I just returned from Italy and the WDW2010 "Party On The Red Planet".  2010 was the 6th WDW and it was my 6th as well.  A lot has changed, both at Ducati, and in the world, since 1998 when the Americans that owned Ducati at that time decided to throw what felt to me like the introduction of Ducati to the world as an International, US owned company.  It was a great party, internationally hip, thrown by guys who literally hired the Rolling Stones to play their birthday party's and it ended with a crazy cool Simple Minds concert in Bologna's historic main square, Piazza Miaggore. The whole thing was a "pinch me" deal.  Fast forward to 2010.  Ducati is now firmly back in the hands of the Italians, de-listed from the international stock exchanges and as Italian as it ever was, maybe even more so.  The theme was passion, for the bikes and the brand and we, the owners were there to supply it. 60,000 was the official  headcount and I believe it. On Saturday it was Ducati's as far as the eye could see, a visual feast like no other.  Unlike the other huge motorcycle lovefest, Sturgis, which celebrates the brand as a bridge to the lifestyle, Ducati IS the lifestyle. Sure, you could buy some Ducati clothing or Ducati cologne but that was a small sidebar to the main celebration of the bikes, the sound, the racing, and most of all, the people that own the machines. Not one world came over the PA in English other than from the couple of racers who speak it as a native language. World Cup is going on now so that was the sidebar, more international passion bombarding the senses.  Ducati's are very much about the lifestyle of being Italian. And while it's been a goal of the company to make bikes that have Asian reliability numbers and models that can hold their own in the marketplace, these days, the link to the "made in Italy" stickers (that the US guys pulled off the bikes first thing) is more and more clear. Sure, making motorcycles is a business but for 4 days in Italy, it was all about the core passion for the machines and the people that love them.  I, and a whole bunch of other people from all over the (temporarily red) planet were proud and happy to be Ducatisti.

Ciao for now,

Vicki

Ducati TT's are somewhat misunderstood. They are the closest thing Ducati has EVER offered to what the factory was racing on that day.  Produced in extremely low numbers and completely built by the hands of Rino Caracchi, Giorgio Nepoti, and Franco Farne, three of the greatest Ducati wrench's Italy ever bred,  they have the highest "pedigree" a Ducati's racebike can have. Officially, in 1982 and 1983 about 20 TT2's were built and even fewer TT1's thru 1984 and 1985. Impossibly small numbers by todays standards. So that much is clear but from there it gets confusing.

They are not named after the Isle of Man. The TT2 came before the TT1. ( The TT actually stands for Tourist Trophy,  the 2 is for Formula 2, the 1 for Formula 1, race classes the bikes were built for.) They were built by NCR, but NCR was the factory at that time.  Still following?  I'll explain.....

TT's were factory racers, completely handbuilt by the original NCR team, who, in another confusing twist, were acting as Ducati Corse at that time, something that wasn't so unusual in Italy where racing always finds a way no matter what. The production line was not at the NCR workshop, but rather set up in the factory raceshop, fully securing the TT's place in Ducati DNA.  These bikes are the parent of the better known F1. Until the 999 and it's total racetrack domination, the TT and it's offspring were the most successful Ducati racers ever, winning important races and championships all over the world.  In fact, they were so successful several outside specialist companies began to produce frames and other parts needed to replicate them.

This year is the 25th Anniversary of the Ducati F1. Next year we will celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Ducati TT with a proper party at Barber's Festival in the Fall of 2011.  Mark the Date and bring earplugs because these bikes can make some noise!

Loris Capirossi is making his 300th GP start this weekend. Now Motogp's most experienced rider on the grid, he may no longer be on a Ducati but he was for 25% of the two decades worth of GP starts he has to his credit. What's even more impressive is he still so often manages to be in contention. Good Job Loris, a salute from Ducati.net to you! 

(Vicki Smith Photo)

Some things just beg you to get out the DSLR.  This Streetfighter, owned and modified by Guido Duerbaum, gathered a crowd every time he parked it.