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Our first year of Ductalk.com has now come to an end and in reflection, I don’t remember a year when there was more to write about in the Ducati world and that’s coming from somebody that bought her first Ducati 23 years ago. In that regard, our timing to start Ductalk was lucky, because few days came and went without something worthy of mention. Bombshell announcements (Stoner retires! Rossi leaves! Ducati sold! Justin Bieber buys an 848!) were the monthly norm. And the images? Well, I doubt there will ever be another rider and bike combination more beautiful at rest or speed than the spectacular colors in combination of Ducati, Rossi and Drudi.... For the rest go to http://www.ducati.net/2012/12/2012-in-review-stoner-retires-rossi-leaves-ducati-sold-omg-justin-bieber-buys-an-848/
Join the Ducati.net crew for a look at the most fun motorcycle event in the whole wide world – Barber Vintage Festival and this year, the new Motogiro South….
For the rest click HERE
“Labor Day is a holiday observed that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers, who sometimes use that power to give a good guy what he deserves” (loosely borrowed from Wikipedia) Things weren’t working out the way he had planned. With a baby on the way, the due date looming, and no steady job in sight, Darin Fowler was facing some tough choices and it was pretty clear the only way out was to sell his Ducati Monster. He’d tried everything but when the local Ducati dealer offered to buy it outright he saw it was a favor he couldn’t pass up. The worst part was, like so many Ducati owners, the bike was a big part of his social life. He really loved being part of the Ducati family. Most of his friends were active in the local Ducati club, DesmOhio, and while it just wasn’t going to be the same without it, life was moving forward and maybe it was time to leave that part behind. So Darin man’d up, took the bike to Northern Ohio Ducati and tried hard not to look back. His friends weren’t helping much either, kept asking when he was getting another bike. Ninety days after he sold the Monster, now the proud father of a new baby daughter, the DesmOhio club President (and CycleCat owner), Chris Calovini, called him and said he’d found a cheap crashed 900 Supersport that had Darin’s name all over it and he had made a deal with the owner, who just wanted it out of his garage. Darin could pay him when he got the money. Darin couldn’t believe it. His reply? “Chris, I got laid off today”. For the rest of this story, click HERE
There’s a quote that goes ”I like living on the edge. It’s less crowded and the view is better” Nowhere is that more fitting than the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. While riding up to the summit I decide that the difference between this event and the Isle of Man TT is that this race requires a level of commitment that the IOM does not. There is no run off, no room for error and even if you give yourself a wide margin , the mountain might take even that, by adding rain or snow or oil from a blown motor. If it goes wrong, and it did seven times on Sunday, the view changes dramatically. But get it right, you become King (or Queen) of the Mountain and you are literally, on top of the world... For the rest (and why they needed a snow plow), click HERE
We’ve been to Pikes Peak, many years ago but never for the Hill Climb, an event, much like the Isle of Man TT that seems, well, kind of crazy. This year the mountain is fully paved, a progression that has taken years to finish and has resulted in a lot of different records from the old dirt days to the current paved one. This year’s records set will start a new era, and with a fully paved course – address new challenges, so it’s a great year to attend and here we are....
For the rest of the story click HERE
We come from all over. We speak different languages. We share one passion. Ducati is all we have in common and it’s everything. The obvious purpose of the World Presidents Meeting is to give the people who wave the flag the highest, a chance to live the dream. Ride Ducati’s in Italy, eat the food, experience the history and see the red,white and green glow that is Italy and it’s people. But what we take home, besides these memories is friendships, alliances, respect and camaraderie, with Ducati staff and other clubs. We hear stories of the price some have paid for their love of the brand (one President, who lives in a country that has become increasingly dangerous, was shot 4 times by thieves trying to steal his Ducati. He drove himself to the hospital, and now rides in a bulletproof vest). Maybe it’s not all so dramatic but these are the people that drive a car to the meet, with tents and boxes, so others can ride. For us, there is no explanation needed why we do it, if you have to ask, well, you probably wouldn’t understand.
Day two – Cattolica to Gubbio - Scooter crashes and swap meet scores
Today we are splitting from the group and heading straight to Gubbio, an ancient small town that boasts the second largest Roman amphitheater in existence. The ride over is perfect, no traffic, a relief after the non-stop traffic in Rimini, and the tunnels along the route are crisp and cool, the weather simply perfect, the temp in the low 80′s. A perfect morning ride. We pass a scooter crash which seems to be providing the morning’s entertainment in the town, dog walkers and people strolling by are literally pulling up chairs to watch what looks to me to be a fairly harmless get off....More here
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Great luck is often just great timing and if you happen to be George Betzhold, you are a very lucky guy…..
For the rest of this great story click HERE
The 8th Annual Barber Vintage Festival drew a record crowd, promoter ZOOM Motorsports says, with 57,000-plus bike fans sharing the sights and sounds of vintage racing and shows during the three-day 2012 event.
For the rest of this story click HERE
For Vicki's photos of the Barber Vintage Festival click HERE
It’s the number one question everybody asks when you get here, “Have you been on the mountain yet?” Today the answer was yes…
The day started with a group ride from the hotel, a police escorted scoot across town that would have been the highlight of most peoples day if we weren’t headed to Pikes Peak. We gathered up at the gate and headed for a stop by the reservoir. Oddly, it’s from there, not the summit that you get the first grasp of how large this mountain is. The team is here and they show me where the finish is, pointing at a flat spot on the mountain crest far, far away and high overhead. It doesn’t even look like the same mountain, rather another one nearby. Greg Tracy and Carlin Dunne are planning to lead us to the summit and there’s a bar-b-que lunch after.
For the rest click HERE
Via Vicki Smith for Ducati.net
I’m a keen observer of the obvious, so let me start by saying, WOW, it’s beautiful here. This, and I haven’t even been on “the mountain” yet. Friday’s weather is clear, sunny and some scattered showers up in the mountains and our plan is to group ride to lunch and end the day at FanFest, which is in downtown Colorado Springs. The ride group is small, about 20 and consists of mainly Multistrada’s, many of which have come to Pikes from far, far away. Conversations often go something like this – “We may stop by North Carolina on our way home from Pikes” “Really? Where do you live?” “Texas”.
For the rest of this story click HERE
Saturday on Ducati Island….It took the sun a while to find it’s way out but the Ducati fans were on the Island in record numbers. Check out Saturday’s action starting HERE
It’s hot here. No problem as long as you keep moving, and stay off the highways. We get up early and hit the back roads, today’s schedule is an easy one on roads made for enjoying – good pavement, gentle curves and light traffic with sunflower fields and ancient architecture to look at. I am riding along mentally house shopping – oh! look at that one! It’s perfect! One perfect house after another every few minutes. We are expected in Assisi and have been invited to park in the town center, in the shadow of a huge Botero sculpture. It’s high season here in Italy and the town is busy but the sound and sight of more than 50 Ducati’s pulling in to this peaceful place stops every one in their tracks....More here
Italy vacation - Vicki's view | Day 1 | Earthquake rules, lane splitting and counterfeit cash
I am in Italy for the World Presidents Meeting and WDW and plan to take you all along with a big gallery at the end, and updates as we go. Today was the first day, we checked in, got our bikes, and headed for the seaside.
Highlights of the day – being handed earthquake instructions when we arrived at the factory (complete with Ducati logo on the paper), running the autostrada out of paper tickets when we all tried to do the toll booth together, being given a fake 20e bill in change (apparently) at the AGIP station and then when we came back to the same station for fuel again later, having the guy that gave it to us tell us it was fake, and not let us pay with it. And lane splitting for 30 kilometers, in bumper to bumper traffic in a group of 55 bikes, in the dark, in Rimini. At 1am. All normal…….. I love it here!
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As the first year of Ductalk comes to an end, Ductalk and Ducati.net editor Vicki Smith gives her view on 2012 past and 2013 to come...