Ducati
For the first six months of 2021, Ducati says it "delivered 34,485 motorcycles to enthusiasts" for an increase of
+43% over 2020 and, more importantly, +9% over the same period of 2019.
"The order portfolio (motorcycles to be delivered) is the highest ever recorded by the company at the end of the first half," says Francesco Milicia, VP Global Sales Director for Ducati, "with +63% compared to the same period in 2020 and a growth of +284% compared to 2019.
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| Francesco Milicia, VP Global Sales Director: "June confirmed the positive trend that began with the excellent second half of 2020 and with the significant growth in the first quarter of this year." |
"June confirmed the positive trend that began with the excellent second half of 2020 and with the significant growth in the first quarter of this year. Despite the great complexity seen in the supply and transport sectors, Ducati recorded truly significant growth, exceeding pre-Covid values by almost 10%. The excellent order portfolio demonstrates the fact that enthusiasts are appreciating the 2021 range and the family of Ducatisti is expanding ever more".
Growth was led by Australia (+82%), Italy (+55%), which remains its top market with 6,071 motorcycles, Japan (+53%) and North America (+51%). The bestselling bikes were the Multistrada V4, the Scrambler 800 and the Streetfighter V4, with excellent numbers for the new Monster too - it arrived in dealerships in April.
Ducati sells through 769 dealers in over 90 countries around the world. "The new Diavel 1260 S 'Black and Steel', which draws inspiration from the 'Materic' concept presented at Design Week in Milan, and the Hypermotard 950 SP, in the new dynamic livery that recalls the racing world, have just arrived in Ducati dealers".
Ducati Panigale V2 Bayliss edition
By Ben Purvis
Go through Ducati's superbike range and there's a missing link - where virtually every other model is available in both base and Öhlins-damped 'S' forms, there's no S version of the Panigale V2.
Now that's effectively been remedied, but instead of a succinct 'S', the new model wears the unwieldy title of Ducati Panigale V2 Bayliss 1st Championship 20th Anniversary. Officially, it's a 'numbered edition', although there isn't a cap on how many will be made, and of course it marks two decades since Bayliss took the first of his three Ducati-riding WSB titles aboard a 996R in 2001.
The Panigale V2 might be Ducati's entry-level superbike these days, but it's fitting that the Bayliss branding should be on a V-twin, as he rode three generations of Ducati twins to the superbike championship, the 996R, 999R and 1098R in 2001, 2006 and 2008 respectively.
Changes compared to the normal Panigale V2 include the addition of Öhlins suspension, with NIX30 forks and TTX36 shock, as well as an Öhlins steering damper. The normal dual seat is swapped for a single seat unit, and a Li-ion battery helps cut 3 kg from the weight for a kerb mass of 197 kg. Cosmetically, the bike gets paintwork to reflect the 2001 WSB colours, complete with Bayliss' number 21, which is also embroidered on the seat. A carbon and titanium silencer cover, a decal of Bayliss' signature on the tank and a numbered plaque on the top yoke complete the updates.
Power and torque are unchanged at 155 hp and 76.7 lb ft respectively, and as usual for Ducati, there's an extensive electronics package including cornering ABS and traction control, wheelie control, engine braking control and an up/down quickshifter, all accessed via a 4.3 in TFT dashboard. In Italy, the bike sits neatly between the € 17,990 Panigale V2 and the € 23,790 Panigale V4, with a price of € 20,990.
