Racer For the Road: Ducati Desmosedici Rr
RACER FOR THE ROAD: DUCATI DESMOSEDICI RR
ROUNDUP
DUCATI'S DESMOSEDICI RR, the street-going version of the 200-plus-mph MotoGP racer that the Italian bike-maker has been campaigning for the last three years, was unveiled this past June. The presentation took place in the Mugello paddock on the eve of one of the most emotionally charged races in history, with Ducati’s Loris Capirossi coming in a close second to a hard-sweating Valentino Rossi.
Though the RR is officially a 2007 model, order taking began June 2, with 999R owners granted special priority. Price is $65,000, which includes three years of service and related warranty. Production will be limited to 400 units per year.
The streetbike was styled by Alan Jenkins, who also drew the racer. CEO Federico Minoli confirmed that the RR is intended to be the most exclusive transfer ever of nology into a production item as well as the most refined model ever
conceived and produced by Ducati. In fact, all aluminum and magnesium components are sand-cast, which not only implies superior quality but also allows for prompt updating should the market demand it. The engine itself is a beauty, a very compact 90degree V-Four featuring the same fancy “twin-pulse” firing sequence that is neither the originally conceived “big bang,” which A made the V-Four sound like a V-Twin, nor the customary four-bang V-Four sequence.
The engine breathes through four 50mm Marelli throttle bodies, each featuring a single 12-hole injector set atop a bell-shaped velocity stack, shower-style. Titanium connecting rod and valves, gear-driven Desmo camshafts, a dry clutch and a cassette-type six-speed gearbox offer further evidence of the competition connection. Where the RR differs from the racer is in its exhaust system, a 4-into-2into-1 design that includes an emissions-friendly catalytic converter.
Ducati did not release any meaningful technical data about the engine, only a vague reference to 200 horsepower at 13,500 rpm with a 105-dB racing exhaust. Bore is 86.0mm with stroke an ultra-short 42.6mm for an actual displacement of 990cc. Regarding reliability, project engineer Gigi Mengoli underlined that the engine has been tested extensively on the dyno and the road for more than a year.
The chassis also mirrors the racer. The steel trellis frame uses the engine as a structural element and is tied together by plates machined from billet aluminum and a massive, box-section swingarm. A 43mm Öhlins fork, Brembo radial-mount front brake calipers and Marchesini forged-magnesium wheels complete the list of top-quality components.
Questioned about the meaning of Ducati entering the ultra-performance bike market, Ducati Corse CEO and Ducati Motor GM Claudio Domenicali noted that the Desmosedici, though eligible by production numbers, will not be homologated for AMA or World Superbike competition, where Ducati will continue to campaign its Twins. He also confirmed that the Desmosedici indicates Ducati is moving to higher standards in general on its whole range of models. Since the days of big production numbers (40,000-plus bikes per year) might not come back for a while, stepping up to more profitable products would be one way to keep the company in the black. Bruno de Prato
