No Factory Dukes in WSB for 2011

[MR UKI (1)]

Just heard on Eurosport, Ducati have confirmed no factory bikes in WSB next year. Mustn't be able afford it with Rossi's wages :D

[Cymraeg_Atodeg]

Where are Haga and Fabritzio (sp?) going to be going?

[Biker Biggles]

The trouble with WSB is that they got so greedy with the tv rights.Despite it being some of the best racing anywhere,and so much better than Motogp,hardly anyone watches it because its not shown on mainstream telly,and any utube links get deleted straight away.Even their own SBK website doesnt show it this year like they did last year.Serves them right really.

[TazDaz]

The trouble with WSB is that they got so greedy with the tv rights.Despite it being some of the best racing anywhere,and so much better than Motogp,hardly anyone watches it because its not shown on mainstream telly,and any utube links get deleted straight away.Even their own SBK website doesnt show it this year like they did last year.Serves them right really.

Am I missing something?

Not sure what that has to do with Ducati's departure.

[Biker Biggles]

Publicity
Simples.If no noe watches it they wont compete in it.

[MR UKI (1)]

Publicity
Simples.If no noe watches it they wont compete in it.

That and the fact their bikes are uncompetitive against the inline 4's without constant rule changes and increased costs.

[Biker Biggles]

True enough,but I think they would stay in if it generated the kind of following it had when shown on national tv.Considering theres Brits in it,and one been leading it most of the season,you hear nothing about it in this country and it rarely gets a mention on this forum either.Shame as its far and away the best spectacle in bike racing,and knocks the Motogp shambles into a cocked hat.

[sinbad]

Publicity
Simples.If no noe watches it they wont compete in it.

Isn't this the series that has seen BMW and Aprilia spend large sums in order to become competitive, from scratch, in the last few years?

People watch it, and even more people follow it. It's on a satellite channel (when was it last live on terrestrial TV?) here, but the publicity offered (when you win) and the direct link to the products you actually sell, still has great value. MotoGP doesn't have that in the same way, and costs miles more to actually compete in.

WSBK is stronger now than it has been for a while. Ducati aren't leaving because it isn't as popular or as watched as it used to be. If they're leaving it's because they aren't winning any more. They'd prefer to stay away and let people think they might win it, rather than compete and prove they couldn't :)

[Mr Speirs]

Word is they will be back in 2012 with a completely new bike, so they are taking a year out to focus on making a new bike.

Rumour is it's going to be an L-Twin Short Stroke 1164cc and frameless.

[Berlin]

Sterilgarda anounced that they had more people see their logo in one race when their livery was on a bike in GP, than in the whole of the WSB series.

The single biggest problem WSB has is TV coverage.

C

[andrewsmith]

Its a shame that Duc is pulling out.
The longest and most sucessful team in the series is bowing out due to focusing upon Moto Gp and road bikes

http://www.ducati.com/racing/superbike/news/ducati_will_focus_its_technical_resources_on_produ ct_development_and_will_not_participate_in_the_201 1_world_superbike_championship_with_a_factory_team/2010/08/27/364/index.do?urlBack=/news/index.do%3FkeyWord%3D%26dateToS%3D%26dateFromS%3D% 26pageNumber%3D0%26categoryId%3D237%26titleOrder%3 Dasc%26dateOrder%3Ddesc%26sortOrder%3Ddate%26fromS earch%3Dtrue

I personally think Ducati are pulling out due to the other factories moving away from the original ethos of the series (production bikes) and moving closer and closer to the GP with production engines

[Berlin]

Yep, Its rossi's wage. 20 million a year has to come from somehwere and he's going to be making a lot of changes that'll need paying for too.

Reading that though, It'd be good to see the carbon fibre frames etc making it to road bikes. The Ducati is by far the most advanced bike in MotoGP.

C

[andrewsmith]

i think that will be the way that they will go!

They have had a good go at Aprillia and BMW this season about their bikes being nothing like the road going version