Ducati News Today

With festivities gearing up for the Ducati Island event at Laguna Seca this weekend, the schedule calls for a surprise unveiling on July 4th which is expected to be a Nicky Hayden replica Ducati 848 for the US market.

Posts on the popular Ducati fan forum ducati.ms have reported sightings of a Nicky Hayden replica 848 during a factory tour in Bologna. The bike is a stock 848 with a similar paint scheme to the Bayliss replica 1098R with the exception of the number 69 and a large star on the fairing. Nicky’s signature is on the tank. Nicky Hayden has been closely associated with the 848 in the USA, being featured in advertising promoting special financing for example.

It would seem that the “Ducati North America Surprise Unveiling” scheduled for 4pm on July 4th is going to be the public unveiling of this machine. Whereas the 1198 range is being globally marketed with Troy Bayliss, it seems that Ducati North America wish to cash in on Nicky fans with a replica bike. Presumably the company would have hoped that Nicky’s performances in MotoGP would have driven intense interest but unfortunately Hayden has struggled to come to terms with the Desmosedici GP9 so far this season with a best finish of 9th during last weekends Dutch TT in Assen.

So would you buy a one of the 150 Hayden replicas for $14,495? Does Nicky’s current poor performance in MotoGP have any impact on your level of interest? Let me know in the comments.

Thanks to motoGPtalk for the opening photo.

UPDATE: Ducati has since confirmed the  Nicky Hayden 848 Edition new Model.  Details here.

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