Ductalk

  Though motorcyclists typically associate desmodromics with Italian Ducatis, the term doesn’t have Latin roots.

WORDS: Alan Cathcart
PHOTOS: Kel Edge
Though motorcyclists typically associate desmodromics with Italian Ducatis, the term doesn’t have Latin roots. It’s actually derived from two Greek words: desmos, meaning controlled, and dromos, for the run, or track, an object follows. In engineering terms, it refers to a valvetrain that opens and closes its valves positively, using a solid lever mechanism instead of a spring. British engineer F. H. Arnott obtained the frst patents for a desmodromic valve system in 1910, and the frst practical application of the technology appeared in the Peugeot L76 racer that won the 1913 Indianapolis 500. But Ducati remains the only frm on two wheels or four to have successfully applied desmodromics to mass production.
It therefore makes sense that “Desmo Story,” a year-long exhibit chronicling the history of desmodromic valve actuation, is hosted by the Museo Prunaro in Budrio, 15 miles east of Ducati’s factory in Bologna. “Bologna was the Città Desmodromica in the 1950s, when no fewer than six different car and bike manufacturers in this area were working on desmo engine designs,” says Ducati’s Technical Director Gianluigi Mengoli, organizer of this exhibit. “I regarded it as a duty as well as a pleasure to help Ducati enthusiasts understand the history and development of the desmo concept.”

Read more: http://blogs.motorcyclistonline.com/the-desmo-story-20981.html#ixzz24oLOhdQx

 (translated from Spanish via Google)

The Italian talks with MARKA about Rossi's departure, the future, the arrival of Audi, the new satellite team of Carlos Checa ...

Gabriele del Torchio speaks for first time after the departure of Valentino Rossi of Ducati. The president of the Bolognese factory does not regret his move and knows that the future, in the short term, it is difficult for the brand.

Question. What will be the new Ducati after being bought by Audi? Will there be a revolution or just evolution?
ANSWER. The term evolution is optimal. There will be no revolution because there is nothing to revolutionize. Audi was impressed with our numbers, our bikes and has no reason to change anything. The economic results are optimal and we are optimistic for the future. We expect to have significant synergies with them in many fields, such as technology.

MarcANSWER:a: And at sports , is it just evolution?
ANSWER. They have confirmed our policy. Therefore, we will continue in the competition. We had to define importantant contacts. Also there we will have synergies with them.

QUESTION"But no change in his idea contrary to the CRT?
ANSWER No. We will not make CRT. That is a choice of the championship that has nothing to do with Ducati. Ducati will not CRT.

QUESTION: What will be the direction of the sport now? The bike from Rossi became more Japanese. Do you continue on that line or return to the traditional model without aluminum chassis?
ANSWER: Our direction is simple: become competitive and win races and one day regain the title. The experience with Valentino has not borne the fruit we wanted, but we must move on. Our bike is not Japanese, it is a Ducati, Italian. With the arrival of Dovizioso, Hayden and renewal of the junior team we have everything ready to go back to being competitive.

QUESTION:  Ducati can be world champion with Dovizioso and Hayden?
ANSWER: If I respond with the heart, I say why not?. With my head I say that the goal for 2013 is to improve the bike. All that comes, will be welcome. Speaking of winning in 2013 would be a provocation.

QUESTION: How bad is Ducati for having to ask for help Masao Furusawa (former Yamaha engineer)?
ANSWER: Ducati has not hired anyone. There has been an initiative of the company . We have not forgotten how to make the bikes, as evidenced by our history. At the same time, we greatly respect Mr. Furusawa.

QUESTION:  So, it was an initiative of Filippo Preziosi?
ANSWER: It was an initiative of the company.

QUESTION: Is the Rossi period considered the most disappointing in the history of Ducati?
ANSWER:  No. When you run, sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. It is true that we all expected more. You could say it was a marriage that did not take all the love I had. Or a marriage that occurred too. We thought this was the right path to follow. The world will not end because Valentino will not run with us. Ducati is strong. It is a lesson and will serve for the future.

QUESTION: He deserved to win? Valentino 17 million euros per year, as it is said that he offered to follow Ducati?
ANSWER: We've never made an offer with a figure like that to Valentino. In fact, it was a small decrease from last contract. We would have liked to continue. I can only wish him good luck. He has made a courageous choice. We move on.

QUESTION: Lin Jarvis, Yamaha, revealed on Thursday that it was the Rossi who approached them first. What do you feel when you hear this?
ANSWER: I feel nothing. Nothing changes that the first step was Rossi or Yamaha. For us it is irrelevant. Valentino has made his decision. The important thing is that he did not want to follow us. He will have to fight hard now.

QUESTION: Do you regret having signed Rossi?
ANSWER:  Absolutely no. No regrets. We tried. The two sides believed in the project.

QUESTION:  Much has been made of a possible war between Valentino Rossi and Filippo Preziosi also may have helped that march. Is that so?
ANSWER:. There has never been such a war. There has always been dialogue between the two. The only thing is that sometimes he asked one thing and the other took more or less time to give him, or did not arrive on time. Regarding the advice I gave Rossi [that Ducati should rely less on facts and more of feelings of pilots], for 20 years, in order to make a motorcycle, the technical data was considered very important. The important thing now, is to close the season in the best way possible.

QUESTION:  What about the junior team you are organizing for 2013?
ANSWER:  WE have 10 days to close the deal. We have a satellite team to assist in the development of the factory bike to get good results. As a courtesy to the drivers I can not announce yet. There will be two bikes and we have clear ideas, is all I can say right now.

QUESTION:  Will Carlos Checa the number one driver Ducati Superbike?
ANSWER: We fully intend it to remain so. We have a major project with the Ducati Panigale 2013, still with a privateer, and by 2014 there will be an official team. The relationship with Carlos is very good, we are very confident in the Althea Racing team and they will continue to have all the technical support from our engineers.

Join us for our 2nd annual Ducati.net Ducstock get together during the 2012 Barber’s Vintage Festival. Here’s what we have in the planning:

Event dates: October 11th – 14th, 2012

Location: Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham, Alabama

Triumph is the focused brand this year at Barbers Vintage Festival so Ducstock II is taking a different approach, and focusing on the camaraderie and riding. We recognize that it’s pretty hard to top a good group of Ducati people getting together to ride, tell stories and drink cold beverages and we are not inclined to mess with that time honored formula. We decided to start with an epic ride. We can’t think of ANYTHING more fun to ride in than an Italian Motogiro style event so we are kicking off the weekend with a great one – Motogiro South

For more detail of this fun Ducati weekend click HERE

For more on Motogiro South click HERE

For more on Barber Vintage Festival 2012 click HERE

Andrea Dovizioso has spoken of his decision to leave Tech 3 Yamaha and join the factory Ducati MotoGP team for the next two seasons.

Dovizioso has signed to replace the departing Valentino Rossi and is thus leaving a team with which he has taken five podiums so far this year, for a team that has been on the rostrum just once in 2012.

“I signed yesterday [Wednesday]. It was a big decision. I'm so happy and so excited to be part of the project with Ducati Audi,” said Dovizioso at Brno on Thrusday.

For the rest click HERE

Motocuatro.com. La web del mundial de motos.

(translated via Google)

The Ducati MotoGP and Superbike teams will be Tuesday and Wednesday in Misano to celebrate two days of private testing organized by the racing department of the Italian team, who was not present at yesterday's official MotoGP test held in Brno. Valentino Rossi be present in these tests, where he can try some new, not the new engine of the Desmosedici.

Once announced his move to Yamaha, Ducati have decided not to accelerate production of the new engine long requested by Valentino on which development began in May. In Borgo Panigale have decided to take it easy the coming-out of this new engine, which according to Valentino himself said in Brno "I will try, but will be for next season."

The private test, organized by Ducati, will be held in the paddock enclosure, and fans who pay five euro entry will see it from the stands. As usual, Ducati will issue a test report Wednesday morning, upon completion, through a statement.

The original article is HERE