"Valentino Rossi has been forced to take a fully road-legal, registered Ducati 1198S out at Silverstone after a 2009 racing superbike originally being used broke down after just four laps.
Ducati MotoGP rider Rossi has been using the launch of the new £25 million Silverstone Wing pit and paddock complex as the perfect time to get to know a track he has never raced at before. Rossi missed the 2010 race as he was recovering from breaking his leg at the earlier Mugello round in Italy.
Ducati supplied a 2009 superbike for Rossi but just four laps into the test it broke down and he was returned to the pits in the back of a white van.
A flurry of phonecalls to Ducati UK resulted in an 1198S being ridden from the Silverstone headquarters of the firm into the back of the pits. Rossi was then straight out on the bike which still had a numberplate, mirrors and road-legal Pirelli Diablo SuperCorsa tyres.
MCN has got the full story behind the test from MotoGP reporter Matthew Birt who was at the test."
http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/News/newsresults/General-news/2011/May/may1711-rossi-breaks-race-superbike-road-ducati-1198-silverstone/ (http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/News/newsresults/General-news/2011/May/may1711-rossi-breaks-race-superbike-road-ducati-1198-silverstone/)
(http://www.motorcyclenews.com/upload/279525/images/300x200/rossi-3.jpg)
(http://www.motorcyclenews.com/upload/279525/images/rossi-silverstone.jpg)
(http://www.motorcyclenews.com/upload/279525/images/rossi-5.jpg)
i like the way they made it seem like a huge rush... but then still had time to put the 46 on the front of the bike. haha
fyi, we have an entire forum dedicated to racing (and track days):
http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?board=7.0 (http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?board=7.0)
i know. figured it would get more views here.
the 46 bike is the race bike
Quote from: DucatiTorrey on May 17, 2011, 05:13:18 PM
the 46 bike is the race bike
yes, look more closely. The first photo - no mirrors, turn signals or tag. Photos 2 and 3, mirrors, blinkers and a tag. They didn't stick a 46 on that street bike.
The pricetag on that bike just went up a few pounds.
Quote from: Sad Panda on May 17, 2011, 06:09:22 PM
yes, look more closely. The first photo - no mirrors, turn signals or tag. Photos 2 and 3, mirrors, blinkers and a tag. They didn't stick a 46 on that street bike.
I'm thinking conspiracy. More "grassy knoll" shenanigans!
Quote from: fastwin on May 18, 2011, 07:39:32 AM
I'm thinking conspiracy. More "grassy knoll" shenanigans!
shush you....mind not the man behind the curtain!
well its pretty common for race teams to show up with just one bike [roll] [bacon]
Quote from: fastwin on May 18, 2011, 07:39:32 AM
I'm thinking conspiracy. More "grassy knoll" shenanigans!
1198 indeed. In all the hurry and fuss, did anyone check under the plastic & street trim to make sure there wasn't a GP-12 prototype under there for a little illicit extra testing, hmmmm??? ;D
Quote from: triangleforge on May 18, 2011, 04:13:20 PM
1198 indeed. In all the hurry and fuss, did anyone check under the plastic & street trim to make sure there wasn't a GP-12 prototype under there for a little illicit extra testing, hmmmm??? ;D
oooh
"that sure is a LOUD 1198"
Broken 1198?
Sounds familiar...
the 1198 isn't the one that broke. did anyone read this?
why didn't they put the 1198 sbk's wheels on to the stocker? Slicks are slicks, and it would have been a pretty quick swap
Quote from: DucatiTorrey on May 20, 2011, 04:56:02 AM
the 1198 isn't the one that broke. did anyone read this?
It was a "2009 racing superbike." That was a 1098 R, and therefore an 1199cc motor. The street bike didn't break, but that's not the point - tigre's joke is relevant ;)
And all too true as many superbike owners will testify :'(
Wonder if Duc will make a VR superbike anytime soon (not that I want one).
Some slicks might not clear the swingarm on the stock setup. Brake rotor offset might be different. If it had sbk forks the axle is different.
If they made a hayden be, they will make a v
r bike...
Quote from: Sad Panda on May 17, 2011, 06:09:22 PM
yes, look more closely. The first photo - no mirrors, turn signals or tag. Photos 2 and 3, mirrors, blinkers and a tag. They didn't stick a 46 on that street bike.
Or a lit headlight....
video!
http://www.ducati.com/media_gallery/rossi_at_silverstone_on_a_1198/index.do (http://www.ducati.com/media_gallery/rossi_at_silverstone_on_a_1198/index.do)
this all makes me wonder...not that it matters....why did they get him an 1198 and not a Sedici?...I am sure there had to be a Sedici in the neighborhood somewhere...
and I wonder what Rossi thinks of the production version of the R1 versus the 1198 and since he has ridden them both now and then the WSBK versions of both what his feedback is on them both in comparo?!?!?
Quote from: zooom on May 21, 2011, 04:05:16 AM
this all makes me wonder...not that it matters....why did they get him an 1198 and not a Sedici?...I am sure there had to be a Sedici in the neighborhood somewhere...
and I wonder what Rossi thinks of the production version of the R1 versus the 1198 and since he has ridden them both now and then the WSBK versions of both what his feedback is on them both in comparo?!?!?
Honestly the 1198 is easier to ride and more refined + traction control. The 1198 will go faster around most tracks than the Sedici will.
Quote from: zooom on May 21, 2011, 04:05:16 AM
why did they get him an 1198 and not a Sedici?
marketing value.
Quote from: Jester on May 21, 2011, 09:09:59 AM
The 1198 will go faster around most tracks than the Sedici will.
[coffee] Maybe he and Nicky should use 1198s at the next MotoGP race....
Quote from: OT on May 23, 2011, 08:49:54 PM
[coffee] Maybe he and Nicky should use 1198s at the next MotoGP race....
I was referring to the street version Sedici just for clarification [roll]
And I was only Jesting.... ;)
poor nicky... if this happened to him, i doubt anyone would really care. [laugh]