VOL. 51 ISSUE 24 JUNE 17, 2014 P41
ing to ride – with enhanced electronic
rider aids making riding it even safer
and more confidence inspiring than
before.
And it's a very, very refined one that
had even lighter steering than the fac-
tory Superbike when flicking from side
to side in that quartet of chicanes. The
lighter magnesium chassis structure
definitely makes the new Ducati more
nimble and responsive in changing
direction, especially at lower speeds,
when it turns easily and tightly. Pre-
sumably this is because the reduced
weight of the Superleggera's com-
pacted mass makes it more respon-
sive to rider input, but I can honestly
say that this bike is faster steering and
more agile than any other desmo V-
twin I've yet ridden. And that includes
the current factory Superbike. Too
bad the Superleggera can't be ho-
mologated for World Superbike – too
exclusive because they're not building
enough of them to qualify.
In fact, Ducati has slightly curiously
opted not to make it even more effort-
less and quicker steering by fitting car-
bon wheels, which on such a blinged
out bit of race hardware you'd have
thought was a must-do, especially as
the South African-made BST carbon
wheels are now fully homologated for
street use in Europe and elsewhere.
"Watch this space!" said Domeni-
cali cryptically, giving a clear hint that
Ducati engineers are busy satisfying
themselves of the long-term safety
considerations – especially relating
to corrosion, as they did before opt-
ing for a cast magnesium chassis - of
such black gold in series production
