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Ducati Desmosedici

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Ducati Desmosedici GP6 race bike
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Ducati Desmosedici GP6 race bike

The Ducati Desmosedici is a four-cylinder, 16-valve engine MotoGP racing motorcycle

Contents

Background

Ducati abandoned the Grand Prix racing scene at the start of the 1970s. For many years the 500 class was essentially a class for two-stroke bikes, an engineering technology that was far removed from the four-stroke road-going machines sold by Ducati. Technical rules changed in 2002, giving priority to four-stroke machinery and turning the 500 class of World Road Racing into the MotoGP Championship. This convinced Ducati to make a much-awaited return to the track in the new MotoGP class.

Ducati history is classically based on V-Twin engines, using desmodromic valve technology. Initially, Ducati considered the possibility of creating a MotoGP ‘super-twin’, taking advantage of the MotoGP regulations that give twin-cylinder machines a considerable weight reduction over four, five or six-cylinder bikes. However, analysis indicated that a twin-cylinder engine would not have been able to produce the required amount of power (more than 230 HP), without excessively increasing the number of revs. A Twin would have had to rev at over 17,000 rpm, but this would require a very short stroke and a very large bore, as a result producing possible combustion problems.

The basis of the design of the Desmosedici engine therefore is two classical Ducati V-Twins next to each other, making a V-Four. With four valves per cyliner, the total number of valves is sixteen - Desmosedici means desmo sixteen in Italian

Design had started in 2001, the bike was unveiled at the 2002 Italian GP at Mugello, for use in the following seasons MotoGP series. Vittoriano Guareschi, the Ducati Corse test-rider, followed every phase of the Desmosedici’s development process from early testing to track debut and the project’s evolution

Season While still fully committed to Superbike racing, the Ducati Marlboro Team of Loris Capirossi and Troy Bayliss would compete in all rounds of the 2003 MotoGP championship. The Desmosedici GP3 quickly scored a series of results with Loris Capirossi, who stepped onto the podium in the opening round of the championship in Japan and won the GP Catalunya in Barcelona. The Italian finished fourth in the final championship standings, the Bayliss sixth, while Ducati finished second overall in the Manufacturers’ standings

Season In 2004 the Desmosedici GP4, again in the hands of Capirossi and Bayliss, underwent a series of major modifications. A large part of the season went by before the bike became competitive, but the season concluded with both riders on the podium

Season The GP5 version lined up for Ducati’s third season in MotoGP, with Baylis replaced by the Spanish rider Carlos Checa. Thanks to a collaboration agreement with Bridgestone, Ducati could finally contribute to the development of new tires and by the end of the season the Desmosedici become a competitive machine. Bridgstone found that, hard tyres suited the bike more than softer tyres to create grip - simply put, allowing it to spin the rear wheel gave better control. Capirossi took two wins in the Grand Prix of Japan at Motegi and in the Malaysian GP at Sepang, while Checa scored a brace of podium finishes

Season Launched at the Italian skiing resort of Madonna di Campiglio, the GP6 is a lighter and more powerful version of the GP5. Involving better aerodynamics and a better fuel tank position, most importantly, although more powerful, the engine delivery was smoothed to make the bike more ridable. This made the bike slower on top speed, but quicker in to, round and out of corners [link]

The new rider with Capirossi was Spanish rider Sete Gibernau. After encouraging winter tests, the Desmosedici GP6 took its first win of 2006 in the opening GP at Jerez de la Frontera, Spain, followed by a podium in Qatar. Capirossi lead the championship for a short while, but at the start of the Grand prix de Catalunya at Barcelona, Capirossi's bike collided with Gibernau's. Both riders ended up injured and in hospital, with Gibernau sustaining a broken collar bone, and both missed the Dutch Grand Prix at Assen. Capirossi returned at the British Grand Prix, while Gibernau was replaced from the Dutch Grand Prix by German Alex Hoffman, until at least the German Grand Prix in mid-July 2006

Desmosedici RR

In 2004, Ducati announced that they would be producing a low volume bespoke replica of the Desmosedici, available from 2006.

Termed the Desmosedici RR (Racing Replica), it was claimed to be the first true road replica of a MotoGP racing bike. Priority for ordering was given to Ducati 999RR owners, with production projected at one bike per day at a retail cost of $100,000. The price includes a three year waranty and servicing, cover plus a racing kit including an exhaust and an improved electronic control chip.

The bike was eventually launched at the 2006 Italian MotoGP event at Mugello, with delivery from Spring 2007. The entire allocation for the United States of America sold out in 30 days. [link]

Technical Specifications: Ducati Desmosedici RR

Engine

Trasmission

Vehicle

Version

External links

 

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