Viva DUCATI

Let's warm-up on a  1-day,  13-hour,   620-mile ride.

On the 'TEST' Ride with: John M. Rossi.

A VivaDUCATI Northeast Exclusive

    Dates: Aug./Sept. 2007        Locations: MA / NH / (NHIS) / NY / VT

I have experienced the future of high performance, street legal, motorcycles from a company that has set industry benchmarks time and again in the two recent decades. Like most Ducati motorcycles, the 2008 Hypermotard will, and has already begun to redefine an entirely new genera of motorcycles. No, not just a Motard — a ‘Hyper’ motard. The 1100S is purely original in its design and performance, incredibly fast and powerful served by a big-bore, air-cooled L-twin, and its pedigree is uniquely Italian.

The first New England test of the Ducati Hypermotard was months in planning—from the world release in Sardinia, Italy to the unveiling party at Ducati New York in June, to a cloud-covered day in late August 2007 when my test ride finally began — a test we were happy to share with our friends at the Motorcyclist's Post and USDESMO, Desmo Leanings Magazine.

Hand over the key.

Jason Routhier, Ducati’s New England Rep., had promised me the VivaDUCATI exclusive test of the 2008, 1100 Hypermotard, S-model. Jay is a long-time racer, a.k.a. JAYROOT so it is no surprise that New Hampshire International Speedway (NHIS) where Jay and I both instruct at the Penguin Road Racing School was where he handed me the key.

We were expecting the arrival to two Hypermotards. One for me to test and the other for Eric and Jeff Wood to race. Luck was on my side as the test Hyper showed-up first, perhaps the only time I’ll get ahead of these two National Champions.

As if the stock 1100S is not spectacular enough out of the crate, Jay had the bike prepped with several Ducati Performance goodies including a 2 into 1 Termignoni carbon fiber & stainless race exhaust that saved several pounds over stock and added 6 more horse power. A sculpted Ducati Performance race seat made moving around on the bike a little easier and the stock Pirellis were replaced with stickier race compound Dunlop tires.

On the ride in the real world.

Jay pointed to the odometer with 1-mile on it, handed me the key. “Its all yours John. The 3900-word test of the DUCATI 1098 Suprbike, complete with dyno test results, technical specifications, and photos awaits you. Login to gain full access to VivaDUCATI.com tests, articles, events, and exclusive V.I.P. travel to world class events.

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