Ducati's new V-twin power cruiser

Ducati's new 1200 V-twin muscle bike is on the way, and we have a shot of the machine going through its final developmental paces before it's launched later in the year at the EICMA show in Milan.

The sport cruiser, unchartered territory for the Italian manufacturer, is likely to be powered by the liquid-cooled second generation Testastretta 11° V-twin engine currently found in the Multistrada 1200 (a bike we hope to ride very shortly). The 11-degree valve overlap angle (the periods in which both the intake and exhaust valves are open at the same time) engine is said to boost low end and mid-range torque and improves fuel efficiency.

Either way, the performance should be superbike-like, even though there will plenty of weight to lug around -- which puts it in the same basket as the Yamaha V-Max and Suzuki B-King muscle bikes.

There will also be a single-sided swingarm, side-mounted radiators, chain drive, monobloc brakes, upside-down forks and a massive Pirelli rear tyre - which together with the raked-out front end is going to test out the handling characteristics. By the way, the chassis is Ducati's trademark trellis.

The bike will almost certainly have ABS and traction control.