Cycle World European Correspondent Bruno dePrato—a contributor to CW since 1991 and previous to that for Cycle magazine from 1974—met with Ducati Motor President and CEO Gabriele Del Torchio July 30, 2010, to discuss the company’s financial position and a new model set to be released at the Milan EICMA show this November. The result of that interview is this story. On the subject of Valentino Rossi, Nicky Hayden and Ducati in MotoGP, Ducati has released the following statement:
Bologna, Italy (August 4, 2010)—Regarding the recent allegations attributed to Gabriele Del Torchio—Ducati CEO and President—Ducati states that no agreement has been reached with motorcycle riders Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden in regards to the 2011 MotoGP season, although our interest in these riders remains. The recent report which has appeared on the U.S. website www.cycleworld.com and Motoblog.it has been misreported and is attributed to the many rumors circulating as of late.
If and when agreements are reached, official press releases will be issued.
For about a year, Ducati has been hard at work on a completely new project aimed at introducing the Italian make to the rich market of custom musclebikes. Not one rumor about the project leaked outside the factory until early testbikes started to drone along the backroads around Bologna. From then on, anyone living in the area could just sit outside the main gate with a camera.
Still, officially, the bike did not exist. So, I knocked at the front door and met Ducati CEO Gabriele Del Torchio. He was very open and talked about the new bike, as well as the current state of the company and the sport. At this stage, the new bike is only identified by a number: Project 0803. As Del Torchio points out, this new project has been conceived in response to a demand that has been growing in the hearts and minds of a new generation of motorcyclists who have enjoyed the breathtaking acceleration of a Yamaha V-Max or the equally breathtaking style of a Harley-Davidson Night Rod.
This new demand has been refined through experiences with this kind of bikes and finally focused on what Ducati decided would be a more balanced equation between power and handling (through lighter weight) with unmistakably Ducati styling.
“Call it the way you want, but it will definitely be a Ducati,” says Del Torchio, “not a copy of anything on the road today. It will have a very strong Ducati personality from all points of view, because our engines, our chassis, our way to go out and ride on the open road or on a racetrack always are uniquely our own. It is the Ducati way.”
Asked about the opportunity to invest in the acquisitions of Moto Morini or MV Agusta, Ducati CEO Gabriele Del Torchio rejected even the hypothesis of such an initiative.
From a technical point of view, Project 0803 appears to be a very competent derivative of the present Ducati Multistrada 1200, starting from the massive steel-tube trellis frame and torquey “Testastretta 11°” four-valve-per-cylinder 1198cc V-Twin. From the Multistrada 1200 also come ride-by-wire, Ducati Traction Control, an inverted Marzocchi 50mm fork and twin Brembo 320mm front brake discs with radial-mount Monobloc calipers.
Specific to Project 0803 is an intricate 2-into-1-into-2 exhaust system and what looks to be a huge gas-tank-turned-airbox with air scoops going around the massive stanchions of the fork to ensure a sizable supercharging effect at speed, a further expanded combination of high torque and tractability at low rpm, plus power in excess of 150 hp at high rpm. Part of the instrumentation might be inserted in the back of this airbox/gas tank.
Also new: a long, single-sided swingarm (expect a wheelbase approaching 63 inches) and a triangular-spoke wheel design. The front hoop measures a customary 3.5 inches wide and is shod with an equally customary 12/70-17 radial tire. The rear, however, is at least 7 inches wide and wears a next-generation 240/50-17 radial being developed specifically for this application by Pirelli. This massive rear tire is very important for both the virile “dragster look” that it confers to the bike and for handling, since the profile is being developed to ensure great agility, neutral steering response and lean angles in excess of 40 degrees. In other words, none of motorcycling’s traditional parameters have been sacrificed on the altar of what might be fashionable today for a bike of this class.
Here is where the Ducati Project 0803 is going to mark a huge difference over anything similar on two wheels: Target weight is 440 pounds dry.
Del Torchio is very proud of Project 0803. This new breed of Ducati will be unveiled and officially named at EICMA in November. He is also proud of where he has been able to lead Ducati since he took over the CEO post from Federico Minoli.
“2010 confirms to be an ‘annus terribilis’ for the motorcycle industry as we all expected,” said Del Torchio. “During the first six months of the year, the world market declined 10 percent, but Ducati was able to improve its sales performance, though by only 0.3 percent. But if we analyze the sales results of the month of June, when the new Multistrada 1200 went on sale, while the market declined by 7.1 percent, Ducati sales went up 10.4 percent over the same month last year. In the U.S., the situation is worse, with global sales declining by almost 17 percent and Ducati’s by 14. But July sets a major turning point for us, with sales going up 7 percent, and I expect that by the end of the year our sales in the U.S. will close in black ink over 2009 by 6-7 percent.” Sales alone do not automatically translate into a positive financial situation, except in the case of Ducati.
To my knowledge (and I have known Ducati for more years than I care to count), this is the first time that Ducati marks real, solid profits. At the end of the first six months of the year, Ducati posted a substantial €66 million EBIDTA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization). This is by a few light years the best financial result in the Italian “motorcycle” industry, and it was achieved thanks to the extremely wise and capable policy inaugurated by Del Torchio based on huge investments in research and development, quality control and reliability. Ducati has improved so much in these terms to be rated the best motorcycle make in Europe, with warranty costs that have declined by 70 percent.
“Now, Ducati primarily delivers what we intended was its mission in the motorcycling world: emotional, gratifying quality,” says Del Torchio, with a note of pride in his voice.” The productivity went up at the same rate with quality, thanks to new, high-precision, digitally controlled tooling. The revamped enthusiasm and discipline of our manpower greatly contributed to ensure repeatability to the new quality standards that has turned every Ducati into ‘authentic Italian performance.’ We have more challenges in front of us. This season will not bring to Ducati any crown in the sport, but I look forward to Valentino Rossi teaming up with Nicky Hayden.
“Nicky is a wonderful person and a great rider. This year, he greatly contributed to improving our Desmosedici racer. Next year, he and Valentino will hone the bike to its ultimate winning potential. We knew that we were going to face a tough year in World Superbike. The new rules don’t help; someone was allowed to bend them, and our 1198 has reached its ultimate potential. In two years, we shall be ready with our new 1200cc Twin.”
