The outrageous Ducati Desmosedici RR - MotoGP bike built for the street.
It’s quite incredible that a manufacturer has offered such a repli-racer to the public. The D16RR is literally a MotoGP bike built for the street. This how a recent review by kevin Duke in Motorcycle.com describes the beast.
The Desmosedici is like a barely tamed wild animal. It’s highly visceral and with an intensity that threatens to overwhelm a rider’s senses. It sounds downright angry on trailing throttle, as a 13.5:1 compression ratio threatens to skid the rear wheel if not for the racing-style slipper clutch. At neutral throttle it emits a menacing grrrrrr! that would be antithetical to anything from, say, Honda. The throttle response from the 50mm Magneti Marelli throttle bodies with 12-hole 'microjet' above-throttle injectors is a bit snatchy, adding to the brutish impression.
The D16’s handling characteristics are similarly racerish. Its chassis geometry is said to be identical to the MotoGP racer, but such numbers are fairly conservative in the street-sportbike realm. So, despite the reduced gyroscopic forces from the ultra-lightweight forged-magnesium wheels and a relatively light dry weight , the D16RR doesn’t flick into corners as quickly as expected.
And, like other racebikes, the Desmosedici proved to be sprung too stiffly for my minimal weight and talent. The suspension was made more compliant after some adjustments, but its heavy springs remained too unyielding – I could still feel the rear end topping out over bumps. Its pegs are high and very rear-set, making it surprisingly difficult to drag a knee. And the price tag doesn’t encourage pitching it in with abandon! Basically, the supremely capable D16 scoffs at the abilities of mere mortals.
The full review of the Desmosedici RR (including a video) can be found at: http://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/ducati/2008-ducati-desmosedici-rr-review-86679.html
Below is a partial list of the many high-end components Ducati has put on the Desmosedici RR.
- Sand-cast aluminum crankcases and cylinder heads
- One-piece forged steel crankshaft (MSRP: $11,000)
- Sand-cast magnesium cam-drive cover and alternator casing
- Pressure die-cast magnesium-alloy oil sump, cam covers and clutch cover
- Titanium connecting rods
- Titanium intake and exhaust valves with CrN (chromium nitride) coating
- Marchesini forged and machined magnesium wheels (MSRP: $18,500)
- Specially developed Bridgestone tires, with tread pattern, construction and profile unique to the D16RR, including the oddball (but GP-accurate) 16.0-inch rear
- Öhlins 43mm FG353P pressurized fork with TiN-coated sliders
- Öhlins shock with rebound, low/high speed compression adjustment and hydraulic preload adjustment
- Brembo monoblock (one-piece) front brake calipers and 330mm rotors (same spec as used in rainy MotoGP races) with radial master cylinder and remote (left handlebar) adjuster
- Carbon fiber subframe and bodywork