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Category: Ducati
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Ducati are gearing-up for the new riding season with “Ducati Dream Tours”, the perfect weekend escape that combines the unforgettable experience of visiting the famous Italian motorcycle Factory and Museum with the pleasure of riding a Ducati along the legendary roads that surround Bologna.
The experience starts on Friday with arrival and lunch at the Ducati Factory, before making a guided tour of the famous home and Museum of Ducati motorcycles in Borgo Panigale, Bologna. From there, leave your luggage with tour staff, collect your pre-selected Ducati motorcycle and depart on a guided-ride through the Apennines of Emilia Romagna known as “Motor Valley”. When you arrive at the incredible hotel of “Monte del Re” in Dozza, your luggage will already be there, leaving you to just check-in and relax before dinner.
The beautiful hotel, created from a classic thirteenth century monastery and famous for its regional cuisine, will become your idyllic base for the weekend and point-of-departure for Saturday’s guided-ride into the mountains along roads recommended by the official Ducati test riders themselves. After stopping for lunch in the countryside, even a leisurely ride back to the hotel on your Ducati will deliver you early enough for a spot of relaxation before dinner in the friendly atmosphere of Ducati Dream Tour friends.
Sunday’s tour follows the same schedule, but returns to the Ducati factory late in the afternoon where your luggage will be waiting. The Ducati Dream Tour is an ideal get-away for those wanting a luxurious and seamlessly organised weekend of Italian motorcycling, without the stress of organising everything and carrying luggage.
As part of the Ducati Travel Experience initiative, the famous Italian marque offers a range of models for the tours from Hypermotard 796 and Monster 1100EVO to Diavel and Multistrada 1200 Touring. For all details on Ducati Dream Tours, including prices and ordering process, visit www.ducati.com/ducati_travel/ducati_dream_tour.do
2012 Ducati Dream Tours calendar
May 4-6
May 18-20
July 6-8
July 13-15
July 27-29
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As Ducati starts production of its latest Superbike, the 1199 Panigale, it also prepares to mark the 40th anniversary of Paul Smart’s 1972 victory in the Imola 200.
The famous race win, and second place by teammate Bruno Spaggiari, literally kick-started Ducati’s participation in production-derived racing by proving Engineer Fabio Taglioni’s innovative 90° L-twin engine configuration and Desmodromic valve control.
The Imola 200 victory was to be the start of many more international race wins using Taglioni’s original design, including Mike Hailwood’s® win in the 1978 Tourist Trophy with a Ducati 900, the titles won by Tony Rutter and the 600 TT2 Pantah from 1981 to 1983 and the championships won by Virginio Ferrari and Marco Lucchinelli with the 750 F1 in addition to the Battle of the Twins in Daytona in 1986. From 1988 onwards, Ducati’s World Superbike supremacy ran throughout the 851, 888, 916, 996, 998, 999, 1098 and 1198 model generations, enabling Ducati to achieve an incredible 17 Manufacturers’ and 14 Riders’ titles and over 300 World Superbike wins.
Ducati.com now celebrates this important anniversary, retracing the events that led Fabio Taglioni to produce the original race bike design based on the 750GT road machine and its arrival on the starting grid at Imola with Paul Smart and Bruno Spaggiari. Proving to be more than a match for the man who was then considered to be the greatest racer of all time, Giacomo Agostini on his MV, the result not only returned Ducati to the forefront of national attention, previously only enjoyed during the Motogiro d’Italia days of the 1950s, but also to motorcyclists all around the world.
The Italian manufacturer is set to organise a Ducati Vintage Contest and special display dedicated to the historic Imola 200 race and 40 years of success with Ducati L-twin engines at the World Ducati Week (WDW) event, at Misano 21-24 June 2012, with Paul Smart himself in attendance.
For further information about the history of the Imola 200 as well as more details about World Ducati Week 2012, visit the WDW2012 and Heritage sections of www.Ducati.com
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In a ceremony hosted at the Palazzo Mezzanotte in Milan, home to the Italian stock market, Ducati has received the Brand Recognition Award from the UK Government during the UK-Italy Business awards, officially marking the Italian motorcycle manufacturer’s outstanding business performance.
Presented by Mr.Vic Annels, Consul General and Director of UK Trade and Industry in Italy, the highly coveted Brand Recognition Award comes in the same week that Ducati UK announced a significant growth in business during 2011, recording sales levels unseen since 2003 and achieving a best-ever market share in the UK’s over 500cc market. While Ducati in Italy increased investment in research and development, Ducati UK invested in purpose-built headquarters at Silverstone circuit to become the fastest growing motorcycle brand in the UK.
Representing the famous Italian motorcycle brand, President and CEO of Ducati Motor Holding, Gabriele Del Torchio said: “I am very proud to collect this prestigious award on behalf of Ducati, an award that has clearly recognised the value of a brand which is as loved and respected in the UK as it is all around the world.”
When presenting the award, Mr.Vic Annels, Consul General and Director of UK Trade and Industry in Italy, said: “We are delighted to present Ducati with the Brand Recognition Award and equally delighted that such an exciting and innovative brand has chosen to invest further in its UK operation. Ducati has a rich history of success on the track in the UK and we are now pleased to see that reflected in their business also.”
UK Trade & Investment
UK Trade & Investment is the Government Department that helps UK-based companies succeed in the global economy. It helps overseas companies bring high-quality investment to the UK’s dynamic economy acknowledged as Europe’s best place from which to succeed in global business.
UK Trade & Investment offers expertise and contacts through its extensive network of specialists in the UK, and in British embassies and other diplomatic offices around the world, providing companies with the tools they require to be competitive on the world stage.
Ducati
Founded in 1926, Ducati has been producing sport-inspired motorcycles since 1946. Their motorcycles are characterised by “Desmodromic” performance engines, innovative design and avant-garde technology. Covering several market segments, Ducati's range of motorcycles are divided into model families which include: Diavel, Hypermotard, Monster, Multistrada, Streetfighter and Superbike.
These authentic icons of “made in Italy” are sold in over 80 countries around the world, with concentration on the European, North-American and Asia Pacific markets. Ducati competes in both the World Superbike Championship and, with an official team, the World MotoGP Championship. In Superbike Ducati has won 17 Manufacturers' titles and 14 Riders' titles and in 2011 passed the historic milestone of 300 race victories. Ducati have participated in MotoGP since 2003, and took both the Manufacturers' and Riders' titles in 2007.
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Ducati UK start the New Year on the back of a record breaking 2011 which not only saw significant increases in sales but also ‘best ever’ figures across the board.
Ducati UK closed 2011 with its best sales result since 2003 with 2345 units sold and in a challenging economic environment recorded best ever market share figures in the UK. On the back of these results it also became the fastest growing Motorcycle brand in the UK with motorcycle sales up 15.3%.
Sales were spread evenly across the product range with Monster, Superbike, Multistrada and Diavel sharing equal slices of the cake. Traditionally Superbikes accounted for 50% of Ducati UK’s overall sales, however, with the shrinking of the Superbike market, Ducati has reacted to market changes and evolved the range with award winning product such as the Multistrada and Diavel (MCN bike of the year 2011).
It is not only Motorcycle sales that have contributed to the success, Ducati UK also recorded best ever revenues for Apparel and Accessories which contributed to the company’s highest ever turnover. Ducati has not only led the way through sales and product innovation, but also by offering customers a unique experience through events and test ride experiences.
2011 was a busy year for the company with a number of significant events taking place, most notably the move to new purpose built headquarters at Silverstone, the introduction of the 848 Challenge to the British Superbike Championship and the hugely successful ‘Ducati Days’ track event at Silverstone which saw the first public use of the new Silverstone Wing.
For 2012 Ducati UK looks set to continue in this vein with strong New Year sales and the highly anticipated 1199 Paniagle which has already been voted as ‘the most awaited bike of 2012.’ UK dealers are reporting strong interest in the 1199 Panigale with many dealers already asking for an increase in allocation of product to cope with this unprecedented demand.
Tim Maccabee, Ducati UK MD commented “These results reflect not only the hard work of the Ducati UK team, but also the fantastic product and support from our colleagues in Bologna. Delivering the result in the UK would be impossible without our first class dealer network and of course and a big thank is due to every Ducati fan and customer in the UK”
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Motorcycle Show, the long-awaited dates and location for the World Ducati Week 2012 event are now confirmed for passionate Ducati fans all over the world as 21-24 June, 2012 at the circuit of Misano in Italy.
First organised in 1998, WDW successfully brought together ‘Ducatisti’ from all over the world to celebrate their shared passion for the legendary Italian-made motorcycles. The event has since attracted an ever-increasing attendance of people who enjoy the high-powered fun and community spirit of the iconic brand, with a record-breaking attendance of 60,000 fans from 5 continents and 28 countries recorded at the last event in 2010.
WDW2012 is sure to follow the tried and tested formula of race track events, shows, top riders, competitions and great music all combined with the incredible atmosphere created by thousands of motorcycles arriving from all around the globe.
As the event’s massive attendance is sure to invade the entire Riviera Romagnola, Ducati’s WDW2012 organisation has enjoyed the close cooperation and special partnership of authorities such as the Province of Rimini, Municipality of Misano, Municipality of Cattolica, Municipality of Riccione and the Republic of San Marino. Continued cooperation with the Leardini Group has also underlined the region’s Misano circuit venue as the ‘theatre’ for WDW, an event further supported by APT Emilia Romagna, promoting a region of Italy famously known as ‘Motor Valley’.
Ducati offer further information at www.ducati.com
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