What is it with Ducati names of late? After playing around with the dialect of Bologna to produce the Ducati Diavel (which we’re sure makes the baby boomers it’s aimed at feel all devilish….
), we’re now apparently getting the Ducati Xtreme.
This pic is supposed to be the first teaser shot of the new 2012 Ducati Superbike, the 1199.
The pic comes from Motociclismo magazine, who claims the bike will be called the Ducati Xtreme, while MCN says that it will almost certainly be the 1199.
It quotes a source as saying: “The XTreme name was something that was used within Ducati.
It’s not the name of the bike which is almost definitely going to be 1199.
”The new Ducati 1199 is expected to house a V-Twin engine with some extra power on the Ducati 1198 – up to about 185 or 190 hp.
Apparently the design and chassis is revolutionary for Ducati, with HFL betting on a monocoque frameless design borrowed from MotoGP tech, with lightweight materials to get weight down to about 140 kg.
Further reports on the model suggest we could get a horizontally-mounted rear shock, and A&R is reporting on an underslung tail exhaust like the Ducati Desmosedici.
More will be revealed when Motociclismo gets its print version out soon, but they themselves are describing the new Ducati 1199 (Xtreme?) as the “biggest technical turning point for Ducati in the last decade”.