How many other MotoGP-derived engined bikes can you think of for around £20K? No, me neither. That's probably why most of us in this thread would want one, not the marketing hype. All major launches are hyped but, if anything, I'd say this launch has been under-hyped!
Well technically the RSV4-RF is / was pretty close and that came in about £17-£18k a year ago Admittedly that was kinda the other way around, wsbk then on to motogp, but then they launched that RSV4-RF Fw gp version which was full on 250bhp but much more expensive. Being 'motogp derived' is still marketing spin of course it is, obviously at £20k it'll be a far cry from motogp and in reality you could join the dots from F1 down to many road cars using a similar theory, however I'm sure it'll still be a cracking bike. Either way, we can't get away from the fact that Aprilia bought much more affordable V4 superbikes to the masses way before Ducati, less than £20k affordable, if they'd have had a bigger dealer network then I dare say they'd have been far more popular. I guess the desmo set a bar of aspiration for the Ducati brand loyalists and so any move towards a V4 is clearly welcomed by them, and that includes me. Unfortunately I'm a cynic when it comes to marketing
I do accept that you could link F1 to road cars but I think it's more of a tenuous link than in this case, I think the new V4 is definitely 'MotoGP-derived' which means it's not a 'MotoGP replica'. Ducati don't have a current V4 road model or SBK bike - the only V4 they have is in MotoGP, the new road V4s has a counter-rotating crank like the MGP bike and if you compare those two videos I posted earlier of the MGP bike and the new V4 at Mugello they also sound very similar indeed IMO. It's about as 'MotoGP derived' a bike as I can think of anyway! Aprilia have always had a hard sell on their hands in this country, look at their RSV1000 twins, arguably better than the Ducati of the time but couldn't sell in the same numbers and agree that their network (and support plus image) have hampered them. Mind you they're changing their perceived image now with their impressive progress in Moto2 and MotoGP, good times ahead!
Spot on. The Aprilia is a fantastic bike , any one that rides them raves about the quality of the ride, electric package , noise, the lot. Any one who's owned an Aprilia moans about the lack of dealer network . A few moan about reliability but I wouldn't be surprised if it was % the same as Ducati's.
I think the proof will be in the pudding, when the 1299 came out I had friends who had the 1199 versions and dealers were frantically trying to get new sales and the new bike promised so much more, but evidently it didn’t just marketing hype. The new bike will be different but not necessarily better but sales need to be achieved to make Ducati’s targets so yes deals will be available from dealers on older models but will have no financial help from Ducati to move units.
To be fair the 1299 was a significant step up from the 1199 base or S for fast/track riders, as with most things I guess it depends who you ask.
I'm hoping to make the world première in Milan on Sunday as it's only a couple of hours by train from me. I'll report back if so!
Some engines let go at the launch. Pistons incorrectly machined IIRC... Some red faces. Of course it was sorted but the damage was done.
Weirdly, I had an RSV4 for 6 years and I've never heard this story before. I guess this either means this story wasn't quite as pervasive as you think, or I'm an idiot who chooses to ignore anything that doesn't exactly fit his carefully honed confirmation bias. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to my asbestos lined shed to practice emergency stops in my Toyota.
Ha ha, you had a great bike and I wouldn't worry about it. Like I said, it was sorted but the trouble was the world press were there when a couple of bikes spat their oil on track.... eeek....
It's just amazing to me I never heard about it. As you say, mud sticks, and given the amount of time people PistonHeads spend dribbling on about RSV4 reliability because they knew a guy who knew a guy who once met a guy who once saw a guy who once penny for the guy who once song for guy who said that he'd heard they might not be reliable if they start going wrong not that they had but y'know, you'd have thought they'd have dragged this up too, given that selective sampling and selective deafness is their moan-dus operandi.
Me too. They're all things to all people. I'm just genuinely surprised that there's something PHers haven't constantly dribbled on about as if anyone's opinion matters to anyone else.
I loved my 1100 Tuono V4 and will probably own another before my next Ducati, but I did sell it due to the fact it would randomly cut out and my dealer couldn’t diagnose the problem. I hope Ducati produce a de-tuned V4 naked bike, that will get the juices flowing.
They think the Toyota thing was just people slamming on the accelerator by mistake. Stupid Americans.
