Agreed the Honda SP is a beautiful bike. Not having a go and "dissrespecting" Honda - but making a great quality bike like the new Fireblade is just not the whole story. Granted this new Ducati might not be as good as the Fireblade SP. However, and it may just be coincidence, but this new boss has only been at Ducati for ten minutes and already the new V4 has a a crack at a couple of laps of the TT - and there is a lovely picture of it on the front cover of a magazine, with a good write up to go with it. And he has talked about expanding the Ducati brand. So when this guy says expanding the Ducati brand - what does he mean - I suspect he means looking at all options including exposure at the the TT. Ultimately it probably means trouble for Honda ! These guys will ruthlessly promote their products and the brand - it seems they are in a different corporate league at this sort of thing. They will have good write ups, racing success - all the corporate publicity - riders on podiums - good products - good branding and marketing. At the moment Honda have a nice bike in the new Fireblade - beautifully made, without question a great bike. But its first year was a bit of a disaster on the race tracks - which gave it poor publicity value just when they were trying to get the thing in front of people to get sales going. Hopefully Honda can get this new 2019 Fireblade kicking ass and winning races again, and I will cheer it all the way.
Ohhhhh, are people actually taking that seriously? Didn't realise, thought it was some sort of wind up for someone.
Steady on, Charlie. Some of us actually get excited about these things. I still haven't lost hope of the new V4. I put it down to 'positive thinking'. Others will call it 'senility'.
I think there's a good chance you will see your new Honda V4 in the showrooms before you will see an all new fireblade there Nigel.
Whatever they decide to do - whatever is real or "fake"news - there is a new V4, a very real V4, and it has Ducati written on the side of it. Surely Honda can move beyond a 4 cylinder inline motor that still uses Buckets & Shims. Surely a move to an inline 4 cylinder that uses finger-followers like the R1, GSX-R and S1000RR could see a huge increase in power. I think Honda have got lots of options, they just need the gonads to do it.
You mean to comply with TT rules ? Well they are already quite experienced with a 1,000 cc V4. The new Panigale sharing technology with the 1,000 cc MotoGP bike I am sure Ducati could produce a 1,000 cc version of the Panigale V4 and race it at the TT. I think it would be a master stroke for Ducati to turn up at the TT with a fancy looking Panigale V4 Speciale - with a 1,000 cc motor based on their GP bike - imagine the publicity it would get if Michael Dunlop were to ride the thing. Again, not bashing the Honda Fireblade - but the game is moving on...........
@Mattie660 I love you're Honda bashing now, you was die hard Honda with you're tin hat. Do you still hate the Germans?
I do not hate the Germans Anyway not bashing Honda, just constructive criticism. BMW, Yamaha, Triumph and Ducati have developed their product ranges and I think Honda could be a bit better at that. They still make really great quality bikes.
You should already know because you guys get all the goss way ahead of us in UK. Any authentic USA reports on this?
Friggin' heck, BSS. That address out of the same book with the North Pole address and some burrow for the Easter Friggin' Bunny?
I am going to write to the head honcho at Honda in Japan - you think I am joking. I am going to tell him to sort the Firebalde out ASAP, and get his best people on it. We want a V4, or finger-follower internals for the motor - no more buckets and shims. I think I had better send the link to this website as well - so they can get the grass roots story. Watch this space - we will see what happens.
Being the helpful kinda guy that I am; will you let me sponsor you with this: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/The-Oxfo...503124&hash=item210f8f6f61:g:0TQAAOSwacJbKUNA
Haven't got time for all that - that we would do we should do when we would, for this would changes, and hath abatements and delays as many as there are tongues. Anyway, sent the fella a letter - politely - highlighting the issues discussed on this fine forum - you still think I am joking.
