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!
This Week: ‘Motorcycle Crash Tech’ Premieres
As a rider, over the years I’ve become keenly aware that there are roads you know well and ride all the time, roads you’ve never seen but find yourself making plans to visit, and then roads that from a mere photograph have a unique power to consume your dreams — because they are not easy to get to or to conquer.
The last several weeks have been a remarkable stretch of time where all of my personal roads, both the seen and unseen, the known and unknown, have blended together to form a wonderful combination of one single and seamless moment where everything feels like it’s exactly where it is supposed to be for right now…
And I can’t think of a better culmination of that sense of purpose than this Thursday evening, when our newest sportbike documentary, Motorcycle Crash Tech‘, premieres on The National Geographic Channel at 9 PM EST.
In May, I briefly wrote about the project but at the time couldn’t go into much detail about it — Tonight I finally can…
After we finished Twist The Throttle, the next inevitable question was what do we want to shoot next? For month we went back and forth, talking about what would be different then Twist and yet still part of the greater sportbike arena… A few truly intriguing ideas surfaced, but they never quite took off or captured enough of our collective attention span… But then lighting struck… While ‘taking a break’…
We were watching a sportbike race, when a rider crashed. It looked horrific. It looked deadly. It seemed disastrous. Yet the rider got up. Shook his head in frustration. And walked away…
It was a scene punctuated by the notion that twenty, maybe fifteen, hell probably ten years ago, would have required an ambulance or a helicopter. But instead suddenly seemed rather matter-of-fact. The rider later quoted as saying it was a run of the mill event. Barely noticeable and simply a function of ‘push the edge’…
Tonight it seems rather obvious that something interesting was there, but at the time it was simply a curiosity — was racing, and by extension regular-riding, really safer today? Have we actually come to a point where we can engineer out the danger?
The answer as many riders know is, yes.
It is something I learned first hand this January when I crashed (an odd occurrence while working on a sportbike show about crashing no doubt!).
Now, of course I’m not suggesting that racing is 100% safe, nor regular everyday riding, neither one is, but the odds of survival should the worst happen have dramatically increased and that’s something I personally find fascinating… So we set out to see the remarkable advancements in racing and riding gear; from the bikes themselves, to the brakes, to helmets, and the actual riding suits.
I hope everyone in the audience enjoys! (Press Release Below)
Umberto rides the F4
New Motorcycle Documentary Premieres on the National Geographic Channel
September 17, 2009 at 9PM ET
“Motorcycle Crash Tech” is an extraordinary behind-the-scenes look at the new technologies being used to avoid motorcycle crashes, and prevent injuries or even death when a racer or rider does go down.
Exclusive interviews with racer Neil Hodgson and the legendary Giacomo Agostini describe first-hand what goes through a racer’s mind the moment they know they’re going to crash and vividly recount just how deadly racing was in the 1960’s and ‘70’s. Combining rare archival footage from years past as well as contemporary AMA racing coverage, the film explains the differences between high-sides and low-sides and the extreme forces involved in both types of crashes.
The film captures stunning action photography of world-class test riders Vito Guareschi (Alpinestars, Nolan, and Ducati) and Umberto Rumiano (MV Agusta) in action during what are normally closed test sessions of new riding gear and bikes. Brembo factory riders are also filmed testing the company’s newest brakes on twisting Italian mountain roads and performing incredible braking tests on Brembo’s private test track.
Produced by Cry Havoc Productions, an award winning documentary film company specializing in Moto related films, “Motorcycle Crash Tech” will premiere on September 17, 2009 at 9PM ET on the National Geographic Channel.
Filmed in 1080i high-definition and 5.1 digital surround sound, “Motorcycle Crash Tech” takes viewers on an extraordinary journey across Northern Italy. With rare access to the R & D facilities and research departments at Alpinestars, Brembo, Nolan, and MV Agusta, the film chronicles the very latest technologies being used in motorcycle riding gear, boots, helmets, brakes, and the bikes themselves to make racing and riding safer.
The Sweet Sound of 5.1
'Motorcycle Crash Tech' Audio Mix
It’s been an incredible few days as we wrap up the last remaining bits on our new sportbike doc for the National Geographic Channel (which I briefly wrote about previously) but none was nearly as exciting as sitting down at Salami Studios in Burbank, California, and hearing the 5.1 audio mix for the first time. While I totally dig the move the High-Def in terms of the visuals, there’s nothing quite as exciting hearing the sounds of sportbikes roaring in real, honest to goodness surround sound. It brings the hair on the back of neck up and makes two-dimensional images seem so much deeper… And honestly, I really dig the images in this show, so that’s saying something…
Hopefully you all will enjoy the show & the audio mix as much as I do 
Air-Schedule coming shortly…
Monday 10pm - Twist The Throttle Episode #2: Ducati
Ducati Sport 1000 & 1098 on the Futa Pass
Just a quick reminder that the second episode of Twist The Throttle, which showcases Ducati, debuts this coming Monday at 10 pm EST/PST on Discovery’s “HD Theater”!
*Channel 76 and 281 on DirecTV, but if you’ve got a different cable system please check your local listings…
*Detailed episode listings are available on the Discovery HD Theater website here.
Twist The Throttle - New Air Dates!
Exciting news — The first episode of “Twist The Throttle”, which is on Honda, has a new premiere date!
Discovery HD Theater, which is Channel 76 on your DirecTV system, has scheduled the first episode of the eight part series to premiere on Monday, April 6 at 10pm, immediately following American Chopper.
The second episode features Ducati and it premieres on April 13th at 10pm.
More info shortly…
Update: Detailed episode listings are now available on the Discovery HD Theater website here.
Info Below…
Apr 06, 10:00 pm
(60 minutes)
Remind Me
Twist the Throttle
Honda
Today, Honda is both a worldwide brand and instantly recognizable name. But in the beginning, Honda is nothing more than Soichiro Honda’s last name.
Apr 07, 1:00 am
(60 minutes)
Remind Me
Twist the Throttle
Honda
Today, Honda is both a worldwide brand and instantly recognizable name. But in the beginning, Honda is nothing more than Soichiro Honda’s last name.
Apr 07, 5:00 am
(60 minutes)
Remind Me
Twist the Throttle
Honda
Today, Honda is both a worldwide brand and instantly recognizable name. But in the beginning, Honda is nothing more than Soichiro Honda’s last name.
Apr 12, 5:00 am
(60 minutes)
Remind Me
Twist the Throttle
Honda
Today, Honda is both a worldwide brand and instantly recognizable name. But in the beginning, Honda is nothing more than Soichiro Honda’s last name.
Apr 12, 4:00 pm
(60 minutes)
Remind Me
Twist the Throttle
Honda
Today, Honda is both a worldwide brand and instantly recognizable name. But in the beginning, Honda is nothing more than Soichiro Honda’s last name.
Apr 13, 10:00 pm
(60 minutes)
Remind Me
Twist the Throttle
Ducati
TV-PG
Motorcycles weren’t what the Ducati brothers had in mind when they first created a radio manufacturing company in 1926. See how the Ducati’s revolutionary designs have inspired modern pop culture.
Apr 14, 1:00 am
(60 minutes)
Remind Me
Twist the Throttle
Ducati
TV-PG
Motorcycles weren’t what the Ducati brothers had in mind when they first created a radio manufacturing company in 1926. See how the Ducati’s revolutionary designs have inspired modern pop culture.
Apr 14, 5:00 am
(60 minutes)
Remind Me
Twist the Throttle
Ducati
TV-PG
Motorcycles weren’t what the Ducati brothers had in mind when they first created a radio manufacturing company in 1926. See how the Ducati’s revolutionary designs have inspired modern pop culture.
Update:
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, April 6
(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, April 6 at 10 PM ET/PT. Additionally, TWIST THE THROTTLE is narrated by actor Ed Quinn (Eureka, CSI:NY), who is an avid sport bike rider.
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. .
About Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is the world’s number one nonfiction
media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in 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.
Favorite Book of The Year - Hodgson’s Back on Track
With the year quickly coming to a close there’s a certain amount of self-reflection hanging in the air. That quasi-introspective light that reveals both the magnificent and the less then stellar, the things you admire and the thing you’d like to alter when next season comes.
Clearly this hasn’t been the best year for my personal riding because I just haven’t had enough time to actually do it and I’ve spent far more hours away from the bikes than near them. On one level that eats away - rather constantly - at my sense of ‘what’s right in the world’, however the desire to be ‘near’ bikes has shown itself in a variety of different forms. Some of which are relatively obvious - like the hours spent working on moto-docs, while others were surprisingly unexpected.
In particular the vast amount of moto-reading that I found myself consuming over the course of the past year. Some of these escapes where brand specific while others era specific, and a few were merely tangentially moto-related, yet of all the books I flew through this year none was nearly as illuminating as Back on Track
Generally speaking I’m always somewhat hesitant to pick up a biography written with or by the subject themselves, as often times these sorts of books are crafted in the glowing light of perfection and rarely shed insight into the person themselves. Instead these sort of ‘tell all’ experiences feels less like the truth and more like you’re reading what is essentially one very hefty Nike commercial that’s sole purpose is to help stir the subjects celebrity status. However Back on Track is remarkably different than other puff-piece Bios — Because it isn’t one.
The book was not written during a Championship season, nor does it paint a perfect picture of Neil or pretend that he is in fact a perfect person. Instead Back on Track offers the most candid look that I’ve ever read on what it takes to run among the big boys in WSBK. From the highs to the lows to the constant search for that little bit of extra speed in every corner, Hodgson and co-writer Neil Bramwell lay it all out there for the audience to relive and learn from.
Perusing the pages you get the sense that the actual act of racing is almost the easiest part of being a professional World Superbike rider. Rather it’s the constant movement and motion from one place to another and the assortment of issues that go along with living a vagabond existence that seems to be the most trying part of professional racing.
In addition to the absolute sense of honesty that the book portrays, Back On Track is surprisingly open about what works and what doesn’t when you’re racing. Considering that at the World Superbike level of racing it is truly everyman for themselves and an arena where success is often predicated on secrecy, it truly astonishing that Neil is as open about what goes on in the pits and how that ultimately affects his outcomes during a race. He and his team spend the year constantly plagued with parts that don’t work, bikes that blow up, a lack of factory support and a somewhat elusive search for better results. The way that they go about sorting these issues out is really the core of the book and the journey from the first race of the season to the last offers a surprising amount of knowledge that applicable not only on the track but in the everyday real world when you’re not even around a bike…
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.
The Future Multistrada?
Pierre Treblanche’s Multistrada creation (some might say abomination, but I tend to disagree) has been relatively listless since his departure from Ducati. However UK online bike mag VisorDown believes that’s about to change. They’ve posted a new artist rendering of what the new Multi might look like, an interesting blend of Hypermotard bits, current Strada cues and apparently 1098 pieces. Read all about it here.
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…
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…
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…
Gleams of Light and Luck
Stray shards of light bounce off a twinkling black asphalt as the bike tips into the corner once more and I make yet another pass on this life. It’s an exaggerated, pendulum like movement that quickly tosses me from one side of the saddle to the other — with forceful haste and while it seems wildly chaotic and intrinsically unsettling, ironically it feels exactly the opposite… I haven’t felt this planted all day…
The far-flung movement, which at first seems overstated and highly saturated, somehow allows me to just ‘let it go’ and wrap my fingers around the moment. To exist alone among that rare blend of solitude and loneliness, where your best friend and greatest enemy is the desolate concrete realty that’s slicing, cutting and transcribing the outer confines of the countryside. And as I begin to forge a directly correlated relationship with the machine, I start bending the bike in easy, simple, graceful movements that seem so matter of fact and so sincere that I swear the tires are actually contort their contour directly to the road itself. The rubber morphing to the moment as the complex compounds cave in on the weight of the work week. Tossing out the pent up emotions of the past several days with each tilting pass. A wonderfully repeatable transfer of kinetic energy that’s called release – and today that’s worth more then any help a celebrity shrink could possibly offer, on TV or in real life…
A few miles down the line, I’m standing by the bike, peering out over the endless expanse of a California country abyss that’s in the midst of swallowing an entire farmstead whole, while taking a long, slow drag on the last smoke in the pack as the final embers of self-preservation fall away. Bright flakes of my soul that immediate illuminate before quickly dissolving into nothingness as they float away in the light ambling SoCal wind.
Looking out over the nearly infinite vista, it finally feels as if I’ve touched a bit of luck.
Not within the ride itself but rather because of it. Just a few hours ago this felt like a day that was tied in knots, straining for each breath and chasing what has to be done tomorrow, yet over the course of just a few canyon roads the Hypermotard has slowly peeled back the layers. Removed the angst, the concern, the ‘what have I got to do next’ mentality, until all that’s left is a raw, exposed, emotional tap on my humanity – that odd place where there is no clock, just pure emotions free to fumble towards enjoyment.
Shaking my head, I listen to the cacophony of canyon silence, which is intermittently interrupted by the odd cow that starts singing or the errant bird flapping away from Point A to Point B, when it slowly begins to dawn on me that the vast majority of time whenever I’ve tasted luck that meant it was just about to expire. ‘Luck’ after all is not an inception emotion. It’s not something we feel when it begins, but rather a reflection emotion which you feel in the afterglow. The kind of post-conceived feeling that you remark about after the fact. Yet here, today, on this road, in this canyon, seemingly miles away from everything else, there’s a palpable sense of ‘luck’ in this day and from the day and it’s the best thing I’ve felt in quite awhile… Because to champion lady luck is to avail yourself of the potential in what might be standing around the very next bend in the road…
More Picts after the Jump… (more…)
The Winds of Fate
Photo by Scott Craven
The road is bending over itself; twisting, turning, and tumbling towards the edge. Off in the not so distant future lies fragments of tree tops. Big, green conifers that are a visible reminder that a whole new kind of experience awaits on the other side. A hundred foot plus free fall, which from a distance allows one to see the magical expanse of California and yet up close also plainly exposes the danger of the moment. The danger of life. It’s an Alice in Wonderland rabbit hole that if visited will surely take you on a trip down a different path.
Seeing it, you hesitate. You hold your breath. You try to tell yourself you’ve been here a million times before — you can do this. The tires will hold. The bike will survive. The moment will pass. There’s pleasure in this… Really…
Quickly, the engine winds up, spits fire and tosses you towards the apex. It’s a heartwarming experience on a day when the heat stifles even the most hardboiled of riders. Waves of vapor rise from the tarmac. Big, proud, optical illusions that in an flash alter what’s real and what isn’t. It’s all about perception now — even though it feels almost uncontrollable. The corner which looked so conducive to pleasure suddenly seems snake bitten and you don’t know why…
So once again, you force yourself to remember that every problem has a solution, every moment a meaning, each challenge a victor… And as the perceptual clock in your head counts down the possible solutions dwindle. Until you find yourself having to acknowledge that there’s only one course of action left.
To toss the bike into the bend, to ignore the apprehension, and to let go of the emotional baggage from the recent work weeks.
With frayed nerves, the bike continues to hustle onward. Hitting the apex before you even realize it. And when it does life changes once again. The impending doom suddenly seems like a distant memory. Your only recollection the realization that somehow, some way, you’ve survived yet another frantic moment near the edge.
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…)
A Real World Ducati Engine Rebuild
This one is for the folks out there who’ve always dreamed of pulling their Ducati engines and personally rebuilding them by hand. For the past month and a half an amazing thread has been going on over at the Ducati Monster.Org website. A fellow who goes by the handle de5m0mike decided to pull his Monster’s engine with around 4 thousand miles on it in order to clean it up and paint it. While he had it apart he ended up porting the engine a bit and generally tightening down the tolerances.
What makes this thread so engaging imho is that de5m0mike didn’t seem to know a whole heck of a lot before pulling his engine apart. Instead he learned as he went, at times leaning on a Haynes manual and the Ducati Monster forum for advice. After almost six weeks of trail and error, pain and sweet and sheer perseverance he prevailed. Running engine and all. You gotta give a fellow like that some serious mad props. I mean at some point haven’t we all thought to ourselves wouldn’t it be fun to rebuild my engine? This dude actually did it.
There’s also a thread over on Speedzilla about the project if you’re interested in a few other thoughts on the matter. Both threads are fantastic reads and well worth the time to check them out. I highly recommend them.
All The News That’s Fit To Print
So I guess there’s never a dull moment when you own a Ducati. MotorMilt got a chance today to talk to the service manager over at ProItalia about my bike. Unfortunately my worst fears have been realized. The news was not so good. Apparently while riding during our trackday with the CLASS folks I managed to uncover a manufacturing deficiency in my bike that according to PI is not all that uncommon for ‘04 999’s. As it turns out, the pistons in my bike’s engine somehow made it through quality control process without anyone every realizing that instead of being perfectly circular they were in fact oval. This allowed a small portion of oil to pass up around the pistons and into the air filter. Chances are that this has been going on for awhile, but apparently trackday and the higher rpm’s I was tossing at the engine elevated the circumstances. So basically I guess this is what you get with an Italian exotic. Lots of excitement and lots of downtime… Oddly enough people told me that this would happen with a Duc - not this specific problem mind you, but ’some problem’ - and I didn’t listen. Several folks have already mention the fact that this probably wouldn’t have happened with a Japanese bike. Like, no shit. As if I didn’t know that… I’d highly doubt that anything this odd would happen with a CBR or a RC51, but then somehow neither of those bikes would speak to my soul nearly as much as the 999 does, so I guess that’s the rub… I find it a bit odd that on one hand I’m extremely pissed that an almost new bike with slightly less than 2,000 miles can suddenly have a piston problem and yet on the other hand it somehow seems to fit perfectly with what I expect from a Duc. So go figure. Thankfully it’s all covered under warranty and there will be no new engine break-in once PI gets the new parts from Italy or NJ or where ever Ducati North America is storing their parts these days. The downside is that it appears that all riding is a no go for at least the next two weeks if not longer. It seems I’m at the whim of the postal service now….
Sweet.
Desmosedici RR Spy Photos
While I was out of town at Willow Springs, Lowell over at Ducati Los Angeles posted some really cool spy photos of what is believed to be the street version of the new Ducati Desmosedici RR. As with all things Ducati, there is obviously some serious debate going on in the forums regarding whether or not this is in fact the new street variant of the MotoGP bike or whether it’s just a testing mule for the GP team. In either case it’s a pretty slick looking testing mule… I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’d be happy to take it around for a short spin… For more picts & a bit more on the scoop check out Lowell’s website.
The Ducati MotoGP GP5 Introduction
You have to hand it to those stylish Italians, they sure know how to unveil a new race bike for the upcoming MotoGP season. Today they introduced the new Desmosedici GP5 on top of the Grosté glacier in the Dolomite mountain range in Northern Italy. Hopefully this year they’ll have a killer racing season to go along with the rather amazing looking Photo Op picts. Between this event, the renewed emphisis on the Il Motogiro d’Italia and the 999 vs Lockhead F104 stunt, somebody in the Ducati PR department in Bolognia sure seems to have figured out how to maximize the brands exposure in their more recent Ducati.com Press Releases. Of course getting these gorgeous picts into the mainstream press still seems to elude the Bolognia Boys. What a shame. These are the kind of photos that sell sexy appeal and should be in all the moto mags. Not all those 1-page spreads of sexy Italians pushing their bikes through the streets and looking like they’ve just run out of petrol.
Ducati People by Kevin Ash
Once The West Wing wrapped earlier tonight - seriously, has there been a better season? - I stole a few moments and finished the last few pages of Kevin Ash’s book, “Ducati People : Exploring The Passion Beind This Legendary Marque”. After ripping right through “Ducati 999 : Birth of a Legend” picking up another Ducatisti based book seemed like a no brainer.
Usually I find that most motor-related books that deal with company histories tend to be very bland on the character and very heavy on the details. Ash however treats the history of Ducati a bit differently. Instead of turning each page and finding what feels like a monotonous desmotronic valve discussion, he focuses on the people instead. The book features a rather large ensemble cast of twenty-four folks for whom beign associated with Ducati is a passion. They all have a varying degree of importance to the marque, but each is given their own chapter in essence to tell their unique piece of the Ducati story. By no means does this offer a comprehensive history of the brand, but instead small glimpses into the very foundation of what I would call the essence of the brand. None of the chapters are amazingly long in length, but they’re distilled down to one basic core element; feelings. What it felt like to be somewhere or do something. On a personal level I find this sort of editorial slant much more satisfying because let’s be honest here, I don’t really care what millimeter bolt the factory used in ‘73 but I do care about how the factory got from 1973 to today.
The book also offers some interesting perspectives by way of dedicating individual chapters to people you normally would never hear from in the more nuts & bolt history books. One of the women interviewed is a female factory test rider who started on the assembly line. Another is a rather ordinary desk jockey with no fancy title. Both offer very glowing opinions about working at Ducati, but not in an overhanded PR sensibility. (more…)
Motorcycle Magazine Advertising
Ducati is running a new advertising campaign in the latest round of Moto-Mags and as I’ve been seeing the image pop up all over the place, I keep finding myself wondering about the ‘core’ of the motorcycle advertising landscape and perhaps it’s the visual world I live in, but I keep finding myself wondering why exactly do motorcycle manufactures even run print ads in the first place?
I understand that if you’re a bike building company, you have to get your brand out and into marketplace and the public consciousness. This is a game of perception after all and there is some intrinsic value to marketing your brand to an audience beyond your loyal niche followers. But honestly, how many people base their buying decisions on an eight, ten or fifteen thousand dollar motorcycle because of what they read or saw in a print ad? Of all our forms of media it seems the least representational when defining the riding experience. Certainly it’s not nearly as visceral as a well done thirty second commercial that airs on say Speed Channel which can offer a motorcycle buyer a glimpse into the world of riding with a taste of the sights and sounds that go along with it. It’s also not nearly as immediate as internet advertising because you actually have to pick up the magazine and flip through it to see the ad. If anything, I would imagine that whole heck of lot more folks make their purchasing decisions based on the actual articles inside the magazine. So why spend the cash on a full page ad, when it all really comes down to subjective choices made by the editors of your favorite moto-mags? Seems to me that it would be far more economical and potentially rewarding to fold the advertising budget into making sure that your test fleet is in tip-top shape. I also wonder why motorcycle ads aren’t more like movie listings in your local paper which tell you where a movie is playing in your neighborhood. If you’ve ever gone to the Ducati website, it’s not exactly the easiest thing to locate your local dealer, taking you several pages down into their site until they show you the information.
So instead of making it easier to find your local dealership someone produced the above advertisement, no doubt in an attempt to create that ‘cool factor’ for a got-to-have-it now buying public. This works very well in our everyday life for books, t-shirts, or other heavily promoted items, but does anyone really think that for a guy or gal throwing down their hard earned cash on a big ticket item like a motorcycle an advertisement like this made any difference at all? I doubt it.
New Bike Smell…
For whatever reason this has been a banner month for the blog. The final stats aren’t in just yet since there a few days left in the September, but it looks like we’re going to go over one-thousand unique visitors for the month for the first time. When I started this several months ago I had no idea that people would actually read this thing, so this is pretty cool. I’ve also been getting an increasing amount of email from avid readers and first time visitors alike, which is also really cool. If you haven’t had the time to stop and say hello, please do. I’d love to hear from you…
Now several of the folks who’ve written in have asked my take on purchasing a new bike and/or more specifically new Ducati. Frankly, I’m not sure that I should be the one offering advice on this since I’m sure there are much more qualified motorcycle experts out there and even an entire magazine industry that’s basically predicated on promoting new models every so often. But since it keeps coming I thought I’d toss a few thoughts out there.
First of all, I’m a strong believer that before you purchase any motorcyle you ought to take the Motorcycle Safety Foundation course. I believe that they’re offered around in most states around the country. While a bit boring, the course is a good way to start. I found it to be a good eye-opener on the basics.
Secondly, I think you’ve got to ask yourself the most fundimental question of all. What kind of bike do I want to ride? In today’s market there are so many options: cruisers, sport-tourers, sportbikes, dual-purpose, naked bikes, grand-tourers, etc. The list go’s on and on. Once you lock down the style of bike, then you’ve got to test ride several in that category. I’ve read that some dealerships are refusing to allow test rides on demo bikes. If this is the case with the dealership you’re checking out my suggestion would be to find another place to shop. I tend to think of test rides as rather important parts of the motorcycle evaluation process and information gathering stage. Without them you’re left to what can sometimes be preconceived notions about a cycle.
In my case, MotorMilt and I went and kicked tires at the local Aprilla dealer only to find out that demo rides were not allowed. We left and never looked back. Who knows if we would have fallen in love with the Millie, but since the dealer wasn’t giving test rides how am I supposed to know what that bike feels like? No way I’m throwing down cash for something I’ve never ridden before.
Most importantly, I wouldn’t shop anywhere that tries the pressure routine on you. Purchasing a motorcycle should be fun, not annoying. I hate to say it, but in my experience I’ve often found that mixed dealerhips that sell either several japanese marques or a combination of japanese brands and foriegn imports, tend to be the worst places for such nonsense. The least pressure I’ve ever had was BMW and Triumph dealers. Again, from my experience it seems that more sporty you get the more annoying the sales people. And when I say annoying - let me be clear - what I’m talking about is when you specifically tell them what you want and they present something else. For instance I was with a buddy of mine who was shopping at a local Honda motorcycle dealership near Hollywood. My friend tells the sale manager he’d like to talk numbers on a particular bike but he doesn’t want anything else. Just the bike. The sale kid says sure thing and then proceeds to fill out the purchase agreement with a 72 month extended warrenty and a 500 dollar clothing credit. That’s not how to do business in my book.
Finally, I’d also offer that nobody ought to be heading out to purchase the biggest, baddest, most powerful anything as their first bike. I’m a big believer that even if you’re perfect when you start out, you’re still going to do something stupid at some point. Like dropping your bike or clipping one of those poles in parking lots. Who knows exactly what it will be, but it will happen. I know folks who are great riders, but when they started out they did silly stuff, like forgetting to put their feet down at a stop light. And nothinig hurts like seeing a shinny new bike laying on the ground. Accidents - hopefully only minor ones - will happen. Let it be. Get something that’s used, that has some life left in it and ride the heck out of it until you feel like you’re ready to move up.
Now along those lines, I’ve been reading in several of the new sport bike magazines what seems to be the current debate in motorcycling, is it better to start off with a 600cc class sportbike or a liter bike. The magazine editors believe that a 600cc bike teaches you more about shifting, keeping the rev’s up and braking while at the same time giving you a great motorcycle experience. I haven’t ridden a 600cc class bike in awhile - expect for the 749, which technically is a bit larger displacement - but from my point of view there’s something to be said for having to shift more rather than less when you’re first starting out. On the football field they call it getting reps and I don’t frankly think it’s much different on the street. The more time you spend practicing, the better you get. It’s just that simple.
Anyway, that’s my take on it all. Again I’m not an expert and there are far more qualified folks to ask these sorts of questions to, but if you’re interested and think I can help drop me a line!
Ducati Design In the Sign of Emotion
In my continuing quest to read as much as I can about Ducati Motorcycles, tonight I’d like to add one more rather opinionated review of yet another Ducati book. For the past month and a half I’ve been working my way through “Ducati Design In the Sign of Emotion” by Decio Giulio Riccardo Cagugati and earlier tonight I basically wrapped up reading it.
Usually this is where I gush endlessly over what a fantastic read such-and-such book was, only tonight I can’t say I feel very passionate about “Ducati Design In the Sign of Emotion”. While I’d love to say that it’s yet another fantastic read for the Ducatisti faithful, sitting here right now I find it hard to describe how little I feel personally invested in the book. Completely let down might be to strong of a phrase to use, but I had hoped that Cagugati’s book would shead all sorts of light into the design process at Ducati over the years - much like “Ducati 999 Birth of a Legend” did in a very specific manor for the new 999 and 749 models. Yet ‘Ducati Design’ makes me feel less connected to marque perhaps because even though the words ‘design’ and ‘emotion’ are in the title the truth is this is really a history book - not a thesis on the creative process within the walls of Ducati over the years.
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Ducati Presents its Offer for Aprilia
As many of you know ever since I purchased my new Ducati 749 I’ve become enamored with all things Ducati. I can’t really explain it, but unlike my respect filled relationship with the Beemer, the Duc is an entirely different beast. It exudes passion and simply lends itself to stirring your soul. So earlier today while combing through the Ducati Mailing list, I stumbled on to a link that many not be taking the motorcycle world by storm, but certainly caught my eye. The other major Italian motorcycle brand, Aprilla has been hit hard financially. This is not unique in and of itself, as it seems that every major Italian motorsports brand goes through a rough patch at some point. What is interesting is that their one of their main rivals, Ducati, has decided to put an offer out to purchase both Aprilla and their cruiser brand, Moto Guzzi.
From Yahoo Business:Ducati Motor Holding Presents its Offer for the Acquisition of the Majority Share of Aprilia
Personally, I’m curious how this will turn out seeing as how I tend to believe that each brand motivates the other in numerous ways. Both in terms of technology and design. Obviously we’ll have to wait and see what happens, but here’s to hoping that the deal goes through. I can only imagine that the combined forces of both companies could create some outstanding motorcycles!
