Schneegz

Motorcycle nuts, such as myself, are well aware that Ducati made their Moto GP entrance this year with a 90 degree 989cc V-4. The V-4 is a first for Ducati, the storied Italian marque famous for its delicious 90 degree V-twins and scrumptious styling. It appears that Ducati want to capitalize on their success (for a first timer) in Moto GP with a street going V-4. This move will also qualify Ducati to enter the road bike in World Superbike, and AMA Superbike, which now allow 1000cc 4 cyclinder bikes.

Here are some computer generated concept drawings of Ducati's new road going V-4. It's basically a mixture of Ducati's Moto GP bike and their current Superbike, the 999.

Schneegz

Another pic. Love them curves!

Schneegz

Last one. Yes, I'm obsessed. Yes, I recognize it. No, there is no cure. But there is treatment. I just can't afford a Ducati... yet! :D

vipeRX7

speaking of motorcycles, I've looked all over the net and have been unable to find an equivalent of www.supercars.net for bikes. Do you know of one? I wish I could find out how fast bikes are 0-60 quarter mile etc., but most of all I am interested in how many Gs they can pull in cornering. Thanks!

Schneegz

I don't know of anyone that does a motorcycle equivalent of the 300-ft skid pad or the 700-ft slalom. Motorcyclist magazine, however, has a list of performance specs on its website. Here is the link:

http://motorcyclistonline.com/performancedata/

Anyway, motorcycles can achieve cornering speeds substantially greater than that of cars because they can lean into a corner, instead of leaning out of it, like a car. The same is NOT true, however, if you're talking about F1 cars. They generate SO much down force at speed that their traction increases exponentially (literally) with speed. An F1 car, then, can corner much faster than, say, a Moto GP bike.

That being said, it takes much more skill to make a motorcycle corner quickly than a car. And it takes a lot more guts. Have you seen how far those pro racer guys lean those bikes over? Holy CRAP!

desmo996

I would buy one, as long as I don't have to pay 24k for it.

wakeech

i wouldn't say it's only F1 cars, but sports cars too (depending upon the spec and the rules on underbody aero) can lap quicker than a bike... with production-derived vehicles the biggest handicap they have is the (comparitively) huge mass, but with a carbon fibre monocoque-chassis'd sports car (like an LMP or something) you can certainly make a quicker car, but these are strict race-only cars.

...and, well, as a car guy, i'll say that i don't have the gonads to drive a bike on the street, but in racing (in general) i would argue that it's just as difficult, and just as brave to drive either...

MRocks

It may be powerful, but it still looks like ***.

Schneegz

wakeech:

That's probably true, since F1 cars routinely drive well over 200mph, and GP bikes barely get above 200 on road courses. Still, F1 drivers NEVER drag their knees and elbows on the track!

As for production cars being faster than bikes around a track; that may be true on a fast oval, but very unlikely on a road course. Motorcyclist magazine (or was it Sport Rider?) did a comparo between a Corvette Z06 and a Suzuki GSX-R1000. Both were bone stock and both were driven by professional racers. The big Gixxer spanked the Vette. It wasn't even close.

Now traslate that over to race ready Superbikes and sports cars, and it would be much closer. Actually, I should just look up some track times for Daytona or something like that. I'll try and find some comparison times and get back to y'all.

Schneegz

Race results for Road Atlanta; fastest lap times.

Speed World Challenge - 1:34.073

SWC Link

AMA Superbike - 1:23.857

AMA Superbike Link

desmo996

Is that for the same track layout? If so, that is impressive. ten seconds is a lot of time. Bikes would be lapping these guys by seventh lap.

Schneegz

Same track. That, gentlemen, is the beauty of bikes.

And the bikes are actually MUCH closer to stock than the cars. Matt Mladin's bike (the guy who set the fastest time) is only a couple pounds lighter than the stock bike. And most of the engine internals were left the same. The biggest change was stregthening the con rods so they could run at higher RPM.

The cars' interiors have been completely gutted, saving them hundreds of pounds. And that's just the begining.

Now imagine the difference between a road car and road bike.

N1-R

nice bike, first pic i thought it was the duke 999..... which is also nice.

I'm looking to get a NSR250R myself...hopefully I'll be the only one in Vancouver to have such a bike....

P00Man

"is only a couple pounds lighter than the stock bike."
that weight savings probably only counters the size of his freking ***** blahAHAHAHAHA

yeah, bikes are freaking crazy


THOSE FREKIN ITALIANS!
man they know what they are doin when it comes to style...that bike is sooo beautiful...Ducati is the ultimate bike, bottom line, the one that starts with an a? froget, they come REAL close though, style wise, perfomance i think they are about the same, cant, least they USED to be, Ducati may have stretched its lead though...
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