Two recent interviews of Ducati executives (including one of design chief Pierre Terblanche published in Roadracing World), indicate Ducati is developing a new, street-legal, single-cylinder bike. Terblanche designed the supermono in the early 90s — a bike that is largely considered a work of art, but was never available to the general consumer.
MD has previously talked about the large number of consumers who are looking for a new, single-cylinder street bike. Not a supermotard, but a genuine street bike, with street bike suspension and handling. No significant new machines have appeared in this category in several years, at least, in the United States.
The Ducati will likely be fairly expensive (although, Ducati now seems more inclined to keep prices affordable), and the Japanese have several off-the-shelf, high-tech, single-cylinder engines available from their motocrossers and off-road machines (Yamaha’s YZ426 and Honda’s XR650 come to mind) that could capably power a street single. If the response from our readers is any indication, there is a significant group of riders who want a “thumper” for the streets. Let’s hope Ducati isn’t alone in developing a new one.
