I think the problem is that the litre bikes are so powerful from the off nowadays that the 200cc advantage of the Ducati is usurped somewhat. The factory Ninja is putting out somewhere between 220 and 230bhp. I was told at the beginning of the season that the 1199 is 20-30bhp down on this and as the engines are sealed before the start of the season they won't be able to develop the on bike engine throughout the season, finding gains from chassis and electronics only. I don't think they are doing a bad job it's just that the Grinner and the Ninja are sooo good. No BeeEmms out there this year and the Aprilias ain't brilliant either. Rider wise I rate both Chaz and Guilliano, both have had their crashes but that can be a product of pushing the bike over it's limits to keep up with the other guys.
