1200 duke
 

Well! most of the artists impresions tend to look pretty much like the real thing. What do you think?? A step in the right direction? of a sport-classic in the shape of a 916?


http://www.motorcyclenews.com/jpeg/462/12207614.jpeg

Step backwards in my opinion...

Would like to see an endurance bike type light on the front instead, like the HID ones, two separate lamps in this day and age isn't right. Also do something with the seat unit that is sooo 999!!! the bike needs to be arse in the air. :burn:

Well I like it, very 916:cool:

Or how about????


http://www.raptorsandrockets.com/ima...ti_1200_1r.JPG

that's interesting
bigger tank needed. then just drag the nose down a touch.
SWEEET

either one would do me nicely, they both look scrummy and both would appear to share the same 916 stylee front light - yum...

The MCN one they are showing a single sider.....

I'm liking what I can see of the MCN one, although as said, it needs to change that seat a little.

Would love to see it from the rear;)

Looks good to me :cool:

looks too much like a honda fireblade - yukkk! prefer if it looked more like the seidici myself or...original but attractive.

As long as it does'nt have an oil leak or slipping clutch Ill have one :)

Second one is way too Japanese. Not liking them at all.

Would prefer the GP look, but it's a bit bulbous.

I liked both examples, but think they've shoved the 916/999 into one mould. Whereas they should be looking further forward and re-inventing themselves...

They are probably looking to get the 916 lovers back. I think they are worried at the moment. The last time they tried to re-invent them selves they brought out the 999 and it hasn't sold much. Its all a gamble and they will never please everyone. Personally I like the 916 and the 999. I think the MV was Ducatis replacement 916 but the designer took it with him so they had a hard job on to beat that. If my 999 went to the great scrapyard in the sky I have no doubt I would be buying what ever comes next. Be it a 916 looking bike or a GP looking beast. It will still look better than some this weeks new style Jap thing.:saint:

OK, well we can all see its a compooter generated thingy like the other weeks compooter generated thingy.

On the front cover we had a bike with a silver front wheel with a knackered track-used old Michelin boot, black Ohlins forks (off of a 999R Xerox) and a black Gp front fender. There was also a 999 headlight (thought they were meant to be ugly!!! ) and some Alice graphics.

Then on the inside cover it was gold forks (which by the way, the top of the fork was silver and the bottom was gold and they didn't line up!!! ), a red front fender (Corse type) with a black wheel and totally different new tyres and at the rear a pukka GP swingarm with a slick tyre.
Then we had some different graphics, 999 mirrors kinda blobbed on and a 999 exhaust stuck in there!?!?!

This week we have a 999R with the seat unit painted red, some 916 style pipes glued underneath and a carbon fairing at the RHS footpeg that fades to red as you travel further up the fairing.
Next we have some 916 style headlights kinda moulded into a 999R fairing with the 916 style air intakes under the lights (way too small to even be anywhere near efficient!!) and some GP style fairing cutouts in the lower fairing.
To finish off the picture we have a single sided swinger, again off of a 916 and neither front or rear wheels match in style! Ducati would NEVER EVER EVER do that!

I have to take my hat off to MCN here, I wish I could use me compooter that way!

I've got to ask, is anyone buying into this picture or am I right in saying it's a very skilled Emap designer using photshop to its full potential???

If there IS a new bike coming in '07 or '08 (and the official channels deny this!!) I doubt it will look anything like these at all!

Just my opinion!

Mart

Looks like a complete load of crap to me.

MCN ******** again

Ducati are getting busy again it would seem. Supermotard to go into production, Desmosidici race rep soon and a road going version for about 15k and now this.
Seeing as they are now owned by the Italians again, where are they getting all the dosh.
However is this image the finaladmisssion that Terreblanche made a mistake.
They should have kept Tambo and put a V twin in the MV!
Otherwise it has got some nice touches. The front lights are a little Fireblade but the sides, frame colour and rear end are nice. Are those real marchesini wheels?

Totally hit the nail on the head Tortuga.

I think it would be a disaster if the new Duke (whenever it comes out) looks like the MCN mock-up. To me it looks like one of those joke "photo-fits" where they put Jimmy Hill's chin, Ricky Tomlinson's nose, Marty Feldman's eyes and wotsisname Collini's forehead together.

Trying to merge a bit of 996 for the traditionalists and a bit of 999 together has resulted in a total mish-mash. Much as I love the 748-998 series, I think Ducati have to move on. There is always going to be a price premium against the Japanese opposition, and to attract a similar influx of buyers as the 916, the new model has to have the looks as well as competitive performance.

The 999 shape (particularly in track trim) has really grown on me, and I think a development of the aesthetics of that shape would be a way forward (there was a post on some Dutchman or German's "custom" 999 a few months ago, and that was absolutely gorgeous...maybe they should get him on the design team).

The 999
 

Does anyone else get tired of all the crap that is written in the bike press about how ugly the 999 is? No wonder these terrific bikes are not selling.
The latest comments have been made by Richard Hammond in this week's MCN.He writes "If bike sales get worse Ducati might not get round to replacing the 999 with something prettier - but that's not hard, the van delivering it is better looking!"
I wonder why he rides one of those really ugly BMW's? Why are so many "fashion conscious people" rushing out to by these boxer twins? I own one myself but I did buy it in the 1970's. I believe that in those days it had a lot more going for it.
Finally I find it hard to understand why so many contributors to this board seem to be dissatisfied with their lovely Ducati twin engined bikes and want to go over to the V four engine configuration. I can see that this would make sense on a race track but for road use I prefer my Desmo twin every time.

YES!!:mad:

Well, there is at least one person then who reads Richard Hammonds' column. Must be the only one. Oh, hang on, I've done as well, and what a load of shite it usually is. He should stick to being whats-his-name's sidekick.

Like I said I like both shapes for different reasons. I own a 2003 999s and love it. I love the looks and I love the way it rides. I think people have got it all wrong when they say it is ugly, and one day will eat their words when it will be looked at as ahead of its time and as much a classic as any other Ducati. Will it be iconic, to be honest maybe not as that is completley different. The 916 was like nothing else when it came out in the 90's and it is hard to see any motorcycle being that iconic again but who knows!

When I showed mine last year at the Bristol Italian Auto Moto Festival I had alot of interest from engineers who loved the trelis and the pipe work of the exhaust. I had photographers from Bristol University taking pictures of it from all angles for their courses and not to mention the general public who wanted their pictures with it or their kids sat on it. I came away thinking "well it cant be that ugly".

Another thing which bugs me about the bike mags is how they say how crap the 999 range is compared to 1000 4's. Well mmm yes but I dont look to compete with the 1000's but look to the 750's as that is where itshould be pitched anyway. If Ducati bring out a 1200 then fair enough because that will be where it will be marketed anyway but the press should play fair.
And another thing which bugs. I read last week some where that said the Ducati 999 was no match for the Japanese 4's and then I think the same mag said that the new Ducati S4RS was a rival for the big 4's sportbikes. I sat there s******ing saying outloud. "So the engine was rubbish a minute ago and now its good"

The press seem to have it in for Ducati at the moment with lots of anti stuff flying about. I think it is just the British way of build them up and knock them down. Its like this debate about raising the limit in WSB. I wont to see a race of level performance bikes and dont want to see a return to the twins advantage as seen before but as long as the rules are changed to stop Ducati tuning their bikes to the max like they have to at the moment (with GP costs) then I cant see what the fuss is all about. Ducati are doing amazing things at the moment but at the cost of a small African country. And I agree with Ducati that that is not in the spirit of superbike racing. I thought it was interesting to see the Japanese dont want the 1200 vtwin and dont want to see desmosedicci arrive in WSB. I think that says we dont want you lot in full stop as we want to win and you keep ruining the party.
There said it now.

In some ways yes but Ducati have realised that the 999 shape has not done the business, and that people like the old shape and will buy it which is what matters.
money talks !!! and if they can sell bikes styled roughly like the 916 range they will make them .
Remember this was in MCN so should be taken with a pinch of salt :rolleye:

Is it me or is MCN the soraway Sun with bikes instead of t*ts

I couldn't agree more - luv 'em both too. Could also fancy a road going desmosedici if the pockets were deep enough and that certainly ain't the prettiest MotoGP bike in the paddock!

And they've plastered 2 different tits on one bird so to speak. The front has 10 spoke wheels the back 5.
MCN - fit up.
The 999 is not a bad bike but it is just unfinished in a way that the 916 wasn't.
The rear end is just well incomplete and that funny triangular piece in the tube frame under the seat, just look amateur. The welding on the frame is not too hot either.
Top yoke and instruments are pretty cool though.
Brave attempt to movre things on though and several useful innovations - adjustable seat, and foot pegs.

I think Martins got it here,its a photoshopped mess designed by a comittee at Emap.
It may have been done slickly but its been done with no imagination by journalists who cant imagine anything beyond what they're given free.
I see this crap all the time in my work, lots of geeks can use a program like photoshop,it doesn't make them designers or artists though.
Ducati isnt stupid and re releasing a sort of 916 will be not only an admission of defeat for its design department but will also shackle it to that design for the rest of the firms life.
I hope they surprise us with something even more radical than the 999 was over the 916, and not just a red fireblade like the one in the paper.

Im lost for words - MCN obviously didnt get a long term test bike last year / this year and have got it in for Ducati, this weeks pictures are a botch of 2 bikes stuck together using photoshop (by a 5th grade design student !), last weeks pictures were much the same, the back pages **** Ducati off for supposedly wanting 1200cc in WSB.
Its like reading a mix of Viz and the Sport but with an axe to grind.
Im sure that Ducati will design a fine bike, show us it at the NEC and we will buy it..
Ducati are probably laughing at the stuff in MCN as its free publicity.
If any one from MCN is reading this then WAKE UP AND STOP PRINTING CRAP.

Er, it's not that long ago MCN were saying that the 998 was old hat and everyone should get with the 999 program and were bigging the 999 up. Can't argue with the numbers and if a bike ain't selling in the numbers you need somethings gotta change.

The MotoGP bike has the look that Ducati needs to take things forward IMHO, but theres another problem, how's a less expensive Moto GP looking type bike gonna go down with those that are gonna cough 35,000 for the V4 MotoGP rep.

Maybe something that looks like the Roehr is the way forward??

Interesting times ahead.

Ray.

Strange how the peeps with the newer bikes say its crap, and those with the older models say its an improvement. Could knock the price of a 999r down to something sensible. :o:o:o

Like many things the 999 looks better in real life than in a photo, to me it just looks more mechanical than the 748/9** but when you study the shape of the different parts it truly is another Italian masterpiece, i'd have one if I had the money.
The pro racers say it's an improvement too (apart from Chili).
To beat the I4's with a V2 is a great acheivement and I don't want to see a championship without both.

The mock up photo's look orrible.

Like everything else that's said on here it's just opinions.

[Edited on 10-4-2006 by sharpo]

They can't, they'd all be out of a job then!

Don't get me started on Richard Hammond, of all the bandwagon jumping, turncoat, I'll present absolutely anything on TV nowadays,wannabes to give the job to. MCN chose the numero uno.
The last five or so pages are ok (if you can filter the bollox from the hype) the rest helps fill the recycle bin!