira Rappaport did a fantastic job with the new opening animation and show graphics. Truly awesome stuff… Finally I’d also like to toss a shout out to the incredibly talented Peter Karr, who has completely outdone himself once again by composing an absolutely rock’n original score for each show. Stuff like this ought to be available on CD’s…
So without further ado here’s the official press release:
HD THEATER TAKES TO THE ROAD WITH TWIST THE THROTTLE, AN EIGHT-PART SERIES EXPLORING SOME OF THE GREATEST MOTORCYCLE BRANDS IN THE WORLD
– Original Turbo.com Broadband Series Makes Its Television Debut
with New Footage on HD Theater Starting Monday, January 5 –
(Silver Spring, MD) – Millions of people ride motorcycles and millions more fantasize about what it would be like to ride these cultural icons of speed, freedom, craftsmanship and personal rebellion. HD Theater’s new series, TWIST THE THROTTLE, takes audiences on a remarkable 36,000 mile journey across the globe to explore eight of the most famous sport motorcycling brands. Each episode focuses on a single brand, showcasing the remarkable history; the behind-closed-door factory, design facilities and R&D departments; and ultimately, what it is like to ride these magnificent machines on some of the most picturesque roads and spectacular racetracks in the world. The brands covered in TWIST THE THROTTLE include Bimota, BMW, Ducati, Honda, Kawasaki, MV Agusta, Suzuki and Yamaha. TWIST THE THROTTLE premieres on HD Theater starting Monday, January 5 and stories will continue to be featured on HD Theater’s online home for motorized content, Turbo.com.
Using spectacular 1080i high-definition and 5.1 digital surround sound, TWIST THE THROTTLE takes viewers directly to challenging racetracks like Kawasaki’s Autopolis on the island of Kyushu and Honda’s top-secret proving grounds in California’s Mojave Desert. For the first time ever, outside cameras were permitted on Yamaha’s private test track, Fukoroi, in Hamamatsu where TWIST THE THROTTLE put two of Yamaha’s newest sports bikes to the test. In addition to exclusive access to these private test facilities, the series travels on the open road through picturesque locales like northern Italy’s Futa Pass. Originally an ancient Roman road linking Florence to Bologna, the Futa Pass has over 200 curves carved into the mountainside in just a 20 mile stretch.
In addition, TWIST THE THROTTLE journeys through the history of each brand through interviews with the people behind their unique design philosophies. The series features an exclusive interview with Massimo Tamburini, considered to be the “Michelangelo of Italian motorcycle design,” who created some of the most iconic motorcycles including the Ducati 916 and the MV Agusta F4. Normally a recluse, Tamburini unlocks the doors of his design studio to reveal how he creates “mechanical art” and why he believes machines have souls. Additional interviews feature some of the most important names in the motorcycle world telling each brand’s remarkable story including:
• Honda’s Masanori Aoki, BMW’s David Robb and Yamaha’s Atsushi Ishiyama
• Former racing World Champions Freddie Spencer, Wayne Rainey, and Kevin Schwantz
• Current American road racing stars Mat Mladin, Neil Hodgson, Miguel Duhamel, Ben Bostrom, Jamie Hacking and Reg Pridmore
• Legendary motorcycle journalists Nick Ienatsch, Mark Hoyer, Mitch Boehm, Clement Salvadori and Mark Tuttle
About HD Theater
The first 24-hour high-definition network to broadcast all of its content in brilliant 1080i and 5.1 digital surround sound, HD Theater offers compelling real-world and motorized content from a wide range of categories including adventure, technology, nature and world culture – all designed to provide viewers with the highest-quality television experience available. For more information on Discovery Communication’s premier HD network, please visit www.dhd.discovery.com or www.turbo.com.
About Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISAD, DISBD, DISCK) is the world’s number one nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in over 170 countries. Discovery empowers people to explore their world and satisfy their curiosity through 100-plus worldwide networks, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Science Channel, Planet Green, Investigation Discovery and HD Theater, as well as leading consumer and educational products and services, and a diversified portfolio of digital media services including HowStuffWorks.com. For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.
Update: We’ve now got air dates!
NETWORK:
DISCOVERY
HD
THEATER
AIR
DATES
&
TIMES
(NOTE:
ALL
TIMES
ARE
’LOCAL
TIMES’ )
MONDAY,
JANUARY
5TH
10PM
- HONDA
MONDAY,
JANUARY
12TH
10PM
- DUCATI
MONDAY,
JANUARY
19TH
10PM
- BMW
MONDAY,
JANUARY
26TH
10PM
- KAWASAKI
MONDAY,
FEBRUARY
2ND
10PM -
SUZUKI
MONDAY,
FEBRUARY
9TH
10PM
- MV
AGUSTA
MONDAY,
FEBRUARY
16TH
10PM
- BIMOTA & ALPINESTARS
MONDAY,
FEBRUARY
23RD
10PM
-
YAMAHA
Quick Update on the Twist The Throttle front — Discovery HD Theater has decided to push the premiere of the series back until later in the 1st Quarter of 2009 in order to give it more promotion on both TV and in the Mags.
Unfortunately we don’t have the new air dates just yet but I’ll post them as soon as the new schedule is announced.
More Monster 1100 Pixs
From The Ducati North America Press Release:
The arrival of the two big-bore Monsters completes the redesign of the iconic model family.
Cupertino, CA (25 September 2008) – Ducati North America is pleased to announce the latest additions to its iconic Monster line of “naked” sport bikes, the Monster 1100 and 1100 S models.
The arrival of the new Monster 1100 and 1100 S models increases the displacement of the redesigned Monster family, which defines the naked motorcycle and has been staking its claim worldwide as the new icon of Italian excellence.
The ‘less-is-more’ philosophy behind all Monsters underlines Ducati’s never-ending pursuit of genuinely compact, high performance motorcycles; but these new models have succeeded in being even more ‘pared down’ than their predecessors. The Monster 1100 weighs only 371 lbs (369 lbs for the S version), making it by far the lightest bike in its category.
The new Monster 1100 design perfectly balances sports performance, riding pleasure and stunning looks. With its single-sided aluminum swingarm, high-spec componentry, race-oriented chassis and 15 years of evolution, the Monster 1100 now takes its place at the head of the Monster family.
The Monster 1100 S is a pure concentrate of light weight, power, design and exclusivity. The ‘S’ features fully adjustable 43mm titanium nitride coated Ohlins forks and progressive Ohlins rear shock absorber with adjustable pre-load and return damping. Carbon fiber cam belt covers, silencer guards and front fender reduce weight by a further 2.2 lbs. The distinctive gold five spoke wheels of the Monster 1100 S give it the elegant style and same sporting look as historical Ducati race bikes.
Both versions of the new Monster 1100 come with removable single seat covers and neat micro-bikini fairings; and are powered by the charismatic two-valve 1100cc Desmodromic twin-cylinder engine that boasts 95hp at 7500rpm and an impressive 79.5 lb/ft of torque at 6000rpm.
Color schemes available are:
Monster 1100:
Red tank, Red frame, Silver wheels
Silver tank, Red frame, Silver wheels
Gloss black tank, Matte black frame, Silver wheels
Monster 1100 S:
Red tank, Red frame, Gold wheels
Pearl White tank, Matte black frame, Gold wheelsThe first U.S. appearance for the Monster 1100 will be at the Cycle World International Motorcycle Show in Phoenix Arizona; October 31- November 2nd.
For more information about the Monster 1100, 1100 S and their 696cc sibling; please visit http://www.monster.ducati.com/
The Ducati Monster 1100 Officially Drops
Once again the Bologna motorcycle paparazzi have called it in advance — Today Ducati made all the new Monster speculation moot by announcing the 1100 and 1100S models well in advance of their International Motorcycle Show (INTERMOT) debut in Cologne on the October 8th.
Not so surprisingly both models share the 95bhp, 79.5lb/ft 1100cc air-cooled twin that lives in both the Hypermotard and the Multistrada. You can read more about the new models at the Ducati Monster Microsite or one of my personal fab-five sites, Hell for Leather.
Now that the 1100 has officially dropped, the question now is what Ducati has up its sleeves as the show-stopping ‘wow’ moment… Time will tell…
The Suzuki Gladius… OMG They’ve Reinvented The Monster
They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Assuming that truism still holds, the folks in Bologna must feel pretty darn pumped with the news that Suzuki has announced The Gladius, a SV650 based entry-level bike that uses an awfully familiar looking cast aluminum/steel trellis hybrid frame… From outward appearances it sure looks like the Gladius is a direct knock-off of the 696 Monster, at least to me… Which, I have to admit is oddly ironic given that the new Monster’s style was quite a love it or hate it affair late last year when it was introduced…
Some Nifty New Pegs For The 10???
Looks like Desmoworks, a long time Duc parts retailer, has updated their blog with picts of some sexy-as-hell and yet to-be-released SpeedyMoto Ducati 1098 rear sets (The orange clutch pressure plate is pretty fly too imho).
Up until now I haven’t had any great urge to swap out my standard issue pegs… That is until seeing these sexy devils — So much for that savings account… Or the yet to be born kid’s college fund… (*I can just imagine in the year 2030 asking a guidance counselor how many semesters a 20+ year old Ducati gets you…).
Read more about them here. (FWIW I’ve never order from Desmoworks, so I don’t know much about them, but the picts looked pretty cool)…
Indy GP Images Ducastista Don’t Want To See
Sad thread going on over at the Ducati.ms forum, called appropriately enough, “Ducati Pile Up” — Apparently for a few Ducatista, the fowl weather and heavy rain at the Indianapolis Grand Prix was not the worst of their day but rather just the beginning…
Head over the thread to read more.
Duck, Duck, Goose… Hayden Signs with Ducati
After much speculation, today Nicky Hayden officially signed on as the second rider for Ducati’s Moto GP team for next season. The switch ends a tumultuous multi-year saga of disappointment and frustration for both Hayden and his former Honda Repsol squad.
From Roadracing World’s Newswire:
“We are really happy to have Nicky join us,” declared Claudio Domenicali, Ducati Corse CEO and Ducati Motor Holding Product Director. “We are certain that his never-say-die attitude, riding style and character will be great additions to our team in 2009. I would like to thank HRC for allowing Nicky to start testing our bike immediately after the Valencia Grand Prix. I would also like to thank Marco Melandri for his professionalism during a difficult year, which was below all our expectations. Unfortunately his feeling with the Desmosedici was never good enough to allow him to ride as well as he can. We wish him all the best for the future.”
Perhaps I’m being overly nationalistic - heaven forbid in a sport entirely built around it - but I for one am definitely looking forward to seeing The Kentucky Kid in Marlboro Racing Red atop a roaring Desmosedici next season. Welcome to the world of the Ducatista Nicky…
2009 Ducati Model Rumors - Fact or Fiction?
Once again the new model rumor mill is heating up as we get closer to the annual Ducati USA dealer meeting and the Milan Motorcycle show in November, where historically the company introduces their new bikes to the public.
Just a few days ago Ducati itself toss fuel on the fire by announcing that both the Multistrada and Hypermotard will be available in pearl white. I guess that means we won’t be seeing a retooled Strada this year after all…
Of course the big news before and after that minor announcement has undoubtedly been the reported cell phone camera shots of the new Ducati Monster 1100 taken by an Italian Ducati Riding Club member. In short order they appeared all over the net, including a featured spot on AutoBlog - Clearly when it comes to the Monster everyone wants to know what’s coming next…
The grainy cell phone images seem to foreshadow the next new Monster - The same look as last years 696 but with more power in the form of the 1100 DS engine found in the Hypermotard. If this in fact turns out to be the big news at the Milan show you certainly can’t fault Ducati, after all it’s the next logical evolution of the new Monster design. Yet am I the only wondering when we’ll see a 1098 derived Monster? Isn’t that really the naked bike we’re waiting for???
Hayden to Ducati… Sure Sounds Like It
As the old expression goes, “where there’s smoke there’s fire”… Apparently during a pre-event press conference at the Indianapolis Grand Prix, Nicky Hayden more or less confirmed his rumored switch to the Ducati Moto GP team next season, saying,
It’s no secret. Everybody knows where my next stop is going to be, but officially we’re waiting to do it the right way, until the releases come out, because there’s teams and stuff. (via Road Racing World)
Usually I don’t comment that much on Moto GP madness - that’s better left to sites such as MotoGPMatters.com, who dedicate their lives to it and do a smashing job - but in this case, I’ve got to say I’m greatly looking forward to seeing what Nicky can do with a Desmosedici.
At this point in time only a handful of folks seem capable of riding the machine to its limit (as opposed to say Marco Melandri) and after years of being tormented by Honda, much like Valentino Rossi was towards the end of his Honda career, I just wonder if moving on isn’t the best thing for Hayden. The bike seems to suit his style imho and more over I can’t help but wonder if we’re witnessing a modern day Hailwood moment in the making (i.e. his 2nd go-around with Ducati) - could Nicky be the next great rider who later on in his career moves to Ducati and sees success? Certainly would be fun to see…
Ducati Motor Holding Changes Hands… Again
It would appear the annual ‘who owns Ducati at the moment’ right of passage is upon us as Dealer News is reporting that the three largest share holders of Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. have decided use a newly formed company, called Performance Motorcycles S.p.A. (which is certainly a catchy name now isn’t it???), to consolidate the remaining outstanding shares of the company. One wonders if the topsy-turvy ownership of the brand will ever end. It certainly seems they go through corporate parents faster then an L-Twin eats through oil…
Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. is to be absorbed by Performance Motorcycles S.p.A., an investment vehicle formed in April by three of the OEM’s main shareholders.
Ducati leadership says a draft of the merger plan will be drawn up and subsequently approved by the board of directors in September. The merger will cause the delisting of Ducati by the end of the year, the OEM said in a prepared statement.
In March, Ducati shareholders Investindustrial, BS Investimenti and Hospitals of Ontario Pension Plan (HOPP) announced they intended to launch a €390.8 million ($579 million) bid to purchase the 70 percent of the motorcycle manufacturer they didn’t already own. They planned to fund about 50 percent of the bid, with the remainder financed by bank Intesa Sanpaolo SpA. At the time, Private equity firm Investindustrial owned 15.6 percent of Ducati Motor Holding, SpA; Canadian pension fund HOPP owned 7.4 percent; and BS Investimenti held about 7 percent.
You can read more about it here.
Good, Crazy Chaos
It’s been a few days, er weeks, since the last blog post — I had wished that this particular post would have been based on yet another great ride, but right now that’s unfortunately not an option. Once again the pace of life seems to have exponentially increased seemingly overnight in a rather all consuming manor and lately there’s been little time for riding. To much to do at the moment, but thankfully it’s all for the best. Life right now is a whirlwind of work — but it’s very, very exciting — All really cool, fun stuff, that I can’t wait to share on the blog, but at this point it’s a bit premature to talk about it in any specific manor. (Don’t you love the legalities of life???) The good news is that if you dig our broadcast work, then you’re in for a treat because there’s a lot more moto-related content headed your way 
In the meantime if you head over to the Discovery Turbo website, you can see our latest project, Amazing Machines, which launched a little while ago. It’s not as comprehensive as Twist The Throttle was, but still good fun for the whole family — assuming that they’re into things with engines … So enjoy… (more…)
New Twist The Throttle Trailer
Earlier this week MCN, which is one of my favorite moto-mags, ran a bit about Twist The Throttle! I haven’t seen a copy of the article yet, but because the gang at MCN is so web literate, they asked us to cut a new promotional trailer for the series… Enjoy
(more…)
More Moto Goodness - Pro Italia’s Webisodes Launch
As some of you might recall, last year I directed a documentary for Pro Italia Motorcycles, called “Ducati: A Story of Passion“, which was both an inside look at the company as well as a lengthy glance at the brands remarkable history. Well, tonight I’m stoked to announce we’re releasing a five part series of webisodes!The clips are excerpts from the documentary, which give a small taste of what the DVD is like. They’re free and available on both YouTube as well as Veoh. I’ve embedded the YouTube versions below (because for some reason Veoh breaks the html code on Twisting Asphalt)… So grab an adult beverage of your choice and enjoy!
Webisdoe #1: The 1098
Webisdoe #2: The Birth of Ducati
Webisdoe #3: Factory Tour
Webisode #4: The Hypermotard
And my favorite, Webisode #5: Mad for Moto
Twist The Throttle Goes Viral
It appears that word of our Discovery Turbo project, “Twist The Throttle“, continues to spread, now courtesy of YouTube…
(more…)
Twist The Throttle Launches!
It’s been a very exciting morning thus far — Late last night we found out that the online portion of our motorcycle documentary series, “Twist The Throttle“, launched on the Discovery Turbo website!
‘Twist The Throttle’ is an inside and behind-the-scenes look at eight of the major and/or most storied motorcycle manufacturers in the world, including; Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki, BMW, Ducati, MV Agusta and Bimota.
(more…)
Next Week: Twist The Throttle Premieres on Discovery Turbo Online
After months of hard work I’m excited to finally be able to announce that next week our latest Sportbike project, “Twist The Throttle“, will premiere online on Discovery Turbo (Update: The direct link to the content is http://turbo.discovery.com/twist-the-throttle/twist-the-throttle.html). Shot entirely in High-Definition because of the multi-platform nature of the project, ‘Twist The Throttle’ is an inside and behind-the-scenes look at eight of the major and/or most storied motorcycle manufacturers in the world, including; Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki, BMW, Ducati, MV Agusta and Bimota. (more…)
Bayliss Has Some Major Cajones
Alright, so who caught the first two races of the new World Superbike Championship season??? I don’t usually comment on races, since there are literally a hundred other websites dedicated to such a task, but it’s hard not to find yourself not having something to say after watching Troy Bayliss ride like an absolute madman during the first race in Qatar.
I don’t know that I’ve ever seen someone ride that close to the edge and still pull it together and end up winning. He ran off the track, what, four, maybe five times, and somehow still managed to keep it together - Absolutely amazing… And if you’re a 1098 owner, it’s hard not to be stoked to see the 1098R nab it’s first win in it’s first race. Clearly Ducati Corse is on a major roll right now, and had it not been for the boys back in Bologna, as fans we might never have seen Bayliss race again…
“Retirement has been on my mind for two years, but then I saw the pictures of the new 1098,” Bayliss said.
“I realised then that I won’t be around to race the next new Ducati - it’s a bit like the Olympics with new bikes only coming around every four or five years.
“I’d love to win another title on the 1098, but if not, then it’s still OK. I plan on enjoying myself, but that won’t take away any of my drive to win.”
Read more here.
