Ducatis have had L Twins and trellis frames for donkey's years. I don't agree that the SSWA is part of their DNA. Plenty of their bikes haven't had one: 750 and 900 SS (of all sorts), MHR, Pantahs, Pasos etc. I very much doubt that the SSWA adds anything to the riding experience (unlike the frames and the motor). I get the attraction for aesthetic reasons, but I don't think it's a sine qua non. I'd be more likely to buy an Aprilia if they had put their V-twin in their top sports bike. I'd be more likely to buy another brand if Ducati abandoned the twin. I like twins - more low end stomp than a four, which is where you need the stomp, and a more involving riding experience. Plus being a me-too four, even if it was a V-four, wouldn't sufficiently differentiate them in the market. Aesthetically, they are now already having difficulties being differentiated vs the competition. What do you want, just an Italian Suzuki? For all their kudos, MVs ride more like other fours than they do Ducatis.
without favourable regs a twin can never win in wsb as it just will never be fast enough. physics dictate that the panigale twin may have more stomp but they produce it slower which is why twins feel lazy a 1200cc single would have more stomp again and produce its peak power slower again and be even less favourable for racing...see where its heading. the vtwin is a rewarding config when done right - but will never fight on equal terms with an i4 infact the 999 had less stomp than a gsxr 1000 k5 everywhere roll on a v8 superbike lol
It is a fact that for a given capacity, a four will generate more power because the smaller pistons can support higher rev limits (less constrained by linear piston speed) and thus burn more fuel in a given time. But who said anything about an equal cylinder capacity having to be part of the rules? WSBK is, like any other form of racing, a game. The rules can be invented in such a way as to produce a fun and close game. It clearly can't be all fair, as the only way to make it fair is to have everyone running the same engine config. But how boring is that? In which case WSBK has never been fair - and tended to advantage Ducati. Currently, it does the opposite; either that of the Panigale in race trim is a bag of shite compared to the opposition (or just massively underdeveloped, but certainly not good out of the crate). I really haven't kept up with the regs. I don't know what has been changed since Checa's last title. But it might be time to tweak them again to get a closer result, unless the Ducati's poor performance is not down to power problems, but handling problems. Not much the regs can do about that.
then tell them others to stop pissing and moaning its been a bad year then :banghead: the same engine capacity works very well indeed in almost all other motorsport
I don't understand? Is the panigale not performing on the track... Someone should really tell Ducati's PR department, I thought it was built for the track. Makes you wonder which track though! Still they must be popular seems to be a fair few on ebay these days' Umm..? i also don't think wsbk should bend the rules to suit them either, sod em' they made their bed with the monocockup' the reality is that it's a science experiment that went wrong, they could've gone v4 they didn't nowt to do with tradition, wolud love to see the rest of the paddock turn round and declare we're not playing anymore till Ducati have an equal cc capacity! Back to the drawing board, bin this Frankenstein, and try another formula. trellis+double swing arm+v4= (competitiveness)
I was at the factory a couple of weeks ago with Papa Louigi. I joined him in a long discussion with Livio Lodi (Ducati Museum Curator) who Rich knows well, and who is very straight talking. Among other things he told us that there are a lot of Audi folk all over Ducati at the moment (we had already noticed the make of all the company cars in the car park) and that in his (and I am guessing many people's opinions) the Panigale was somewhat rushed-out in order to show Audi what Ducati is capable of. Indeed the Ducati worker who took us round on the factory tour advised us to wait a while if we were thinking of buying a Panigale as they are having lots of problem bikes returned to the factory. Clearly the bike is lacking in both road and race versions - and at least some of that is down to lack of development.
The thing is, we forget how small Ducati still are in relative terms. It wasn't all plain sailing for the 1098 or 848 if I remember correctly? Cambelt tensioners, Radiators leaking... I believe the quality is on the up, and it has been for years. I am sure they will sort the issues out whatever they are.
Interesting re the possiblity the bike was a little rushed maybe..But it has been a struggle with the Panigale, no doubt about it. However, I will add that Ducati really took a big jump when they penned the Pani. Think about it, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha etc, not really doing anything ground breaking as such or moving from their comfort zones. The cbr100rr is only bike thats really moved on imo out of Japan in yrs. I wonder how its all gonna pan out. Id be in favour of ditching the motogp project altogether and just concentrate on WSBK & BSB efforts for example.
