Since we’re back to the bikes (hopefully), I wanted to ask @Tommaso : as far as you know, how is Terblanche reacting to this renewed interest (and appreciation) towards the 999/749 ? After all the flack he’s taken, is he having the last laugh?
Yes the problem has always been the length of the engine, and Ducati's reluctance to accept/address it. To be more precise it's not so much the wheelbase but more the length of the swingarm - it has to be shorter on a Ducati than on other engine designs to achieve the same wheelbase. So you were limited in the front because the engine and wheel meet eventually, and you're limited in swingarm length to maintain a reasonable wheelbase. It forces the cornering style to be one of smooth arcs (no bad thing) and gets tied in knots if you try and 'boss it about' in the tight stuff, basically it tell you to f*ck off and throws you in the dirt/gravel. Ducati have, for whatever reason, never wanted to accept or address this design issue, if you read the interview with Preziosi you can see he simply refuses to consider the engine position as an issue, Ducati had always been like this, it isn't just Preziosi. Then along come Furusawa (see the interview I posted in the V4 thread somewhere I think) and read that, so Ducati had their faces turned to the light. Then they bring out the Panigale with the font and rear cylinders rotated back, and now the V4 which tilts them back further still - on the V4 the front cylinder is now pretty much facing the frame's headstock, it used to be pretty much horizontal. I'm not getting your 1198 engine reference with the "block being part of the case" - as all the 1198 and 1200s I have are separate? ie empty cases crank cases that look exactly like they did in the early 1990s and cylinders that drop into them, they're not formed like a car or many Japanese bikes where the cylinder block and crankcase are cast as one unit. ie an 1198 crankcase and cylinders is 4 pieces in total, 2 cylinders and two vertically split crankcase halves. Perhaps I misunderstood you?
Yes exactly! The 'wide open' angle of a 90-degree offset makes the whole thing huge - no matter how you rotate it, you always lose somewhere. The 60-degree unit is much more compact
I didn't know which icon to vote this post with: fun, agree or like! Can @El Toro allow us to put 3 different icons? That is the same approach that I try to apply in my life: Facts & Logic where logic warrants that only one of two contradicting statements can be true and where changing one's opinion, in view of a better proposition = upgrading/improving one's position. Now I see where your acute observations come from!
I'm not a Terblanche biographer and I'm afraid that I might get some facts wrong so, please, don't hold me accountable... We met him in Tokyo, the first time, at the presentation of the 999. At first he was part or even head of the a Ducati's design team, I think, but he was already diversifying into industrial design. He felt that the Maestro (Tamburrini) was a strong influence on him although he felt that balance was more important than anything else. And, obviously, he has his own, very characteristic and independent design trait. I'm going on memory here (and I may well be wrong) but I think that before Ducati, he mentioned that he designed at Ford or Volkswagen. I tried to call him a few days ago but his Italian mobile was disconnected... If I reach him, I'll tell him to read this thread. I'm sure that he'll be very happy because the 999 got so much unfair and undeserved bad rap because of the reasons that we discussed. I remember one moron Ducati manager saying that company sales slump (after the 999 launch) was to be attributed to a severe case of "Terblancheaitis"... He's from South Africa, if I remember correctly, but at the time he lived in Italy. I also remember that he mentioned that the 999 project was not left totally to his free hand but the racing department (Corse) would repeatedly and strongly interfere with engineering solutions (I think that Sev or Air Duc mentioned this) and, while the design, per se, was not influenced by Corse, the traditional swing arm was their decision. He had a more interesting concept in mind but, that, required too much testing and so the simple, traditional, layout was "forced" into the design.
I think the Corse dept should design all the superbikes. Real designed racing bikes are the most beautiful of all anyway so it's a win-win
Oh please, you really are a tit. En effet mon pote je suis né à Nantes, donc je suis Français et en plus j'ai bien expliqué que je ne travaille plus au rayon de Hedge Fund depuis quelques ans par ce que j'ai un entreprise de bâtiment situé près de Genève!
Yes back to the bikes so that's what I've been doing this afternoon and who gives a flying fuck what I think anyway?
What about the BMW RR? Do you include that amongst I totally agree. I was going to make this same comment. I'm my personal opinion, Ducati management have been "schooled" on how to tip toe around any discussion involving the engine because of the reasons that I explained in my first post in this thread: Ducati was criticised for using decades old technology, especially with their engines. Ducati have a huge chip on their shoulders about appearing as non-technological or non-innovative. Additionally, and again, this is only my opinion, it is not true that the Ducati engineers haven't reached the limit as far as engine/axle distance. At a guess they are at the very limit and probably more. I don't buy what is affirmed in that interview.
No idea! I tried to contact him a few days back but his number is not active anymore. But I'm sure that he'll be pleased because the 999 received undeserved criticism at the time.
Yes. Exactly. Thisis is the point that I was trying to make with my insufficient English (not fishing for compliments, Sev) Marketing. Commercial polls repeatedly listed Ducati as non innovative and non technological. A huge marketing issue. So all management was schooled to express positive remarks about the engine.
Amended for you, you only have to subscribe fro £5 per year and you get the extra icons but if you can't afford a Yellow 999 then
Here you go, the early concept clay taking shape with Single Sided Swinger and what appear to be 'stepped' headlights - no upper fairing former on yet
hahaha! LOL Yes, well, that explains it all! He's French! ... as said earlier, they think that Peugeot, Renault and Citroen are cars! The greatest man in French history was not even French! He was a fat, 5 foot tall, Italian man who loved garlic and thought that he was God (like all Italians!) until a Brit proved him that he was only a clown.
