2005 Ducati 749r Superbike Limited Edition - on 2040-motos

Moto blog

Dramatic start to the 848 Challenge season

The 2012 Ducati 848 Challenge got off to a dramatic start at Brands Hatch this weekend as the weather played a disruptive influence on the outcome of both races. Cold, rainy conditions prevailed on both Easter Sunday and Monday forcing the field of 33 riders to kick-off the season racing on wet tyres in greasy track conditions. With a number of riders having to start from pit lane, Race 1 got off to an eventful start with two riders falling at Paddock Hill as all the riders jostled for places and wheels touched.

Rainy BSB tests are nothing new

THE combination of bad weather in the UK and a European testing ban means that most BSB teams will now start the season with very little track time. This sounds like a disaster for the top teams but history has proved this isn’t necessarily true and it sometimes doesn’t matter how much pre season preparation has taken place.  Back in 2002 Sean Emmett won on the IFC Ducati at the opening Silverstone round after first riding it in unofficial practice the same weekend. Steve Hislop took the other win on Pauls Bird’s well sorted Ducati. More recently in 2009, Leon Camier took an untested new model R1 Yamaha to victory at the Brands Hatch opener after GSE took delivery of the bike just the week before. Sylvain Guintoli won the other race on a well developed, well tested Crescent Suzuki. You could argue if no one has had testing then it is a level playing field but you have to feel for riders moving up to the superbike class in the world’s toughest national series.  Tyco Suzuki’s PJ Jacobson is one such rider but having spent some time with him over the past few weeks he seems to be taking it all in his stride. It may be the confidence of youth or maybe the fact he has won in every other class he has entered in his short BSB career, but I suspect he fancies at least standing on the Superbike podium at Brands (He also does a bit of ice racing which is not dissimilar to the this year’s UK testing).  The testing ban was implemented with all the best cost cutting intentions and if it had been any other year in the past decade all would be well. The teams may be feeling frustrated but the fans should be excited. With so many unknowns, the 2013 BSB opener at Brands Hatch could be the best ever!

Ducati Offering Free Ticket To World Ducati Week If Coming From Outside Europe

World Ducati Week 2014 will once again be held at the Misano World Circuit in Italy from July 18th to 20th. This year, Ducati is offering something really special for Ducatisti: if you’re traveling to WDW from somewhere outside Europe, Ducati will offer you a free ticket! During the three-day event, there will be plenty of on-circuit attractions to entertain participants looking for excitement and an adrenaline kick.