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Ducati 1199 Panigale Says “Checkmate” to the Competition

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The folks around Borgo Panigale are feeling very confident about the 2012 Ducati 1199 Panigale. Dropping 22lbs off the Superbike 1198?s design for a 361 lbs dry wright, while making an extra 20hp over its predecessor for a 195hp peak horsepower figure, the Ducati 1199 Panigale is an impressive machine based purely off its spec-sheet. That’s not including a revolutionary monocoque frame, the first full-LED headlight on a motorcycle, the first electronically adjustable suspension on a sport bike, the first engine braking control system, as well as the first GPS-assisted data acquisition system for a production motorcycle (the DDA+ package is an optional equipment item for the Panigale).

The Ducati 1199 Panigale also comes standard with traction control, while ABS brakes are an optional item for the flagship superbike. With all that technology packaged into one machine, we can understand why Ducati might be acting pretty pleased with itself right now. We’ll reserve our critique on the two-wheled titan until we get the 2012 Ducati 1199 Panigale on the street and track, though we have to admit, it’s hard not being impressed with the bike at this point in time…especially when it is such a stunner in person. While we whet our appetite, Ducati’s hubris is after the jump.

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Ducati Diavel Cromo Adds Bling to the Devil

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In addition to the recently unveiled Ducati 1199 Panigale and Ducati Superbike 848 EVO Corse, the Bologna brand has one more that it is debuting at EICMA this year: the Ducati Diavel Cromo. Similar to the Ducati Diavel AMG Special Edition, the Diavel Cromo is really more of a restyling of the Italian power cruiser than a new model. Adding mirrored finished pieces to the Diavel, we imagine Ducati is trying a little bit harder to go after the blinged cruiser demographic with this one, as the Ducati Diavel Cromo sports a chrome-like fuel tank panel, retro-style seat, and laser-etched air intakes.

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Bikes

2012 Ducati Superbike 848 EVO Corse Special Edition

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Confirming our earlier report on Ducati releasing a “Corse” version of the Superbike 848 EVO, the 2012 Ducati Superbike 848 EVO Corse Special Edition was unveiled today in Milan. The Corse-kitted Superbike 848 EVO comes with an Öhlins rear shock (same Showa front forks though), upgraded 330mm front brakes, Ducati traction control (DTC), and an electronic quick-shifter (DQS). There is also of course the very attractive Corse paint job, which the special edition derives its name from.

No word yet on pricing for the 2012 Ducati Superbike 848 EVO Corse Special Edition, though we’d expect a one to two thousand dollar premium for the bike, as Ducati is likely keen on unloading some Superbike 848 EVOs in 2012. Though, we couldn’t possibly imagine why that would be the case. More photos of the red, black, and white goodness after the jump.

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2012 Ducati 1199 Panigale Redefines the Word ‘Superbike’

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I often get lambasted in the comments section for being pro-Ducati here on Asphalt & Rubber, and that’s fine by me, because I am. It’s hard not to like a company that has basically defined the modern aesthetic for motorcycles, or a company that continues to grow despite being in the worst recession since The Great Depression. It’s also not hard to love a company that continues to release, year-after-year, new compelling motorcycles, as is the case today with the 2012 Ducati 1199 Panigale.

Teased ad nauseam, the Ducati 1199 Panigale shouldn’t disappoint the discerning sport bike rider with a strong appetite for Italian food, as the latest v-twin from Bologna sets many firsts for the superbike market segment. As we predicted last year, the Ducati 1199 Panigale drops 20lbs off the Superbike 1198’s design (22 lbs actually), while making an extra 20hp over its predecessor. Not only is the 1199 Panigale the lightest production superbike on the market, with its 361 lbs dry weight (414 lbs wet), it’s also one of the most powerful with its 195hp peak power figure, courtesy of the Superquadro motor.

Other firsts include a revolutionary monocoque frame, the first full-LED headlight on a motorcycle (another story we broke), the first electronically adjusted suspension on a sport bike, the first engine braking control system, as well as the first GPS-assisted data acquisition system for a production motorcycle (the DDA+ package is an optional equipment item for the Panigale). While traction control comes standard, ABS brakes will also be an optional item for the Ducati 1199 Panigale.

Available in April 2012, as we expected the new Ducati 1199 Panigale has gotten a price increase over the Superbike 1198. Accordingly the base model will cost $17,995, the “S” will cost $22,995, and “S” Tricolore will hit the wallet at $27,995 MSRP.

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Ducati 1199 Panigale Leaks Ahead of EICMA

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Asphalt & Rubber is in Milan right now, and in a few hours we’ll headed over for the official launch of the 2012 Ducati 1199 Panigale. However, we might as well stay in the hotel and do grappa shots until our eyes bleed, as the sport bike of 2012 has already unsurprisingly leaked ahead of its official debut. Not only do we get our first glimpse of the new flagship Ducati, but it looks like the Ducati 1199 Panigale will have optional anti-locking brakes (ABS) and Ducati Electronic Suspension (DES).

While it was only a matter of time before Ducati put ABS on its Superbike line, the electronic suspension package on the Panigale (note the wires going into the top of the fork tubes), which originally made its Ducati debut on the Multistrada 1200, is the first time the technology has made its way onto a sport bike. Expect full-details and photos in a couple hours, until then salivate after the jump.

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Valentino Rossi’s SuperSic Tribute Helmet

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Perhaps none of the MotoGP riders have been affected by the loss of Marco Simoncelli more so than Valentino Rossi. Not only was Rossi “like a brother to Marco,” but the Italian was deeply shaken over his involvement with Marco’s accident at Sepang. With both Edwards and Rossi putting on a strong face publicly, the rest of us can only imagine the thoughts and grief that most be occurring internally. Everyone processes their grief differently, and one of Rossi’s more cathartic endeavors this weekend is to honor Marco with a special helmet for the Valencian GP. More photos after the jump.

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Vendetta by Radical Ducati & Dragon TT

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More two-wheel goodness from our friends in Spain, as Radical Ducati has teamed up with Dragon TT not to make a brand new bike, but instead is helping Ducati Superbike 848/1098/1198 owners stand out a bit more at their local coffee shop bike nights. Creating what they call the Vendetta, Radical Ducati and Dragon TT have put together a kit of parts that transforms the soon-to-be outgoing Superbike design into something completely different.

Gone are the smooth and definitively Italian lines of the Ducati, and replacing them are the edgy and sinister designs of the two Spanish firms.We have a feeling that many Ducatisti will cry heresy over this work, and they rightly should. We don’t expect the Bologna brand to make bold designs like this anymore, and the affect of the Vendetta strikes a darker emotion than is legal in the more southern states of the US. Like a bad night in a BDSM sex parlor, there’s something about the Vendetta that screams “I plan on flogging these canyon corners until they scream our safe word” that we really like. More chills down your spine after the jump.

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Carlos Checa Re-Signs with Althea Ducati…Finally

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Good news for Carlos Checa, as the Althea Ducati race team has finally extended the reigning-World Superbike Champion a contract for the 2012 season. Recently, Checa was in the precarious position of having clinched the 2011 World Superbike Championship, and yet had no contract for the 2012 season. Stuck in the tug-of-war between Althea Racing and Ducati Corse, as well as the scandal currently gripping Althea Ceramics, Checa’s future with the Ducati squad was in question to such an extent that the BMW Italia team offered the Spaniard €800,000 to ride one of its BMW S1000RRs in 2012.

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BMW Italia Looking to Poach Carlos Checa off Althea Ducati

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In what can only be described as an ambitious move, BMW Italia is trying to poach newly crowned reigning-World Champion Carlos Checa from the Althea Duacti racing team. Rumored to have a €800,000 offer on the table, Checa has until Saturday (tomorrow) to respond to the offer. With the 2011 World Superbike season set to end this Sunday, Checa finds himself in the precarious position of having just clinched the 2011 WSBK Championship, yet having not concrete contract for next season at this season’s conclusion.

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Ducati Superquadro Motor in Photos

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I’ll admit, I’m pandering to the crowd on this one. When we brought you the first images and details of the Ducati Superquadro motor, a recurring theme in the comments was how the motor bordered on art. While I’ll agree that a finely-built motorcycle has an aesthetic worthy of the MoMA (I fully expect the 2012 Ducati 1199 Panigale to be jaw-dropping beautiful), a motorcycle engine might be a tall order.

Content to let that one go and move on, Ducati ruined the whole thing by posting a bunch of artsy fartsy images of the 90°, overly-square, 195hp v-twin motor. Now, even I’m not bull-headed enough to avoid putting two and two together, so here you go you Ducatisti Asphalt & Rubber readers, more images of the Ducati Superquadro engine for you to drool over. Enjoy.

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Aspar Drops Ducati for 2012 MotoGP Season

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MCN and GPone are both reporting that the Mapfire Aspar team has decided to drop Ducati for 2012 season, after being incable of coming to terms with the Italian motorcycle manufacturer. Unable to negotiate an amicable lease price on the Ducati Desmosedici GP12, the Aspar MotoGP team has instead opted to cut its costs dramatically, and run a CRT machine for the 2012 season.

With close ties to Suter, which helps power the Aspar Moto2 effort, a BMW/Suter machine is at the top of the speculation list, though MCN says Aspar has also expressed interest with Aprilia (another company Aspar has close ties to) regarding using a RSV4 motor.

FTR has been working on an RSV4 CRT race bike, though there is also talk that the engineering firm has shelved that project. Idle-speculation could see the two parties linking up and reevaluating the concept, especially since many in the MotoGP paddock view the Aprilia RSV4 as a MotoGP bike built to meet World Superbike specifications.

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