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“I’m much better,” confirmed Nicky Hayden, “so I’ve been able to remove the sling right on schedule. Here at Madonna di Campiglio, I’m starting to do a little training on a stationary bicycle under the supervision of the team physiotherapist, with the goal of being ready for the Sepang test (31 January – 2 February) as strong as possible. I can’t wait to ride the GP12, because it will be my first time ever. I wasn’t able to try it in the post-race test at Valencia, and I definitely won’t miss the next chance. I never made any secret that I prefer the new displacement to the 800s, although I think things will be much different than in 2006, beginning with the tyres, and the electronics have also come a long way. We’ll have more power, and we’ll have to find the right balance between controlling it while still taking as much advantage of it as we can. I’ve stayed in contact with Filippo (Preziosi) and the guys in the Ducati Corse department over the winter, and I know they’ve worked really hard. We’ll have a lot of things to try at Sepang. I know it won’t be easy, but I’m also confident that we can start to reduce the gap between now and the first race at Qatar. I believe in Ducati, this project and Filippo, and I want to get back on my Ducati as soon as possible.”
How many Ducati motorcycles are sold across Russia?
This year, we expect sales to reach some 200 vehicles. The segment we operate in has been hit the hardest by the economic shocks of the recent years. Obviously, many potential buyers have pushed back – some even far back – into the background the cherished idea of buying this expensive Italian toy, while others have decided to have a closer look at the used motorcycle market. Some even resorted to “belt-tightening.” As a further complication, the range of Ducati motorcycles does not cover all classes that are in high demand, with the cross, cruiser and scooter models missing. I am nevertheless pleased to announce that retail sales quadrupled compared to the pre-crisis 2007 level driven by a few factors:
-the brand’s sustained popularity worldwide. It is difficult to find a modern Hollywood blockbuster where the hero would not be carried away from his hardships on a motorbike, it is even more difficult to find movies with any motorcycles other than Ducati. Meanwhile, Ducati is positioned as purely Italian: “Made in Italy” has remained the main slogan as far as design, promotion, and even the choice of riders for the Ducati MotoGP team are concerned.
- ongoing expansion of the model range. For four years now, Ducati has been presenting one or more models each fall – and here I mean only brand new and not just upgraded models…
- the ever improving quality of the products. Ducati motorbikes currently boast the longest service intervals on the market – 12,000 kilometers, with the maintenance interval for adjusting the desmodromic valve gear extended to 24,000 kilometers for the latest models. Additionally, Ducati provides a two-year unlimited mileage warranty on all new motorcycles.
Misano Circuit: Seventy-three days after an operation to his right shoulder, Valentino Rossi returned to the track at Misano Adriatico aboard a Ducati 1198 Superbike. On November 14 at Cattolica’s Cervesi hospital, the Italian had undergone surgery on the supraspinatus tendon and the long head of biceps tendon, as well as cartilage in the Glenoid Labrum.
The day was sunny but chilly, with a maximum air temperature of 10º Centigrade (50º Fahrenheit) and a maximum track temperature of 15º C (59º F). Valentino arrived at the circuit at around 1:20 and met a team of Ducati technicians that included his own crew’s two engineers, Matteo Flamigni and Gabriele Conti, as well as Ducati Marlboro Team Manager Vittoriano Guareschi. A half-hour later, he turned the first laps aboard the 1198 to test the status of his shoulder which, though recovering nicely, is still quite painful, just a few days ahead of the first test in Malaysia with the Desmosedici GP11.
“The 2011 season opens a sort of third phase for our MotoGP project,” Claudio Domenicali began after saluting the audience. “The first was with Loris Capirossi, who in just six races took the Desmosedici to its first win. The second brought the world championship crown, thanks to Casey Stoner, in 2007. The big news for 2011, which opens a third phase, is the arrival of Valentino Rossi on the team. It’s an important phase for our company, which relies a lot on research and development, and which uses the MotoGP series not only as a venue for winning, but also as a laboratory for advanced research. Valentino is universally recognized as a master at taking a bike to its limits, but also at providing feedback that’s extremely useful for development. We think this skill will give us a big push for improving our engineering, and to always give our fans the best bikes possible. Many of the models we’ve produced in recent years, starting with the 1198—our flagship sport bike—but also bikes intended for less extreme application, including the Multistrada 1200, Streetfighter, Diavel, and Monster, boast technical characteristics that come directly from our experience in MotoGP, like traction control and aspects of electronic engine management. This will happen even more with the new generation of sport bikes that we’re working on now, bikes in which this link will be even more direct, from electronic management strategies to the chassis to the motor. Filippo’s work with both of our riders will be even more evident, and we’re certain that the possibility of also having Valentino test our new models and give us his impressions will make this flow of technology even more effective. It’s an important challenge and a big responsibility, but also a great opportunity to grow, made possible by a combination of factors: In my opinion, there are three principals. First: The positive results that the company is having in a very difficult, contracting market. In the year just concluded, we grew our sales by 5% despite the fact that the segment for large-displacement motorcycles shrunk by over 13% in 2010.
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