Specifications| Overall Length | (mm) | 2,060 |
| Overall width | (mm) | 645 |
| Overall height | (mm) | 1,125 |
| Wheelbase | (mm) | 1,450 |
| Road Clearance | (mm) | 125 |
| Weight | (kg) | Over 148 |
| Engine Type | Liquid-cooled, Four-stroke, DOHC 4 valve, V-4 | |
| Displacement | (cc) | 800 |
| Max Power | (PS) | Over 210 |
| Frame Type | Twin-tube | |
| Tire size(inch) | Front | 16.0 |
| Tires | Michelin | |
| Rear | 16.5 | |
| Suspension | Front | Telescopic |
| Suspention | SHOWA SPL | |
| Rear | Pro-link | |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | (L) | 21 |
Lucio Cecchinello spoke to motogp.com on Thursday, giving his views on recent cost reduction moves in MotoGP, reflecting on the first test of the year, explaining the philosophy behind the rev limitation of his team’s new satellite spec RC212V and previewing the forthcoming test trip to Qatar.
As the boss of an independent team in the premier class the Italian is acutely aware of the issue of affordability in the World Championship and he was highly positive about rule changes the FIM ratified on Wednesday in Switzerland.
Cecchinello commented, “At this moment nobody knows exactly how much effect we will have in terms of cost reduction this season, but now we have to maintain less engines and there will be less consumption of fuel and tyres. Another thing is that of course statistically every time you go out on track there is a risk that the rider can crash, which can cause several hundred euros worth of damage, so with less time on track the number of crashes will decrease.”
“This could represent a serious saving in our budgets, because every time you crash with a MotoGP bike you can break brake discs, exhaust pipes, titanium and carbon material, clutches, engine parts, radiators and so on,” he continued. “The major impact for us then could be in spare parts and the factory should have less internal costs to maintain the engines.”
With regard to the wider picture for the championship, having been involved in IRTA meetings which ultimately contributed to the recent rule changes, Cecchinello also stated, “For MotoGP what we have decided is a big step for everybody, for factory and independent teams. What is crucial is that MotoGP top management showed once again how serious they are about reacting quickly in order to keep our show growing around the world. What I feel particularly positive about is that the decisions will not affect the spectacle on a Saturday and Sunday, when really 95% of our real show is going on.”
Looking back on the opening test of the year in Sepang, at which his rider Randy de Puniet lapped outside the top ten on all three days with a new RC212V, on which the maximum revs limit had been set below the level of the factory bikes of some of his fellow Honda riders, Cecchinello explained, “The limitation of revs is related to safety.”
“The top priority of Honda engineers is to guarantee the safety and the durability of the engines, so they need time before they give us confirmation on the durability of the engine with this limit of revs. Then we will receive updates in the future, with higher rev limits. This is temporary and I believe we will receive one or two more steps during the season.”
The Italian former 125cc rider went on to say, “Also, when HRC engineers put a revolution limit on the engine they reprogramme the ECU in order that the power lost on the higher revs is gained in the medium to low revolution range. So it does not automatically mean that if you lose 300 or 400 revs the bike will be slower on track. At times it is actually better to have 300 or 400 revs less but to gain in torque and to gain in smooth acceleration.”
Positive about future updates he expects from HRC this season, he noted, “When the media received this information about our rev limit everybody seemed quite surprised and people were pointing their fingers at the HRC engineers, but all the time you need to have a completely realistic picture. I don’t think it is wrong that we have a few less revs. For sure there are some faster tracks where we may have a small disadvantage for the next few races, because the engine durability needs to be confirmed. But with smoother power delivery it could help us at Jerez or other tracks where there are tight corners.”
Looking ahead to the 1st-3rd March test visit to the Losail International Circuit, Cecchinello concluded, “We had a deep study of data recording comparisons last week and we will continue to work this week on that. We’ll have a lot of things to do when we are on track in Qatar, because through the data we understood that we can improve our performances a lot by making changes in rider position. We need to look at how he is influencing the dynamic of the bike with his weight, in terms of foot rest position, handlebar position and seat angle position.”
Source:
http://www.motogp.com
However, towards the end of his sixth season in MotoGP with Honda the Kentucky Kid was offered the chance to switch manufacturers and enjoy a change of scene at Ducati, causing considerable excitement for his band of fans and for Ducatisti in the U.S. and beyond.
Hayden is a popular figure in the MotoGP paddock, thanks to his courteous style, charming smile and hard-working attitude, with his new team-mate at Ducati, Casey Stoner, being one of his biggest admirers.
The significance of Hayden’s signing for Ducati, in terms of marketability for the Italian brand and the opportunity it gives the 27 year-old to be truly competitive once again, is not lost on the media in his native U.S. where he is cherished as the latest in a long line of American World Champions.
Chris Jonnum, the editor of Road Racer X magazine and the author of the biography on the Hayden brothers, ‘The Haydens: Nicky, Tommy, & Roger, From OWB to MotoGP’, picks up the story, stating, “Nicky’s new deal is an exciting development for Ducati North America and for U.S. Ducatisti. This market is extremely important for the Italian brand, and it enjoys a special status among American motorcycle enthusiasts.”
“Road racing isn’t as big in the U.S. as it is in Europe, but the people who are fans are very dedicated and passionate, and a large percentage of them love both Ducati and Nicky. They’re each popular on their own, but the pairing has the potential to increase that popularity exponentially, sort of like when two moviestars get together. Now that Nicky and Ducati have joined forces, there is a groundswell of excitement in the U.S. racing world.”
Jonnum also points out, however, that Hayden is not guaranteed a Hollywood style happy ending to his Ducati move, underlining the pressure that the rider is under. The journalist explains, “It will help considerably if Nicky enjoys success at Ducati, and American fans are eager to see how he gets along with the Desmosedici. They’re fully aware that no rider other than Casey Stoner has enjoyed consistent success with the bike, and they’re hoping that Nicky will be an exception. Perhaps his aggressive style and dirt track background have prepared him well for this challenge.”
Meanwhile, Matthew Miles, Managing Editor of Cycle World magazine, adds, “My personal take on Nicky Hayden is that he may not have the most talent in the MotoGP paddock, but no one can argue with his determination. The past two seasons with Honda were difficult for Hayden. He struggled in 2007 and, once again, in 2008 on the tiny RC212V, but when Honda finally – and grudgingly – delivered the pneumatic-valve version of the V-Four engine, he finished strong, running at or near the front and never placing worse than fifth in the final five races.”
Miles continues, “Hayden will need everything in his personal arsenal to achieve success with Ducati. It won’t be easy to catch front-running teammate Casey Stoner, even if the Aussie’s wrist isn’t fully functional, as Marco Melandri learned this past season. There are other potential hurdles, too, such as a largely Italian-speaking crew, new electronics and the series-spec Bridgestones. None of this will be made easier with the recently announced rule changes, namely shortened practice sessions.”
On Hayden’s task of helping Ducati sell more bikes Miles also comments, “If he is able to win another title, Hayden will greatly boost awareness of the Ducati brand in the U.S. If his infectious smile and escalating popularity can bring more potential buyers into Ducati dealerships, he will have done his job both on and off the racetrack.”
Hayden’s marketing value to the Italian factory is also highlighted by Henny Ray Abrams, of Cycle News, who states, “Nicky instantly raises Ducati’s image in the U.S., where they’ve been without a public face since pulling out of American Superbike racing at the end of 2006. Ducati has survived the economic downturn in the U.S. better than almost any other brand. Despite a weak fourth quarter, their 2008 sales were nearly equal to 2007’s, which was a record year.”
| Network | 2G 3G | GSM 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| Size | Dimensions Weight Display | 96.6 x 46.5 x 16.9 mm (3.80 x 1.83 x 0.67 in) 90 gram TFT, 256K colors 128 x 160 pixels, 1.77 inches (~116 ppi pixel density) |
| Memory | Phonebook Call records Internal Card slot | Yes Yes 5 MB microSD, up to 2 GB |
| Data | GPRS EDGE 3G WLAN Bluetooth Infrared port USB | Class 10 v2.0 with A2DP 2.0 |
| Features | OS CPU Messaging Alert Browser Radio GPS Games Camera Video Colors Java | SMS, EMS, MMS Vibration; Downloadable polyphonic ringtones WAP 2.0/xHTML Yes 1.3 MP Yes Black MIDP 2.0 - Loudspeaker - Mini-SIM - MP3/eAAC+/WMA/WAV player - MP4/3gp player - Organizer - Voice memo - Predictive text input - Clock - Calendar - Alarm |
| Battery | Stand-by Talk time | Standard Li-Ion battery Up to 250 h Up to 3 h |
| Network | 2G 3G | GSM 850 / 1800 / 1900 |
| Size | Dimensions Weight Display | 87.9 x 47 x 18.8 mm (3.46 x 1.85 x 0.74 in) 81 gram TFT, 65K colors 128 x 128 pixels, 1.5 inches (~121 ppi pixel density) |
| Memory | Phonebook Call records Internal Card slot | 500 entries 10 dialed, 10 received, 10 missed calls |
| Data | GPRS EDGE 3G WLAN Bluetooth Infrared port USB | Class 10 Yes |
| Features | OS CPU Messaging Alert Browser Radio GPS Games Camera Video Colors Java | SMS, MMS Vibration; Downloadable polyphonic ringtones WAP 2.0/xHTML FM radio Yes Black, red MIDP 2.0 - Loudspeaker - Mini-SIM - Secondary, external 0.91 inch monochrome STN display - Predictive text input - Organizer - Voice memo - Clock - Calendar - Alarm |
| Battery | Stand-by Talk time | Standard battery, Li-Ion 800 mAh Up to 456 h Up to 3 h 30 min |
Specifications