2012 Ducati Superquadrata spied
The first spy photo of the next generation Ducati superbike has broken cover, and it's a super compact motorcycle
We knew the 2012 Ducati Superquadrata was undergoing initial testing last week at Mugello alongside the 2012 MotogGP race bike and now
the evidence is irrefutable -- the next generation Ducati superbike is so close you can almost smell it.
Italian motorcycle magazine MotoSprint snapped this photo of the Ducati Superquadrata wearing camouflage during a test session at Mugello in Italy, suggesting the bike is all but complete, and is now undergoing fine tuning at the track ahead of its official launch at the 2011 EICMA motorcycle show in Milan, Italy.
The most obvious change for the new 1200cc road bike is its size - it's tiny.
True blue, this bike could be a struggle for taller bodied riders, looking closer in size to a 250cc two-stroke race bike than a 1200cc beast.
Apart from its microscopic size, the Ducati 1098/1198 series' successor is expected to be powered by an oversquare V-twin engine (hence the Superquadrata name) that will pump out an ungodly amount of power. Expect a figure above the magic 200hp mark.
Ducati is leveraging its MotoGP technology more than ever for its 2012 superbike, and one major change is the adoption of a new frame that takes a leaf from the GP11 race bike that Rossi is currently punting, which means the trademark trellis frame is no more.
Other elements that are likely to be derived from the MotoGP bike include an aluminium stressed airbox/front subframe design and the stubby exhaust pipe. The image shows the swingarm is longer than the current Ducati 1098/1198 series bikes too, and rumour has it the swingarm attaches directly to the engine. Using the engine block as a stressed member doesn't always increase ridigity, but it will probably save a bit of weight.
The motorcycle in the image appears to be festooned with circlets of duct tape to hide the design, but we now have a clearer idea of what Ducati is planning - and in many respects it's a radical departure from its current superbike design.
Built to win races, the new Ducati Superquadrata could be up for a name change, but all will be revealed when the world-beating Italian sports bike makes its debut in November 2011.
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