When Ducati first announced its Desmosedici MotoGP v-4 machine, it immediately hinted that future v-4 production bikes might follow. Now, in an interview conducted by Alan Cathcart in the latest issue of Cycle News, the principals behind the reborn Bimota marque, who intend to feature Ducati engines in their revised line-up, flatly state that v-4 engined Ducatis are just around the corner.
Of course, racing is a wonderful pastime for manufacturers, but it is primarily a marketing tool. If production machinery does not mimic the racing machinery, marketing punch is lost. The other reason v-4 Ducatis make sense is the new Superbike rules permitting four-cylinder, 1000cc superbikes. Unless advantages are accorded twin-cylinder machines, Ducati will be left uncompetitive in superbike racing without its own four-cylinder superbike.
In any event, the idea that Ducati “will always feature v-twins” may be about to die.
