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As far as venues go, there might not be a better place on Earth to launch a new motorcycle than Pebble Beach, California – that is, if you are into the whole breath-taking view sort of thing.

The party of course was for Ducati’s last v-twin superbike, the aptly named Ducati 1299 Panigale R Final Edition, which is part Superleggera, part road bike, and part spaghetti dinner.

Clad in a the an Italian tricolore livery, the Ducati 1299 Panigale R Final Edition puts out a potent 209hp, and features some of the best pieces of Ducati’s v-twin superbike lineage – part of a long goodbye to the desmodromic v-twin platform.

Not a limited edition bike, but instead a numbered edition machine, Ducati plans on making the Panigale R Final Edition models for as long as there is consumer demand for the superbike (and while there are enough numbers to count them by).

For American Ducatisti, owning one will mean a $40,000 commitment, which isn’t such a lofty price tag, if you considered its half the cost of the carbon-fiber-everything Ducati 1299 Superleggera.

I should call this the “going left” gallery, as there isn’t much diversity in perspective, as all of the photos attached here were taken from the same vantage point: the inside portion The Corkscrew (Turn 8) at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

A popular feature to this coastal Californian track, The Corkscrew provides plenty of spectacle for fans, but it finds its true zenith when World Superbike riders are in circulation.

The approach to Turn 8 is a fast uphill stretch, about as much of a “back straight” as Laguna Seca has to offer, and the crest of the hill sees the faster rider’s lofting the rear wheel ever so slightly, as they begin to get on the brakes.

As they get closer to the entrance of the iconic turn – a mostly blind approach I should point out – the late-brakers will again bring the rear wheel off the ground, as they threshold brake into first apex, which only reveals itself at the very last moment.

Hitting the left-hander at the top of the hill, and the right-hander on the way down, there really isn’t a chance for the suspension pieces on these bikes to react, add in a quick downshift during the left-right transition, along with some trail-braking at the top of hill, and it is easy to see why this corner is so highly regarded.

Seemingly proving the point, in just the single session I shot here, we had two red flag moments, as both Red Bull Honda riders threw their bikes down The Corkscrew’s drop in elevation. For newer riders, the challenge is even greater.

Apologies in advance for the late posting, as I spent the better part of Saturday battling an uncooperative Adobe Lightroom. I hope you enjoy these high-resolution shots from Friday at Laguna Seca.

Ducati has finally released its Final Edition of the Ducati 1299 Panigale superbike, and the aptly named Ducati 1299 Panigale R Final Edition packs a punch.

Sharing engine parts with the Ducati 1299 Superleggera (sans its aluminum sleeved engine cylinders and sand-cast casings), the Ducati 1299 Panigale R Final Edition makes 209hp on Ducati’s chassis dynamometer, which should be a comparable figure to the Superleggera, as the latter has power figures quoted from an engine dyno.

Though they may produce similar power figures, the Final Edition Panigale does not quite take the Superleggera’s obsessiveness with weight to the same level, using more traditional fasteners and materials for its design. That is to say, it is without all the carbon fiber goodness found on the SL, including its chassis.

As such, the FE tips the scales at 419 lbs wet at the curb. For those keeping score, that mass is just a pound lighter than the Ducati 1299 Panigale S; and 13 lbs heavier than the Ducati Panigale R, which uses the 1199 motor.

Priced at $40,000 for the US market though, this “half a Superleggera” still packs a considerable punch, and of course it holds the distinction of being the last of Ducati’s v-twin superbikes…for the foreseeable future at least.

If you are a fan of two-stroke motorcycles, then the Suter MMX 500 surely ranks highly on your list of bikes to have in your dream garage.

And now for American motorcycle enthusiasts, owning a Suter MMX 500 just got easier, as the Arch Motorcycle Company has been named the exclusive importer for Suter’s motorcycle business.

Establishing Suter North America in the process, Arch will begin selling these 195 horsepower / 280 lbs (wet) machines to the American public…assuming you can afford the 120,000 CHF (~$125,000 USD) price tag.

Similarly, Suter will begin selling Arch Motorcycle’s power cruiser in Europe, which means the two brands are joining forces to expand their relevant markets.

In a couple hours, we will get our first glimpse at what for the foreseeable future will be the final v-twin superbike from Ducati, but thanks to a Ducati dealership posting photos of the machine on Facebook (and our friends at MaxxMoto spotting them), we get an early look at the machine.

As expected, the Ducati 1299 Panigale R Final Edition borrows heavily from the Ducati 1299 Superleggera (we understand that the motors share more than a few pieces from the “go fast” parts bin), and the exhaust is of the World Superbike inspired undertail design.

Also noticeable from the photos is the obvious tricolore design, that sees the Panigale R Final Edition in the green, white, and white of the Italian flag – final nod to the Italian company’s history with v-twin superbikes.

Getting in a little early at Laguna Seca for the World Superbike round, Asphalt & Rubber was treated to an exclusive look at the new MV Agusta Brutale 800 America, the special edition street bike from Varese, Italy that debuted last week.

The darkly lit pictures that MV Agusta showed us last week, and even the ones that we have here, don’t do this limited-edition bike justice, as the colors pop and match perfectly in the sunlight.

I was actually surprised at how different the bike looked in person, as the machine really comes together when you see it first-hand, and not on a computer screen.

The Ducati XDiavel was produced to better fit the needs of the typical cruiser rider, and to go after Harley-Davidson’s choke-hold on the cruiser demographic. The Italian machine has had mixed success in that regard, though it brings far more performance into the category than ever seen before.

Tapping more into the strong custom scene, the Bologna Brand has been looking to the talents of various well-known fabricators to build upon the XDiavel platform.

This time up is Belgium’s Fred Krugger, who has created this very intriguing “Thiverval” XDiavel model for the Bikers’ Classics event in Belgium.

Ahead of the World Superbike round at Laguna Seca, MV Agusta is releasing a special limited edition machine for the American market. Called the MV Agusta Brutale 800 America, only 50 examples of this red/white/blue street bike will be made, one for each state of the union.

As the name implies, this special edition machine is built off the MV Agusta Brutale 800 street bike, with a unique livery and color scheme being the key defining features of the MV Agusta Brutale 800 America.

For the second time in a week, we have spy photos of the Ducati V4 superbike. Like before, the new superbike model is still in its unfinished state, with testing equipment strapped to its frame and bodywork.

Even in its pre-production state though, the new V4 machine reveals some of its secrets, the most notable of which is its frame/chassis design. It also teases us that the V4 model will look very similar to its predecessor.

We should have officially named this week Ducati Week, because the Italian brand can’t seem to stay out of the headlines. First, it was the announcement that the “Final Edition” of the Ducati 1299 Panigale would debut at Laguna Seca (the details of which leaked yesterday, too).

Then, it was news that Harley-Davidson might become the owner of Ducati Motor Holding, after news of Ducati’s possible divestiture from the Volkswagen Group has been swirling in business circles for the better part of the past few months.

And now, we have what look like the first photos of Ducati’s V4 superbike project, courtesy of our Belgian friends at MaxxMoto.

I am about to ruin your day, because I am going to show you something that you will want very badly, but can’t have. It is what happens when you have the best of both worlds. It is the two-wheeled version of having your cake and eating it too. 

This machine is called the Yamaprilia, and as the name implies, it is a mashup of the Yamaha RZ350 and the Aprilia RS250. Using the two-stroke, twin-cylinder engine from the RZ350, and the twin-spar aluminum chassis of the RS250, owner Gareth Evans is looking for the best of both worlds.

The build is an interesting one – and is featured by our friends at BikeEXIF – as it involves Evans fabricating more than a few parts himself – something that is easier to do when you have a background in mechanical engineering, like Evans does.