Ducati unveils motorcycles, confirms sales direction at EICMA
MILAN, ITALY – In a press conference at the EICMA show that Powersports Business attended Nov. 5, Ducati unveiled a motorcycle it says is the most powerful and lightest twin-cylinder bike ever produced by the company, with the highest torque/weight ratio of any sport bike on the market.
The 1098 R, the newest addition to Ducati’s superbike family, features 180hp, along with a torque value of 99 foot-pounds. The bike also features the Ducati Traction Control system, which is fitted to a production bike for the first time ever.
Ducati also unveiled the Monster 696, which features a Ducati L-Twin engine, a new Hybrid Trellis frame and a front brake system with two 320mm discs and four-piston radial calipers.
After the unveiling, Ducati Motor CEO Gabriele Del Torchio said the bikes mark a new direction in sales targets that Ducati is taking, with an emphasis on product over apparel.
“The continuous growth that Ducati is experiencing is confirmed by positive economic and financial results for the third successive quarter, which we have presented to our investors,” Del Torchio said. “The new products that we have brought to EICMA represent the result of the research and the technological development that Ducati is offering with this new range. They also confirm that Ducati is a company which is based on product and will make up our sales target for the next few years. Our future plans are clear and precise: Ducati will continue to be the leader in the premium bike sector.”