If Visordown.com is to be believed, Ducati is out to get Harley, and a hyper-aggressive bike called the Vyper is intended to be an Italian retort to bikes like the buffed-out V-Rod Muscle and Yamaha Star V-Max. The British website calls the alleged Vyper a "1400cc muscle-bound street bruiser," and says the bike is already being tested at the Bologna factory.
The alleged power cruiser looks like it's got a low slung seat and raked fork (classic cruiser cues) mashed up with Ducati's sharp-edged Streetfighter naked bike. Would Ducati expand their lineup, which includes stalwarts like the Monster 696? Would the Ducatisti go for this odd hybrid of a bike? Is Harley quaking in their boots? After posting a record month of sales last year, a little bit of brand hubris from Bologna's finest could certainly spice up the power cruiser market.
Related:
- 2009 Ducati Streetfighter Photo Gallery
- 2008 Ducati Monster 696 Review
- 2008 Ducati 848 Review
- 2008 Ducati Hypermotard 1100S Review
- 2009 Harley-Davidson V-Rod Review
- 2009 Harley-Davidson V-Rod Photo Gallery
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I really hate to see Ducati degrade and embarrase themselves like that!
I agree! Ducati…leave it alone. H-D is beneath you…however if you do decide to build a VRod killer, at least you can do it with any 600cc motors you have left over…
Unlike the other way around…1200cc is needed to edge out bikes half the size.
Don’t think Harley has anything to worry about, this thing is UGLY!!!
This is crazy comparing the two. Every sportbike out there is a V-Rod killer. Buddies of mine run there Speed Triples at the track and always stomp the H-Ds.
Meh. If they want to expand their lineup, why not? They could use a bigger product line.
Compared to H-D, Ducati is still for the most part a niche player and a few conquest sales here and there from this project wouldn’t hurt.
Personally, I’m more excited about the rumored return of their ST sport-tourer and perhaps an updated Multistrada or a more R1200GS-like adventure tourer.
As far as styling, their newest non-Superbike, non-Monster models all seem to have angular lines first seen from the Hypermotard. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and a lot of folks who wouldn’t even look at a H-D cruiser may very well look at one of these.
It seems more v-max than rod to me.
Scottie,
Yeah, I thought of the V-Max after I posted this… I just added a link to the V-Max Photo Gallery.
Basem
Ducati not one to copy from the Big Four…
It looks like a slammed and stretched StreetFighter…
http://hellforleathermagazine.com/2008/11/ducati-streetfighter-and-stree.html
http://hellforleathermagazine.com/2009/03/ducati-streetfighter-up-close.html
Say Basem… when you gonna get one of those to play with? I think the Euro press launch either is coming up soon or has happened.
One bike was left out of the mix, and that’s the Suzuki B-King.
It’s not their genre, and they shouldn’t waste their money. There’s enough of that style now, even the Yamaha MT01 which we have in Canada and is in Europe. Ducati might have a small market for this thing in Europe, but not here.
Looks like a stretched and slammed Streetfighter to me… Doesn’t have any styling cues from the V-Max or the B-King (which isn’t even a cruiser, more of a muscle standard).
Speaking of Streetfighter… hey Basem, when you gonna get your hands on one of those?
This does not even compare to the V-Rod. This is an entriely different style of bike, with the V-Rod being a more laid back type of style and the Ducati being upright like a sportbike. More power to Ducati for building this thing and when I win the loteery i will buy one, but why is it that everyone wants to compare themselves to the Harley?
I think the essence of a street-cruiser is the simplicity of frame-engine-wheels. I have yet to see a water cooled engine and all the attendant plumbing not distract from the visceral appeal of the simpler lines provided by an air cooled engine. Even the S4R Ducati Monsters looked cluttered to me albeit while doing a fair imitation of the stripped down sports bikes turned into street fighters. Is it even possible for a bike with a “raked” front end to handle well? I’ve owned 4 Ducatis and if they bring out an updated ST, maybe based on the 1098 or 1198, I will buy it.
You gotta be kidding. That is the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen. I don’t care how fast it is; I sure wouldn’t want to be seen on it.
Living in the USA and riding a Boss Hoss with a small stable of other bikes, this looks like a lot of fun. Hope they sell them over here. We need fresh blood from abroad.
man this thing is uuugally,i Wouldn’t be caught dead on it.