World Ducati Week 2012 countdown

One of the largest motorcycle gatherings anywhere on the blue planet we call Earth, the annual World Ducati Week is expecting massive turnouts in 2012.

Held at the Misano race track in Italy, on the Riviera Romagnola, the countdown begins to the event's June 21 kick off, running until June 24, and the theme in 2012 is heritage.

The shindig begins on Thursday June 21 with a Beach Party at Misano, with entry exclusively for World Ducati Week (WDW) participants - complete with music, fireworks and probably lots of vino.

Ducati will be marking the 40th anniversary of Paul Smart's victory at the Imola 200 race in 1972, a victory that shot the Italian brand's V-twin road racing engines into the mesosphere, and as such the 2012 event's catch-cry will be: The Planet of Champions.

Ticket orders for the World Ducati Week have already reached into the 10s of thousands, and this year is expected to attract a record number of visitors, more than the 60,000 that attended the 2010 event.

Team Ducati MotoGP riders will be part of the festivities, with Valentino Rossi, Nicky Hayden. And Triple World Superbike Champion Troy Bayliss mingling on the Saturday night in Riccione. Carlos Checa will also be out and about.

As per usual, track sessions for ticket holders will be available, and "appropriately qualified enthusiasts" can also pre-book to test ride the hard-charging Ducati 1199 Panigale at Misano.

WCW will see four days of motorcycle events, with the die-hard Ducatista well catered for with a range of activities, including factory tours in Bologna if they so wish. The factory and museum will be open between June 19 and 25 and will be free for WDW ticket holders.

There's also the Ducati University, the highly popular “Bike Wash” returns plus pitlane walks with the GP and SBK riders can be booked.

Punters can also wander around and check out the custom bike displays, plus there's the Ducati Garage Contest and an Historic Bike area, which is likely to be very well populated with Paul Smart paraphernalia.

For more details on the event, check out the World Ducati Week 2012 Facebook page or go to the official  World Ducati Week website.

Are you going to Italy for the World Ducati Week? Let us know in the comments below.