Ducati News Today

On November 9th Ducati will reveal details of it’s 2010 model range to the press prior to the public unveiling at the EICMA show in Milan which commences the following day. Ducati promises some surprises to go along with other models that have either been already signaled or subject to intense speculation. In a series of posts Ducati News Today is outlining what to expect at the show based on What is Known, a round-up of the Rumors and finally a Wish list. The first installment, Ducati 2010 What we Know, is already up. Today we explore the various rumors in circulation and a few that are just in my head!

The Ducati Hypermotard 796 and Multistrada 1200 are done deals but Ducati promised 4 new models for 2010 and we only have two confirmed, so what could the other two be?

New Models

Ducati Vyper
As early as March, Ducati News Today was reporting rumors of a pending Ducati entry into the power cruiser market to compete with the likes of the Harley Davidson V-Rod and Yamaha V-Max. The source was the Australian importer, Warren Lee, who also acknowledged the existence of the adventure tourer we now know as the Multistrada 1200. Lee said that any entry would be a high powered, good handling machine. Well of course it would be! Things got more interesting when Motorcycle News ran a story with a spy shot they claimed was of a clay mock up of the machine now dubbed the Ducati Vyper. MCN claimed the bike sported a 1,400cc version of the testastretta evoluzione engine producing 170bhp and a truck load of torque.

So far so good. So will the Vyper be one of the surprises at the EICMA show in Milan next week? Almost certainly not. Marketing Director Diego Sgorbati poured cold water on all the enthusiasm in late July when, with comments that strongly implied the company was working on such a bike, ruled it out for anytime soon.

So the custom cruiser is out? “In any kind of near future, yes, it’s out. Maybe in 4-5 years we would look at the custom market to as well as other segments to see where we could expand.”

link: Ducati Hits Pause on the Vyper

Ducati Scooter

Just as the Australian importer gave us early confirmation of the Multistrada 1200 and intrigued as with the possibility of a power cruiser, the same Warren Lee also dangled the idea of a Ducati Scooter in front of us. The thesis seemed to be that Ducati is actively exploring it’s opportunities to diversify the portfolio beyond the traditional Superbike and Monster ranges. This strategy has of course brought us the Hypermotard and soon the Multistrada 1200.

“Ducati is looking at a scooter, but a high-performance model, not a 50cc price-driven thing,” he said. “It’s on the backburner at the moment. Maybe after 2010. It’s just simmering at the moment.”

Ducati’s Marketing Director, Diego Sgorbati, said as much when he explained the company was looking at many segments, calling out scooters amongst custom, enduro, off-road etc.. A key factor was that the product would need to match the soul of the brand.

“Ducati is looking at many segments, scooters, custom, enduro, off-road… it’s a normal expansion. Before going down one road though we look at all the potential barriers, technological and distribution related. For example, how many of our dealers can sell a superbike, as well as a motocross bike? Also, does it match the “soul” of the brand, does it make sense. What worked 20 years ago might not make sense today.. “

link: Would You Believe a Ducati Scooter?

Soloscooter (English Translation) took the comments and ran with them. The site coined the Ducati Scootster (as in Scooter Monster) name and postulated the machine will be a V-twin of around 850cc capacity delivering 100bhp via a sequential, clutch-less transmission with a maintenance free toothed belt final drive. It is reasonable to expect that Ducati is exploring this possibility but like the Vyper, the Scootster is unlikely to be the surprise in Milan.

Ducati 848S

More wishful thinking than anything else, ever since the Ducati’s entry level Superbike, the Ducati 848 launched there was a call from enthusiasts for an enhanced specification S model. The problem is pricing. In the USA, the 848 lists at $13,995 ($14,495 for the limited edition Nicky Hayden 848) and the base 1198 with another 36 horsepower is just $16,495. There is precious little room for an S spec version which with the usual smattering of Ohlins and carbon fiber would need to retail for at least $17,000 placing it above it’s bigger brother. Various higher spec version of the 848 are available but they go for silly money like this $40K Ducati 848 Superleggera. The 848 is Ducati’s entry model Superbike and orientated towards switchers from Japanese brands. For this reason it needs to be as price competitive as possible.

Ducati Streetfighter 848

I am unaware of any specific rumors predicting a baby brother for the Ducati Streetfighter but this I could believe. A base specification Streetfighter 848 could retail for $12,495 and nicely bridge the gap between the two air-cooled, 1100cc Ducati Monsters ($11,995 and $13,995) and the 1098 based Streetfighter at $14,995. The would likely be no higher specification ‘S’ model. Is the Ducati Streetfighter 848 one of the unannounced new models? I wouldn’t bet against it.

Ducati Streetfighter 1198

With Ducati confirming that the Multistrada 1200 will have a variant of the 1198 powerplant the days must be numbered for the 1,099cc engine in the current model Streetfighter. It now seems clear that the Streetfighter was already under development with the 1099cc engine when the World Superbike homologation rule changes meant that the entire Superbike range would need to have the 1198 engine as occurred for the 2009 model year. That made the Streetfighter an orphan and now the factory will likely want to harmonize the range around the one larger engine (a pity since it would have been nice from a marketing perspective to restrict the top engine to the Superbike range).

Will it be as soon as next year? There were a lot of upset 1098 buyers when the 1198 was launched just two years after the 1098 debuted so I doubt Ducati would dare terminate the Streetfighter 1098 in 2010 but look for the Streetfighter 1198 for the 2011 model year.

There is no shortage of rumors to choose from. Which are the models that will be revealed on Monday? And what have I undoubtedly missed? What do you think? Chime in with your views in the comments section below.

Stay tuned for the final installment, Ducati 2010 New Models -The Wishlist.

Want More?
Read More Posts on Ducati Vyper
Read More Posts on Ducati 848
Read More Posts on Ducati Streetfighter
Read More Posts on Ducati Multistrada 1200

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