Save our tigers!

When the catchline from the Indian cricket captain says "Just 1411 left", it makes one sit up and wonder for a while. Once the ad was done, I rushed to the computer and checked out the website. I even joined the roar and noticed this morning that 31,000 people have since, joined the roar. All the action is at www.saveourtigers.com.

Is this another marketing gimmick to gather a huge database of emails and phone numbers? Is it some innovative branding effort to get into the hearts of people? The motive is beyond judgement, for if you have watched the tiger moving in the wild, you will know that any effort of educating humans about the threat of this mighty beast disappearing deserves an applause. With the forest reserves becoming picnic grounds and places to unwind with alcohol and cigarettes and the animal tracks being used to test the off road capabilities of that newly acquired SUV, I do not see much hope. What we can do? Stay away is what is recommended. Let the reserves heal themselves and flourish again. Let the tigers grow in numbers, in a fearless and unpolluted environment. I have done my days at Sambar Road at Jim Corbett and I miss the place but I am keeping away from planning future visits. I am doing my bit. Are you?

All the Ducati you need till 2009! Only on Monoshock!

The smashing new 2008 range of motorcycles from Ducati will be unwrapped at the EICMA show in Milan!

No hard feelings if you cannot make it to the show mate, we have all the action for you right here. In a one of it's kind mind blowing PDF on the net, we put together all the Ducati that is going to be present!

So buy yourself some wafers, a beer and spend the evening reading this up. You can right click this link and use the 'Save Target As' option to save the whole document on your er, hard drive!

Monoshock Exclusive: The Ducati Monster 696 - Rise of the machines!

The new Ducati Monster 696 is the next generation naked and the final word in urban excitement. Ride the Monster 696 around your favourite downtown routes in relaxed style or, when the spirit moves you, unleash its dark side to deliver more naked performance than ever before.

Design: Refined style and design are the clear motivations behind the new Monster and the continued perfection of the Desmo engine ensures that its ‘saint and sinner’ image will impress any rider. A comfortable and confidence-inspiring chassis combine with the famously smooth and powerful Ducati L-Twin engine to provide the most enjoyable riding experience. The balance of new technologies expressed in stylishly finished materials is shaped around the original cool Monster heritage.

Maintaining its traditional Monster silhouette, the 696 now looks more muscular than ever. Its wide tank tapers to the thin waistline of a comfortable narrow seat ensuring sure-footed confidence when at the traffic lights. The large diameter Hybrid Trellis frame blends stylishly into an aluminium sub-frame and swingarm while minimalist instrumentation and simple controls at the front of the Monster contrast with twin, bold, Ducati-style mufflers at the rear to enhance its urban-ready image.
With a fuel tank form created with ingenious removable outer skins that enable quick and easy colour swaps, changing the personality of your Monster has never been easier. The quickly removable rear seat cover makes it even easier to completely colour coordinate and, when removed, reveals a place for your favourite passenger.

Chassis: The 696 ergonomics have been improved with subtle but effective changes to the riding position. A shorter reach to the bars and a slightly lower, more forward footpeg position, together with the lowest seat height of any Ducati and a reduction in weight, empowers any rider to become the master of this Monster.

The chassis of the new Monster is made up of a new Hybrid Trellis frame with larger diameter tubes directly inspired by the 2007 World MotoGP title-winning Desmosedici GP7 machine. To this is attached a rear aluminium sub-frame.

The front brake system is the envy of its class and becomes the new benchmark for the category with two 320 mm discs and four-piston radial calipers. At the rear, the dual-sided aluminium swingarm draws inspiration from Ducati Corse’s finest racing products in this area. The instrumentation is now totally digital and continues the tradition of all Ducati’s latest-generation hypersport models, guaranteeing lightness, ease of use and a wealth of information.

The new exhaust system stands out for its re-routed downpipes that now give the underside of the Monster a cleaner appearance and terminate with twin, bold Ducati-style mufflers.

The headlamp unit is characterized by a new triple arc main beam, while the rear light uses modern LED technology. The unmistakable tank boasts ingenious removable outer skins which makes it easy to change the personality of the Monster 696. In line with the latest-generation Ducatis, the new Monster 696 has undergone a weight reduction of 5kg from the previous model and now becomes the lightest bike in its category (359 lbs – 163 Kg).

Engine: The engine of the new 696 is an evolution of the previous 695 version. Measuring 696cc it boasts a series of updates and refinements.
Power output gets a 9% boost to 80 hp (59 kW) and an 11% increase in torque to 50.6 lb-ft.
This new engine continues to have the best horsepower per litre ratio of all Ducati’s air-cooled units, and it ensures a smooth and powerful delivery for a relaxed but thrilling ride in all conditions.

This increase in power has been achieved by the introduction of new cylinder heads, which are now similar to the ones on the 1100 2V engine fitted to the Multistrada and Hypermotard. Bore and stroke remain identical to the previous 695 model at 88 x 57.2 mm, but the pistons and combustion chamber have been revised to optimize the fluid dynamics of the new ports.

The camshafts now rotate on bearing surfaces directly in the cylinder head and are supported by means of oil pressure. The elimination of the bearings has enabled the weight of this unit to be reduced considerably and the layout simplified.
Furthermore the cooling fins of the cylinders and the cylinder heads have a new shape, and an improved casting process allows them to be produced closer to one another so as to increase their number and improve thermal exchange.
Like its predecessor, the new Monster 696 has an advanced APTC clutch, which makes down-shifting safe and helps keep the clutch lever action light and easy, especially in urban riding where frequent stops require high use.

Like every bike in the new range, the Monster 696 also has a new scheduled maintenance programme that reduces costs for the customer.

Have something to say? Use the comments link below and be heard!

The 2008 Triumph Speed Triple - Now showing!

Heck thats a beauty. The Speed Triple’s 1050cc, three cylinder engine, with its unmistakable character and sound, pumps out a great surge of bottom-end torque, massive mid-range punch and an impressive level of overall power. Peak power is 131bhp at 9250rpm while peak torque of 77ft.lbf arrives at 7550rpm. Triumph’s Keihin ECU offers sophisticated mapping for quicker starting, cleaner running and fuel economic engine.

On stores March 2008 onwards. And just look at the mid section. The one time when men will drool over a babe with a huge mid section and a scanty rear! - Life it seems is not without a sense of irony.

Happy Birthday Mate...And heres your Ducati HyperM

Monday, October 15th, in Melbourne, Casey Stoner officially inaugurated “Ducati City”, the new Ducati Store in Melbourne, in the presence of 150 passionate Australian Ducatisti. The young World Champion played a part in the splendid double win that granted Ducati, two races in advance, the Constructor and Team titles, at Phillip Island on Sunday, along with Loris Capirossi. On top of that, he turns 22 today, October 16th and received a flaming Hypermotard as a surprise gift - something both appreciated by Casey and something that he has wanted for some time.

“Thanks so much to Ducati; I really appreciate this surprise gift even if you all make me become redder than the bike”, he said, shy but clearly

happy after the traditional “Happy Birthday, Casey” that welcomed the entrance of the cake. “Sunday was an incredible day for me with everyone under the podium singing the Australian national anthem”, he said. “But in retrospect, this season was perfect. After Qatar, I thought, ‘wow, we won a race’, in the middle of the season, I thought, ‘wow, we can win the title’ and yesterday, ‘wow, we won my home GP!’

At the question if, for next year, he would keep number 27 or if he would move to 1, the public is divided over who prefers the first proposal and who prefers the second. “I am very attached to 27,” responded Casey, “because that is the number that I got when I was racing with the team of Alberto Puig, a person that I highly regard and that helped me in the beginning of my career in Europe. However, I also think of all of the people that have worked so hard, just like my team, Ducati and I have done to obtain this result, deserving number 1. I haven’t made a definite decision yet, but I am leaning more towards number 1”.

Casey will spend his birthday on a plane flying to Malaysia where, next Sunday, the 17th race of the season will take place before returning to Europe for the closing of the wonderful 2007 season in Valencia, Spain on November 4th.

RR Anyone?

Following the recent victory of the MotoGP world title and with requests continuing to pour in from the dealer network in addition to the 1250 orders already received, Ducati has decided to limit the total number of Desmosedici RRs produced in the Borgo Panigale factory to 1500.
Once again, Ducati wishes to reward the trust and loyalty of all those customers who made an early reservation and who can now see the value of their purchase increase even before collecting it from their dealer.

At this point, with very few bikes still available, anyone who is still undecided is advised to hurry, as Ducati expects to bring an end to reservations soon.
Production will begin in the second fortnight of the month of October 2007 and, as promised, Ducati will give delivery priority to the approximately 500 owners of the 999R who have ordered the Desmosedici RR. Ducati guarantees the delivery of the entire production run by the end of 2008.

Don't say we did not warn you!!

Stunners from Duc!

Dear Editor,
At the Paris Motor Show 2007, Ducati presents two new bike colours for the 2008 season.
After the great success of the Hypermotard in the classic red colour, the company has decided to propose an aggressive, all black, version for next year.

At the same time that Ducati is concluding a “golden” motorcycle season, we are presenting the Monster S4Rs – the most powerful Monster in production – in a new, celebratory Tricolore version.
Attached are a few images of these two bikes.


Many thanks for your attention and best wishes from Ducati.

Thanks Ducati! For rogering around with our wishlists (and emotions)!

Oiztralia Eh? - The XBHP GAR!

Hello, hope you guys are doing well. Enough of niceties. Read this "What we are looking in you : You should have an active interest in photography, preferably with a creative arts background. At least 2 years riding experience is required with a minimum age of 20 years. You should be a resident of India and should have a passport. You will need to have 90 days."

So click here and start packing your bags. We think this will be another great number along the lines of the GIR! Way to go guys. Now if only I could get a 90 days leave from work! Sigh!
- Rahul

The Ducati Hypertour!

Hypertour, the road event that brought the new Ducati Hypermotard to 12 different Italian piazzas this summer, offers everyone the opportunity to see and experience the excitement brought by the latest product from Ducati. Given the success of the summer schedule, Ducati has decided to continue the tour with new stops abroad.

Hypertour is bringing the Hypermotard to your city this autumn, Ducati will tour European cities to give people the chance to experience the Hypermotard in first person. Every stop offers many activities for the whole family, some of which include:

• Test ride the new Hypermotard, Multistrada 1100, Sport Classic GT1000 and the Monster S2R and S4R• Ducati Desmo Lady School: driving school for women with the Monster 695• Biker kid area: a fun, educational area with Peg Perego Monsters• Exhibition of different Ducatis• Information on all Ducati activities
New international dates:
• Vienna (Austria): September 15th-16th at the Bad Fischau Motorsport-Park, close to Wiener Neustadt• Barcelona (Spain): October 20th-21st• Valencia (Spain): October 27th-28th

Sigh!

From track to road!

An assembly line exclusively dedicated to the Desmosedici RR has been set up at the Borgo Panigale factory. Everything is now ready for production (which will begin in October) and for delivery of the first bikes.

The Ducati Desmosedici RR is the first and only true MotoGP replica, destined to celebrate this prestigious race category’s era of maximum engine size (1000 cc) and establish a new milestone in terms of Italian technology, components, performance and style.

More in the September Issue of Monoshock!

Suer thing mate!

Bajaj Said:

Bajaj would like to clarify the following in the context of its concerns over possible infringement of its DTS-i technology –
Bajaj believes that the use of twin spark technology, christened Bajaj DTS-i (Digital Twin Spark – Ignition), in small automotive engines is worthy of intellectual protection.

It had thus applied for the same for the Indian market on July 16, 2002 and was granted approval via patent number 195904 on July 7, 2005. If there exists any application for revocation of this patent, details of the same are not known to Bajaj.Similarly, it is also expecting approval of its international patent applications in various foreign countries subsequent to its application PCT/IN03/000348 dated October 30, 2003.

By virtue of the presence of DTS-i technology, Bajaj motorcycles including the Discover, Pulsar, and Avenger, have made Bajaj the leader not just in the premium (125 cc – 250 cc) motorcycle segment in India, but also in exports.

Given this success, various global manufacturers have in recent years attempted to imitate and thus infringe upon Bajaj technology/products, and Bajaj has and will continue to thwart them.Most recently Chinese manufacturer Taian Chiran Machinery Co ltd. and its Sri Lankan distributor were instructed by the honourable High court of Western Province, Sri Lanka to withdraw their copy of the Bajaj Pulsar with DTS-i technology from the market.

Bajaj has been anxious that failing domestic manufacturers may in an act of desperation adopt similar dubious methods in India.

Bajaj is preparing to defend its intellectual property in the event that such a product is eventually introduced. At that time, if evaluation of the actual product appears to suggest reasonable grounds for infringement, Bajaj will take all necessary steps to safeguard its interests as also to inflict the maximum permissible damage upon the offender so as to set an effective precedent for the future.

Bajaj accords the highest importance to its IP portfolio and will defend the same. Bajaj cautions against any attempt to infringe.

TVS Said:

Hosur, September 2, 2007: The TVS Motor Company is surprised at the wild and irresponsible allegations made by Bajaj Auto Ltd accusing TVS Motor Company of breaching their patent rights. The accusation is a malicious attempt to tarnish the fair name of a corporate that belongs to TVS group, which has consistently maintained the highest standards of ethics in business.

That the allegation of Bajaj Auto is ridiculous can be established by their own admission that the invention in issue namely, the application of twins spark plug is a known technology extensively in use all over the world for several decades and therefore, in patent law, it is a known prior art.

The patent that Bajaj claims is not for the use of twin spark plug technology per se but for the use of the two spark plug in a two valve IC engine with a detachably fixed sleeve. Against this patent also an application for revocation has already been filed based on settled case law on the subject. In any event, the use of Twin Spark Plug technology by TVS Motor does not infringe the above patent against which revocation proceedings are initiated.

In the circumstances and view of the malicious allegation made with the motive to damage our reputation, TVS Motor Company has been advised to initiate action for libel against Bajaj Auto Ltd. The TVS Motor Company therefore has advised its lawyers to put Bajaj Auto Ltd on notice that unless the malicious allegations are withdrawn and regrets expressed, to file a suit for damages in a sum of Rs. 250 crores. This action does not preclude TVS Motor from initiating such other action as the law may permit including criminal action against officials of Bajaj Auto Ltd who used libellous language against TVS Motor.

http://www.monoshock.in/ said:

We could do with a fraction of this kind of awareness amidst bikers (forget what happens to the issue, cause when 2 elephants make love, its just the puny grass that suffers!) about the number of dudes who die in bike crashes on motorcycles from Bajaj and/ or TVS!

We could do away with bad roads and killer buses with patented 'no brakes on time ever' systems that are achieveing 6 sigma standards in terms of never ever failing to fail!

We could do with a little more space in the news print about how motorists driving SUVs, busy taking the pick of the night home for a lay after 16 drinks should respect the salesman, riding back home to see his little daughter!

We could do with so many things. Like going out for a ride. I rode a Pulsar today to meet a pal of mine doing his RTR and we hugged like brothers. United by biking. Patents and legalities are mere business. Biking and brotherhood is not. That is serious business. Ride Safe!

Look ma! I came first and second too!

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Confederate Motor Company was awarded First and Second Place Prizes at the American Motorcycle Dealer’s (AMD) World Championship of Custom Bike Building in Champions Park in Sturgis, South Dakota on August 8, 2007.

The new B120 Wraith, which began production last month, was awarded first prize / production manufacturer class and Confederate’s flagship model, the F131 Hellcat, was awarded second prize in the same category. The competition features the world’s best collection of custom motorcycles and awards prizes for excellence in motorcycle engineering and design from across the globe. The champions are awarded based on a peer judging system of fellow competitive bike builders.

“We are honored to be recognized by a jury of our peers – other builders who get the passion and determination it takes to create a motorcycle,” Matt Chambers, owner of Confederate Motor Company, said. “We are so proud of this machine and are pleased to see her making fans across the world.”

The B120 Wraith is scheduled to appear at the BUB International Motorcycle Speed Trials at the Bonneville Salt Flats September 2 – 6, where Confederate will attempt a new land speed record. Currently, Confederate Motor Company is considering sponsors for the B120 Wraith ride.

That was what Kelly sent us in from Confederate. We have featured them in our emagazine before and written about them in the blog too! More coming up in the emag next issue. Exclusively on Monoshock! We are proud to be associated with Confederate.

Enjoy

2008 Suzuki Hayabusa - Whats new?

This really intrigued us for a while so we hunted down every piece of reliable information to find out whats new about the 2008 'Busa.

1) Chassis: A more rigid but lighter chassis this time is being employed
2) Engine: Displacement is now up to 1340 cc. The pistons are lighter and the valves are made of titanium. Compression is up to 12.5:1.
3) Exhaust: Huge dual silencers now in place to get the mammoth to meet Euro 3 emissions.
4) Fuel Injection: Dual valve, dual injector setup with the new Drive Mode Selector! Essentially it is a selectable engine mapping offering 3 kinds of power delivery!
5) Brakes: One of the old bike's weak points now updated to 4 piston radially mounted calipers and smaller but thicker 310 mm discs.
6) Aerodynamics: Improved with a wider fairing and a 15mm higher screen.
7) Forks: Coated with a carbon compound to reduce static friction.

In short, 7 points to make life easier for those who swear by the Busa. And totally unnecessary information for the modders in our country. These are non issues. What would have taken their sleeps away was if just the sticker on the fairing had changed! Can you beat that?

Happy Independence Day, or something like that!

Hello Readers. Happy Independence Day! We woke up this morning and found this staring at us in the face on the frontpage of a daily! It said
"A bus full of school-going children mowed down a couple on EM Bypass on Tuesday morning. Anutosh Majumdar, 46, and his wife Madhumita, 30, were on their way to work when their motorcycle hit a pothole, lost control and ended up under the wheels of the schoolbus. The couple has a 10-month-old daughter." Awesome!

Potholes on the road the size of craters are bound to happen, is what some civic authority will say. Bikers will die, will be the murmur of some others. The headline will be forgotten and someone else riding down will take the honour of hogging another day's headline! We wonder whats the point in filling up web pages with road tests and great pictures? When fellow bikers keep kicking the bucket each and every day. Some for their own faults and some for the fault of others.

Nature has a way of protecting the vulnerable. Come on mother, do something for us. Max, Synn, Rearset, guys where are you? Can we do something? Start an outdoor campaign? Educate the f***ing nuts on wheels without lids that they will all be mercilessly slaughtered one day? We are angry! And the worst thing is that tomorrow morning, the pressure of the daily schedule or a call from that lustful babe is going to blow these thoughts into oblivion!

Its amazing how we are degenerating. Its amazing how we are so proud of Monoshock. Its amazing how we are still alive!

- The Monoshock Team

Triumphant Strides

The much awaited Triumph Street Triple was officially unveiled to over 5,000 Triumph owners on Saturday, June 30th, at Triumph Tridays in Neukirchen, Austria.

The Street Triple offers 675cc of pure, naked aggression, combining the streetfighter styling of its older brother, the Speed Triple, with the 675cc engine, chassis and performance of the award-winning Daytona 675. Genetically engineered by Triumph, the Street Triple is set to become the most desirable naked middleweight motorcycle in the market.

Packing a powerful punch of 107 horsepower (claimed) and 51 lbs. ft. of torque, the Street Triple is set to dominate the class (of one!), and probably a few of the heavyweights too. The proven 675 engine should deliver strong performance from idle to the redline, while the distinctive three cylinder feel, and unmistakable sound, offer unique ride.

The Street Triple’s aluminum frame and swingarm come directly from the Daytona 675, while the Nissin two piston sliding calipers with sintered pads (the same material as used on the Daytona 675) give braking power that is top of its class.

The lightweight five-spoked wheels also come straight from the Daytona 675, with Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier tires fitted as standard (120/70 ZR17 front and 180/55 ZR17 rear). Lean and agile, the Street Triple is equipped with Kayaba suspension front and rear, with rear preload adjustment, giving class leading handling.

Complete details here. . .

Images: Triumph

The smashing new KBC Force RR Speed Demon

Retailing for a 140 Brit Pounds, the KBC Speed Demon in gun metal and gold finishes simply left us speechless. The graphics on the side are completely out of the world!

Add to that an advanced POWERCORE resin, Dual Vent air circulation system, DURALUX removable interior, one step tool free visor removal and that high gloss finish!

Can be drooled (and bought) at kbchelmets.co.uk!

Ride Safe!

Monoshock E Magazine August Issue Now Online!

Hello Folks,
The Independence Mega Issue of the Monoshock E Mag is now online for your viewing.

In our fattest issue till date, we have:
- The Apache RTR 160
- The Discover 135
- Honda Dio and Hero Honda Pleasure
- Biking into the Indian Cake
- Synndicated Programming
- Rearset
- Bodh Gaya and much much more!
Log on to Monoshock now and get your share of biking action in a format never seen before!

For those who are lazy as hell, right click this link and select 'save target as' to download the entire mag on your hard drive!

Comments and feedback welcome on this post about the August Issue!

We were there at the World Ducati Week 2007!

World Ducati Week 2007, the famous world gathering of Ducatisti, was a great success. To continue to keep the memories fresh, Ducati created two activities, “I WAS THERE” and the Desmotwins Contest, to help every passionate Ducatista remember this event.

“I WAS THERE” is the activity dedicated to documenting the fun had by all – through photos. To make the memories of those days and the excitement of Misano even better and more timeless, a group of photographers went around the entire circuit to capture every magical second of these days.

By going on the WDW website, everyone can find their own pictures and relive the excitement of those days. This is not even everything – the pictures are downloadable and it is possible to buy little souvenirs printed with selected photos.

The downloaded pictures can be selected and viewed, commented on and even voted on by the whole community. The best photos and the ones that receive the most votes will take the place of honour in the final gallery.

The Desmotwins Contest is devoted to everyone that is inseparable from their bike, just like long lost twins. This photographic competition gave everyone the chance to capture their bikes in the most original, funny or simply natural way which makes them a unique couple. Ducatisti are currently selecting the best photo by voting on the WDW2007 website. Now everyone has the chance to voice their opinion on who is the most beautiful couple on the Red Planet – all it takes is a click!

On the WDW website, www.ducati.com/wdw2007/, there are both of these exciting activities that are bound to pique everyone’s curiosity, as well as the blog and many photos and videos from those four amazing days full of red passion. To top it all off, there are even wallpapers to download that remind everyone of the time spent at the WDW.
World Ducati Week 2007 at Misano may have come to a close, but that doesn’t mean that the excitement is coming to an end!

It was one event that left all those there speechless! And as far as the heading of this post goes, its pure, unadulterated bull****, we could not afford an air ticket to Patna, let alone the WDW 2007!

The Centopassi Motorcycling Challenge Edition #5

Antonio Zingali, in the seat of his BWW R1200GS Adventure, is the overall winner of the fifth edition of CENTOPASSI, the motorcycling event which ended on July 21st in the Italian mountain city of Bolzano.

Zingali’s final score of 56 points represents the sum of his points earned in the ability tests and assorted time checks throughout the arduous route. During the closing ceremony of the event, the winner was presented with the grand prize: a travel package plus accommodation to participate in the finals of Paris-Dakar 2008.
In the Competition Class, Simone Martina won second place on his BWW R1200GS with 46 points, followed by Marco Tomassini, also on BWW R1200GS, with 45 points. All three top finalists are Italian citizens.

Team Etna Cavalieri del Principe (Zingali, Di Mauro, Battiato) won in the team classification with 137 points, followed by team BMW Racing Italia (Tomassini, Severi, Russo) with 94 points and by team Le Mucche (Tajè, Martina, Tajè) with 80 points.

The exploration of the Eastern Alps was divided into four exciting legs and began on July 18th with a departure from Piazza Fiera in Bolzano.
The first portion of the ride was a challenging route from the Dolomites to the Julian Alps (365 km), ending in Bled (Slovenia). The second leg explored Triglav Park with a 272 km route, while the third day riders went back to Bolzano (389 km). The fourth and last leg was a trip through the mountains surrounding Bolzano (284 km).

Following four years that heightened awareness and interest, this year’s event hosted 120 passionate motorcyclists from many different countries (Italy, Austria, Belgium, England, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Portugal, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, USA), ready to test themselves and enjoy the spectacular views and alpine riding.

The arrivals were booked in Bolzano and in the beautiful Slovenian town of Bled, towns with first class hotels to accommodate the motorcyclists and where the Centopassi Village was also set up. The riders and local public were offered entertainment, music and a bike exhibition. The Village also hosted the street safety project ‘Sicuri su due Ruote’, with bike-driving simulators, the Ducati Owners Club Trentino Alto Adige Südtirol and the Ducati Store Bolzano.

The event is open to all brands of motorcycles that have been registered no earlier than 1980, and with a minimum of a 150 cc. The two classes of participation offer the possibility to choose between the competitive and the tourist class. In the Competition Class, which is not a race of speed, there can be a single participant or a team. The scheduled route is very challenging and is designed for expert motorcyclists. Participants, during every leg, are subject to time checks and ability trials to evaluate their skill, precision and equilibrium.

The Iron Biker Class is designed for those who prefer a non-competitive experience and want to have the time to appreciate the exquisite landscapes, small villages and pleasant atmosphere. Federal motorcycle guides accompanied the group, giving advice on the mountain routes.

Ducati Team Announces 2008 and 2009 MOTOGP Line-up

The Ducati Team announces that Casey Stoner and Marco Melandri will be its riders for the next two seasons of the MotoGP World Championship.

World Championship leader Casey Stoner has renewed his agreement with the Borgo Panigale-based factory for the 2008 and 2009 seasons, with an option for the 2010 championship. 24-year old Italian Melandri will join the Australian with a two-year contract.

Next week Loris Capirossi and his manager will meet with Ducati representatives to evaluate the possibility of preparing a third official Desmosedici MotoGP bike for the Italian rider to use in the 2008 World Championship.