EICMA MOTORCYCLE SHOW
E
VERY YEAR, the world of
motorcycling meets in Milan.
EICMA, the giant annual
showcase of the industry, offers
everything that is innovative and
cutting edge in a meeting between
tradition and all that is new. And it is
received with enormous enthusiasm.
Just ask Piaggio. The massive throng
of the press contingent pushing
its way to the head of the queue,
matching a tide of the sharpest good-
looking Italian businessmen, looking
like spares from the Milan fashion
schools, was impatiently waiting for
what could be Vespa’s longest-awaited
(for at least a decade, it seems me)
model rollout since Audrey Hepburn
ran away with Cary Grant. The Bear
had warned me about this ‘show’, but I
still found it one of the most appalling
presentations ever. Piaggio, please
don’t drag out octarian Colanino to
banter with a nearly as old interviewer
who could only proclaim in Italian that
the new Electric Vespa was exciting.
Just, as Boris would say, “stop it”!
The thing about Italians and
motorcycles and all the other
things motociclismo, is – well, sex
does sell. Or at least it makes for
amazing viewing for the mainly male
showgoers. Strategically place just a
tiny percentage of available beautiful
women in Italy on almost anything, or
Keanu Reeves on his ARCH , and sex
was doing its best to compete with the
bikes for the limelight.
2016 had been the year of
‘adventure’. This year was more of
a mixture of positive developments.
While there were many stunningly new
models (and some of the bikes looked
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to pin down what if any theme was
happening in Milan. One thing’s for
sure: was this show was about making
a visual impact. No single bike could
satisfy every taste, but fortunately with
so many brands and models on show
across so many segments, there was
something for everyone.DESIRABLE
DUCATI
A year is a very long time in Italy.
Earlier in 2017 we were in raptures
at the air-cooled Desert Sled version
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salivating over the 950 Multistrada.
This time around Bologna didn’tactually surprise us too much with
the carefully drip-fed V4 Panigale,
but astonished us with the ‘in the
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The Desmosedici Stradale engine, an
1103cc four-cylinder due in March, is
only two kilograms heavier that the
L-Twin. You might pick up on the
capacity being larger than MotoGP
and Superbike regulations: Ducati is
using the slightly larger capacity to
improve real-world performance with
added low and mid-range torque.
To offset the inevitable weight gain
compared to the 1299 Panigale
(because of the four cylinders)
Ducati has developed an all-new
frame design called the Front Frame.
With the use of light materials, the
new frame keeps the kerb weight of
the S and Special versions down to
195kg. This weight, combined with
the 214hp, means a power/weight
ratio of 1.1 hp/kg. What that will
mean to you, if the V4 is on your
radar, is a motorcycle that will surely
be the closest item to Superbike and
MotoGP spec as can be bought off
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its beautiful ‘culo’.
The ‘S’ version does come enhancedSpecial Feature