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| Originally Posted by Gizmo i don't think this is MCN's fault, its Ducati's inability to accept that the way they market product and released info to the press has not adapted to reflect the changes the internet has brought and the need for printed magazines to beat the websites with stories. |The new bike must be past the concept stage , taking a critical path back from a November launch in Milan means that given a "normal"lead time of 60 -90 days for components, time to run a small preproduction batch, manufacturing moulds for fairings and other unique parts and testing it all works, the design has to be somewhere near final now. Compare the route Ducati take to a succesful European brand like Triumph which is increasing sales , they allow limited press publication of the prototyping and testing of new models in the likes of MCN, it doesn't harm sales as the dealers and customers then know what is coming not speculating on it. I don't understand why Ducati don't releave visuals on concepts onto their own website to stop the speculation other than thinking they'll lose the impact from its launch, not much use if you've lost 5 month sales and upset dealers and customers in the process. |
I'm with you on that one. The new 1198/S/R bike must be close to or nearing completion in terms of the design. November is not that far away and as you say, tooling up, even for preproduction is a time consuming process, so we have to conclude that the bike is, bar a few last minute changes due to test results and costs, almost complete. I was not entirely convinced by the spy shots in the Italian "MotoSprint" magazine of the bike circling Mugello, as even with the black gaffa tape all over the fairing panels, it was at best a test mule for the mechanical components and if you can "let your guard down" quite that publically, it smacks of nothing short of a red herring visually to keep the press guessing. I like the idea of Ducati issuing some pre production concept sketches though. They would do well to get the feedback before they launch the new bike (as with the HyperMotard) before they commit commercial suicide and unveil the unthinkable (a rehashed 999). Let's hope thats not the case and that Alan Jenkins or the like has a hand in it's design as the Demosedici he penned is just gorgeous and leagues ahead of Terblanches recent abominations. If you disagree with that, then the post 999 introduction era which heralded poor sales figures, ought to back up my last statement.
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