Ducati Panigale – virtually as light as a Moto GP bike

Home Forums BikeMeet Cafe Ducati Panigale – virtually as light as a Moto GP bike

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  • #15002
    Radar
    Moderator

    Back in 1990 a 2 stroke 500cc GP bike weighed in at around 115kg. When they became 4 stroke Moto GP bikes the weight crept up. Then regs actually forced the bikes heavier. It is expensive to make a light race bike, it was a measure to contain costs and increase the grid.

    That brings us to this years GP bikes which have to weigh at least 160kg. A 45kg increase from 1990

    A bog standard Panigale weighs 164kg according to Ducati…a road legal bike with all the compromise that entails. Remove kit like the the lights and indicators etc and I bet it is actaully lighter than a front line GP bike.

    I think that is wrong…

    #65844
    BigBen
    Participant

    Why do they say in the regs that it has to be at least 160kg? I’m assuming it’s because there’s more speed involved with modern racing?

    #65845
    HippoDrones
    Participant

    that is crazy to make them lardy! They should be lighter than road bikes, especially if you can buy a bike off the shelf that could be race prepped for a couple of thousand pounds and made lighter than that remarkably easily.

    #65846
    Radar
    Moderator

    Why do they say in the regs that it has to be at least 160kg? I’m assuming it’s because there’s more speed involved with modern racing?

    It is to do with keeping costs contained for the teams…light, powerful bikes are VERY expensive to develop build and maintain. The theory is the cheaper the costs the bigger the grid.

    #65847
    Radar
    Moderator

    that is crazy to make them lardy! They should be lighter than road bikes, especially if you can buy a bike off the shelf that could be race prepped for a couple of thousand pounds and made lighter than that remarkably easily.

    It does seem odd doesn’t it?

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