«
»

What if the 2011 Ducati 1198 Looked Like This? [UPDATED]

UPDATE. The photo of the design study has been removed.

Ducati is expected to introduce a substantially updated premier Superbike model for the 2011 model year given that the 4 year old 1098 / 1198 design is starting to struggle in the World Superbike arena. We don’t know what it will look like but this design study would be a pretty good start!

This Superbike concept seems to be an afterthought by designer Anthony Collard who entered a Ducati Sports car design into a recent competition. Ducati News Today likes the lines which retain the existing overall silhouette but sharpen them substantially, resulting in a more modern look. The current 1198, although good looking in its own right, is encumbered by the fact that it deliberately harks back to a bike first released in 1994, the fabulous 916. The problem is that 1994 is getting on for 20 years ago!!! Even if this isn’t what the new bike will look like, the technical specs are likely to be compelling.

The rumor mill seems to suggest an ultra short-stroke L-twin engine that may be housed in a monocoque chassis not dissimilar to that of the existing Ducati GP10 MotoGP machine but fabricated from aluminum rather than carbon fiber. The rationale is to be able to produce a Superbike racer with a shorter wheelbase and the provision for a longer swingarm length for improved handling. Shorter wheelbases allow for less lean angle for any given cornering radius, and longer swingarms aid in traction.

img 1273508620 63 lg thumb What if the 2011 Ducati 1198 Looked Like This? [UPDATED]Dropping the trellis frame would help with this as would a more compact, shorter stroke engine. A shorter stroke would allow the engine to rev higher increasing the peak power potential as the new Aprilia RSV4 and BMW S1000RR have been rockets this season in a straight line. Technical expert and commentator Neil Spalding, who has seen the MotoGP frames up close agrees there are compelling reasons to believe this may be what Ducati is planning:

“Using a cast alloy chassis like this on a road bike has a long list of advantages for Ducati. It’s a win on all levels. Not only do you get around the old Ducati bugbear of airboxes that are too small and restrict power, but the fuel tanks can then be much bigger, answering another Ducati problem….AND you can make the whole bike smaller.”

Any debut would likely be at the EICMA show in Milan this November.

Want More? Read More Posts on the EICMA 2009 Show Read More Posts on Ducati Design If you Like this post, Why Not Become a Fan of Ducati News Today on Facebook


Try These Related Posts:

  1. Radical Overhaul Planned for 2012 Ducati 1198 Successor Ducati is set to radically overhaul their flagship Superbike for 2012. The new model will likely feature a monocoque chassis with a shorter wheelbase and a longer swing arm. An all new, but still V-twin engine with a much shorter stroke will rev higher for more power and have its...
  2. Lorenzo sees Rossi in Red for 2011 [UPDATED] Rumors are rife that MotoGP star Valentino Rossi will be joining Ducati next year. Ducati News Today has argued this position for some time and believes it is even more likely given Rossi’s current injury. Now the rumors have reached fever pitch claiming that the announcement could come as early...
  3. Ambitious Plan for Ducati 1198 Based Superbike Revealed With the launch of the Ducati 1098 (and now the 1198) the company reversed its Superbike slide that befell it as a result of the controversially styled 999 range. The result is great success but many more Ducati Superbikes around than ever before which has blunted their exclusivity. In addition...
  4. Ducati CEO Confirms Rossi (and Hayden) for 2011 [UPDATED x2] Valentino Rossi joining Ducati in MotoGP has switched from a crazy rumor to rampant expectation of an almost anti-climactic nature as we await the Doctor himself to advise of his decision formally at Brno. Having said that, there has never been any formal comment from the man himself or Ducati...
  5. Vyrus is Ugly but Ducati 1198 Powered Vyrus 987 C3 4V doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue but then this isn’t too much that is traditional with this new bike. Looking something like the Moto Terminator that featured in the movie of the same name, the Vyrus will be able to terminate most other bikes with its...

This entry was posted on Monday, May 31st, 2010 at 2:00 am and is filed under News, Racing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

5 Responses to “What if the 2011 Ducati 1198 Looked Like This? [UPDATED]”

  1. I think a new bike on the upcomming EICMA is to soon. Maybe a prototype exclusively for Ducati dealers will be there.
    I do wonder… will Ducati launch a Superbike model with the new DES suspension?
    Imagine the potential! What if Bayliss developed X amount of setups for X amount of tracks and these can then be downloaded from the Ducati website on a memorystick to upload to the bikes DES system.
    So you can go to a trackday at say Mugello with Troy’s setup!
    Also the abbility for owners to upload setups to the site for others to use/try out.
    Sounds like a plan Ducati? ;-)

  2. Mark Morrison on May 31st, 2010 at 3:13 pm

    @Rino. That is actually a nice idea!! I imagine the next Superbike will likely include Street and Track settings if it includes DES

  3. I think Ducati would be crazy to drop the trellis frame on its flagship motorcycle. Carl Fogarty wanted a two sided swing arm because it would make a better race bike. While I liked the 999, it wasn’t a success on the showroom floor and I assume Ducati learned a lesson from it. Like Porsche being stuck with an imperfect rear engine car design, Ducati will find it hard to abandon what the customers want.

  4. Mark Morrison on June 2nd, 2010 at 9:14 am

    Alan, I understand your point of view but I think many things point to this change, not least of which the recently filed patent. For the Superbike class, the existing bike is too long.

  5. Mark, The new Multistrada has a big piece of aluminum between the two parts of its trellis frame any you could be right. I am all for progress and not being wedded to old designs that have outlived their useful lives. However, Carlos Checa led the SBK field on a two year old privateer 1098R until mechanical breakdowns at Miller cost him two wins. I am not convinced the bike is the Ducati factory team’s problem this year.