Volkswagen Owns Ducati - Bought for $1.12 Billion

It is now final and official; after months - nee years if you listened to VW fans and their chatter - of rumor and speculation, VW's Audi brand has officially purchased Ducati for the sum of €860 million (US$1.12 billion). Some are arguing over why they did this. One of the articles linked here gets close. Audi wanted Ducati for the same reason VW wanted Bugatti and Lamborghini - prestige, a nameplate to put on the stock and letterhead. And, why not? Really, what kind of idiot would not buy a company on the rocketship rise, as is Ducati, for what is essentially a few days of revenue for VW/Audi? Not this idiot! Check it out and lust after the Panigale (someone needs to tell the Wired author that Ducati has actually named this one; no, not a great name, but a real name) in the photo here.

First tiny blurb: http://tinyurl.com/7s5zloj

Wired piece (far more informative): http://tinyurl.com/cmllp7e

Friday Afternoon Moto News - BMW Motorrad, NZ WSBK & Duke Video

BMW Motorrad has won Motorcycle of the Year 2010 in a readers' poll taken by MOTORRAD, a German (?) motorcycle magazine. BMW won all five of the categories in which it was listed - that means five different models of BMW motorcycles beat out every other machine with which they competed for ratings. It is an amazing result and one which has never occurred before. For which models won what, please take the link.

http://tinyurl.com/y9osu5s

That's right, you read it correctly; it looks like the World Superbike Championship will be making an appearance in New Zealand in 2012. The rumors seem to have come from the new agreement with Phillip Island (contracted until 2014), and the Hampton Down circuit is where it may happen. It's all up in the air now, but it just might become a reality!

http://tinyurl.com/ye2re8r

Duke Video has released a special DVD set for a good price - it is three volumes of the Isle of Man TT 2009 On Bike Laps. It has 12 laps of the TT circuit and is longer than four hours! Fans of the event can see it first-hand from the point of view of some very famous TT riders from numerous cameras placed on their machines. This is not all there is on this DVD set, though. You know where to go for the rest...

http://tinyurl.com/yd9svbw

More Morning Moto News - 2010 Aprilia Mana 850 GT & KTM IDM Contingent

The 2010 Aprilia Mana 850 GT ABS will be available very soon. It is seemingly the spawn of a Dorsoduro and a SportCity scooter - with its aggressive looks and scooter-like transmission giving it an odd spot on the motorcycle continuum. However, it still rides rather well and has some decent performance stats. Though it will never take out a liter-bike, it will certainly be a civil and long-serving companion which can take you just about anywhere...plus, ABS is now standard on the GT model in the US.

http://tinyurl.com/yf4g2mt

KTM has a very young line-up for the 2010 running of the German IDM 125c.c. class. Their ages are 13, 15, 16 and 17, yet they are among the best in their age groups. Each of the riders will receive support from the KTM factory, but they are essentially privateers. For all of the details of who and which team, please take the link.

http://tinyurl.com/yl6smhq

Saturday Morning Moto News - BMW, MotoGP & Honda RC212V

BMW has released their annual report form 2009 and there is good news - we already saw that their sales drop was much less than the other manufacturers, except for one. At least this proves that the company is very stable and will be just fine for 2010 - unlike some other unfortunate manufacturers.

http://tinyurl.com/yhvnn46

The 1000c.c. limit in MotoGP, which comes up in 2012, may not spell the absolute end of the 800c.c. machines. According to the principals in charge of this, they will allow the smaller displacement to remain as the new rule is 'up to' 1000c.c. Expect to see one or two smaller bikes remain in the series, but the big guys will probably go ahead and take the extra cubic centimeters...

http://tinyurl.com/yc35pxr

Now, while at the Sepang International Circuit, Honda team director Kazuhiko Yamano and Project Leader Shinichi Kokubu sat down and talked about the new 2010 Honda RC212V. They discussed the way the factory and satellite teams will be handled as far as special parts and electronics. For more on this, take the link.

http://tinyurl.com/yb4wpfh

More Afternoon Moto News - Custom Triumph Scrambler, BMW R1200R Charity Auction & Flat Track TV

Italian designer Pietro Figini of TPR Italian Factory has taken his eyes and hands to the modern Triumph Scrambler. He has taken it and turned it into a retro-looking machine worthy of a museum display, but it is simply a modern take on the classic look - it will still be under warranty and will perform like a modern motorcycle. Take the link and have a look for yourself.

http://tinyurl.com/ygmluda

BMW has created a special edition of its R1200R for the 40th anniversary of their Berlin plant and auctioned it late last year. It is a Roadster with special parts and pieces from the BMW accessory catalog - and there are plenty of them. The proceeds from the sale went to Save the Children Deutschland. They managed to raise €14,951 for the great cause.

http://tinyurl.com/ycmbs43

AMA Pro Racing and MavTV have signed on to actually air the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship on TV. You may or may not have the station, so you need to check with your satellite or cable TV provider. But, if you do have it, you will get to see 5 of the 21 rounds this year - and, the agreement will be in effect for three years.

http://tinyurl.com/yeykdt3

Friday Afternoon Moto News - Neil Kent, Bosch ABS & Pink Kawasaki

Neil Kent has taken the Austin Munks Trophy for the fourth time! He will be presented the award today for his performance at the 2009 Manx Grand Prix. Kent was the highest-placed Lincolnshire rider and that is why he gets the award. He shares the trophy with North Lincolnshire's Guy Martin.

http://tinyurl.com/yamvqcb

Bosch's motorcycle ABS system has won a big award in Germany. They call it the 'Yellow Angel' award and it was given to them for their work in improving road safety for motorcyclists. They have done excellent work and their system certainly does work well...Good going Bosch!

http://tinyurl.com/ydrq6y7

Kawasaki Motors USA will be doing its best to bring attention to the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure cause by hosting a 24-hour training dirt bike training seminar being held on 13 February 2010. It will be held at the Monster Energy AMA Supercross event in Anaheim, California. What a great way to work for a charity and bring hope to so many!

http://tinyurl.com/yanpjw3

More Afternoon Moto News - Erik Buell Racing and Day of the Champions

Erik Buell Racing may survive the demise of the Buell marque after all! That is good news for motorcycle design and racing. He has sold two machines - the first sale for the new company - to a German racer who will use it to defend his 2009 championship in the Europe's Sound of Thunder Series. Nice news to receive for all of us...

http://tinyurl.com/ydcdy7f

In South Africa, on 31 January 2010, the 2010 Castrol/Honda Day of the Champions will take place at the Zwartkop Raceway. Around 18 foreign professional racers - from all over - from the 'golden age motorcycle racing' will attend and compete in the event. Luminaries such as Phil Read, Mick Grant, Alan Walker, Sir Alan Cathcart, John Chapman and Tony Salt will be racing against some of South Africa's best all time riders. It is an event worth attending, but it is very far from most everywhere. So, if you can, go, have fun and meet some of your motorcycling heroes.

http://tinyurl.com/ybwlh84

Another report on the Day of Champions: http://tinyurl.com/yzcq9xs

Thursday Has Even More Moto News for Us - Historic Auction, Desmosedici and AHRMA

Coming up at a Bonhams auction in Stafford, England, on 25 April 2010, a model from the very first production motorcycle batch will be auctioned off. The 1895 (circa) Hildebrand & Wolfmüller is considered by experts to be the first motorcycle built on a production line and it was also the first two-wheeled vehicle to be called 'motorcycle' - actually, it was the German 'motorrad'. The estimate is between £110,000 to £300,000!

http://tinyurl.com/ylhwzgd

Ducati has now decided to explain why they have changed the firing order of the cylinders of the Desmosedici GP10. It is often referred to as a 'big bang' engine and Ducati has done it to make their MotoGP bike easier to ride and, thus, race. They have also had to update almost all parts of the engine internals to improve the engine life to meet the new 6 engine limit for the season.

http://tinyurl.com/ylnbuxx

The AHRMA has selected Bubba Blackwell to be Grand Marshall for the 2010 Road Racing Events at Daytona International Speedway. Blackwell has a long list of race victories, was "AMA/CCS Heavyweight Superbike National Champion" and then went into doing stunts around the US on a H-D XR-750. You can be a part of the events 1 - 2 March 2010 at the Speedway.

http://tinyurl.com/ychnbmw

Motorcycle Safety News from the MSF and German IVM

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation and Germany's Industrie-Verband Motorrad Deutschland e.V. (IVM) are calling for paper submissions for the 8th ifz-International Motorcycle Safety Conference, which will be held 4 - 5 October 2010 in Cologne, Germany. There are specific areas of interest for these papers and the ones selected will be presented at the meeting. It is all supported by the motorcycle industry and is designed to improve the world of motorcycling through ideas and programs worldwide.

http://tinyurl.com/ycb55w4

Rumors, Financials, New Models - More Moto News from Europe and Beyond

This is the standard "Euro Gossip" column from MotorcycleUSA and we see a round up from the end of 2009 within this article. It really seems to be an almost year-end-review, but there is plenty of news about the future as well. MV Agusta, KTM, Derbi, Moto Guzzi and many more are talked about here, so don't miss this as any of the stories here may well not make the normal moto news cycle.

http://tinyurl.com/y9vqodz

2010 BMW S1000RR Carbon Edition - Taking It to the Extreme

BMW has announced that they will be producing a carbon fiber edition of the 2010 BMW S1000RR supersport. The entire fairing is made of carbon fiber and every possible option is included on this machine. You also get the competition-only Akrapovic exhaust, which you can install for track day or racing duties. No word on how much weight savings we will see, but the Akrapovic exhaust adds 10 HP and smooths the torque curve. The price is as extraordinary as the bike itself, MSRP of €24,990 ($35,685), but you save money if you planned to do this conversion part-by-part yourself. Enjoy!

http://tinyurl.com/y9wcu7n

First Look: 2010 BMW F800GS

Technically, this is not the first look we have had of the F800GS, but it is the first simple technical detail posting about the 2010 machine. Just take the link and get the basics on this very cool adventure bike from our friends at BMW.

http://tinyurl.com/y9tc6k5

1936 BMW Schneekrad - Pre-War Snowmobile

I just had to post this once I saw it. There is only one image, but it is a decent photograph for pre-war Germany. There are no other technical details on the machine, unfortunately, but it certainly bears looking closely at it. It is something which may be lost to history...however, someone out there must know something about it...

http://tinyurl.com/yfbhbwr

BMW to Manufacture G650GS in Brazil for Local Market

It will be the first BMW motorcycle manufactured outside of Germany, and BMW is quite happy about doing this. The G650GS motorcycles built in Brazil will only be sold in the Brazilian market, but the quality should be identical to the same model made in Germany. It is a great way to save on costs for a motorcycle which is sure to be popular in the South American nation.

http://tinyurl.com/yaudp3x

Check Out These Vintage BMW Motorcycle Safety Videos

These came to light earlier today and they are certainly very good and well-produced - especially given how old they are. There is one important aspect to remember, though, Germans are far superior drivers and riders to their US brethren. If you ever get to ride there, you will see what I mean...

http://tinyurl.com/yeqgpww

Andrew Pitt Takes Final BMW WSBK Seat

It seems that this was the BMW seat which Mat Mladin was vying for, but negotiations did not go as planned. So, Reitwagen has chosen to go with former World Supersport Champion Andrew Pitt for their second rider. Of course, this all comes through German publications and no official press release has been seen yet. However, this seems to be authentic and it is likely that Pitt will ride alongside the first rider they hired, Roland Resch.

http://tinyurl.com/y9ab7yb

Pitt is very happy about getting this ride, so expect some passionate racing in the 2010 season!

http://tinyurl.com/ydzzlnk

New Race Series in Germany for 2010 - PRE GP Cup

The race series is made to be rather inexpensive to compete in and provide a path to gaining a ride in one of the top worldwide racing championships. There are numerous ways to participate and they already have a schedule for the 2010 season. It could be a great way to get yourself or your child into motorcycle road racing.

http://tinyurl.com/yca97z9

Closer to Being Confirmed: Volkswagen Taking 20% Stake in Suzuki

Supposedly this is from a trusted source and all we are waiting for is the official announcement. How far reaching it is and such is not known yet. This is really all we have is guesswork and - possibly - assumptions. So, take it with a grain of salt as to it accuracy, but the overall idea - that VW will pick up a huge share of Suzuki - is likely spot on.

http://tinyurl.com/ycvbwrg

New Rumors About VW and Suzuki - Now Confirmed

I seem to remember a great deal about this in the press a few weeks ago or more - it was back when the first rumors of a Ducati takeover came out. This one looks like it could come true. Volkswagen may buy out Suzuki of Japan. The interesting part is that it seems very likely that they want Suzuki's technology for making small cars very efficiently and inexpensively - makes sense in this world. There are some odd rules when you buy controlling interest in a company in Japan, so at least we can be rather sure Suzuki will not die in their care.

http://tinyurl.com/ylljjhx

Today it was confirmed that the deal went through and now VW owns controlling interest (19.9%) in Suzuki.

http://tinyurl.com/ylopor8

BMW Now Poised to Add Satellite WSBK Team

It seems that this is official, though it has only come from a single source. BMW will also have a satellite team to join their factory supported team in the World Superbike Championship. German team Reitwagen Racing will run the team with riders expected to be Austrian Roland Resch and an as yet un-named second. BMW is spreading itself everywhere in racing now...

http://tinyurl.com/yz8t7w3

It is now official, but it does seem that Reitwagen will only have the budget for one rider, but they will still be a threat in WSBK with that S1000RR.

http://tinyurl.com/ygrp5f9