Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128348
Ducati Starts the 2005 Season Early by using the same methods a mountain-bike manufacturer would use - by varying the wall thickness on the tubing. Team manager Livia Suppo said that the primary aim was to increase stability under right-left transitions and that the team had spec ifically chosen Philip Island for this test tried a new motor, the "twinpulse" - this engine using different spacing on its crankshaft to provide a firing order similarto that being used by Yamaha in this year's M-I with somewhere around 40 to 50 degrees of separation between each pair of cylinders. This new engine came with a new because of the extreme loads it places on a exhaust-pipe package of four single one- chassis. He did say that the parts wouldn't be used in the race at Valencia (on October 3 I) but that they would be tested again in another test after that race . By the end of the test , Capirossi had knocked half a second off his into-one megaphones. best race time . Ducati personnel wouldn't comment as to how many of these items will be seen on the 2005 bike or whether this was purely an At Catalunya, the team debuted a new, "missing cylinder" traction-control system. It was not uncommon to hear the Ducati being fired out of a comer, accompanied by the sound of a "hammer drill" as individual cylinders were not ignited in order to the outsidewe could only see new fairing pan- reduce the power and therefore wheel spin. Ducati worked all year to get its bike back up onto the podium. It is now a ques tion of whether it can regularly attack for the lead, and experiments like this certainly els, fuel tank, exhausts and frame (to make mean Ducati is serious about trying. information-gathering exercise. What was irnpressive was the amount of new parts required to allow this test to take place. From The newly modified Ducati frame - beefed up for more rigidity. room for the struts to come across the top of ust one day after grabbing a podium finish in the Australian Grand Prix at Philip suspension doesn't work as well . Ducati needs to know if this sland, Loris Capirossi was back out on track testing new chassis components on Neil SpaldIng new frame could handle the worst possible situations - full power and J the Ducati Desmosedici on October 18-19. simultaneous flicks from one side Ducati is experimenting with frame to the other - better than the old design. To make that test, Ducati persuaded a team that had already rigidity, the Italian marque unique in MotoGP in that it uses its engine as a fully stressed member of the chassis. The trellis frame really just holds the front fork in place, with the engine providing the support for the swingarm. This design is very simple and elegant and has served the factory well over the years with the old 851/888 5uperbike racers havinga similar design. But that was on a bike making 150 horsepower. On the Desmosedici, about 250 horsepower is (Left) The frame it replaces. done three consecutive weekends of racing to go on for two more days before going home. The first try was with a standard chassis, to which some additional mounting lugs had been added . Looking very similar to the frame-stiffening lugs on the works (Below) Ducat; tested a new exhaust system in Australia. 0150 999 , these were mounted to the front-engine mount (you can see being transmitted down the chain - that's 250 horsepower crushing the swingarm into the crankcases. Most things are going to want to bend under that sort of pres- them through the radiator outlet in the fairing), and a second was attached to the tail end of the sure . For Ducati, though , having all the swingarm bearings between the ends of the swingarm means that its swingarrn pivot area has less support than its opposition. The opposition, after all, has the additional support of a chassis outside of the The stiffeners, when fitted , ran swingarm. under acceleration, when the chain will want to crush the swingarm and its pivot, or during cornering or a change of direction. when While Ducat! is certainly learning to get its bike set up and its riders are getting used to its foibles, to get the very best performance out of it Ducatl still need to deal with all the possible opportunities for better lap times . The company hasn't backed off at all on its search for power, but has instead concentrated on learning to use it. Playing with frame rigidity is just another thing it has to try. The parts tested at Phillip Island mean frame by the rear engine mount. between the two engine mounts then out to an outrigger bearing outside of the swingarm pivot. This effectively allows Ducati to increase the support for the swingarm, especially the swingarm pivot will try to flex forward and backward as the power is shut off and reapplied . The first tests on Monday, October 19 used a standard swingarm, but a new fuel tank and exhaust system was fitted designed to give a lot more space above the swingarm area. Tuesday 's tests included a new swingarm, much deeper in section, sw ingarm pivot stiffer and less likely to flex when the throttle is pinned . It also allows which needed the space. Apart from the weight-change tests at the start of this year, this is the first real experi- the use swingarms that are stronger under compression but more flexible lateralfy. mentation we have been able see on a Ducati. It's quite possible, however, that Theoretically, this will enable the bike to find grip easier while leaned over where the Ducati has tried various degrees of rigidity in its steel -trellis frame over the last two years that the team can make its chassis and 1n to..lf""\\ICUDCD") '1fV\A • rvr, r: N~WC .Lln+h the motor catch tanks), but radiator pipes, radiators and electronics would all have to have been moved - clearly a very necessary experiment, but not a cheap one. Ducati was forced into a rather embarrassing turnaround at the start of the season when the 2004 bike proved to be very difficult for the riders, since then they have gone through a careful process of analyzing we ight distribution on the bike. This has resulted in revised deign for the fuel tank and repositioned electronics. Midseason, AnniulII:r-c:::J,,,,11 Ducati