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Photos and text courtesy of Ducati Motor S.p.A. |
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Ducati Riding Experience 2008
Ducati has experienced a huge success with their
yearly Riding Experience courses, which are designed
to improve safety, control, technique and fun on
motorcycles. The Ducati Riding Experience for
2008 has now been scheduled.
The latest schedule will continue Ducati’s renowned
training courses for enthusiasts who wish to improve
their riding technique or simply get on a bike for
the first time in a professional and secure setting.
The 2007 season saw the introduction of the new
Ducati 1098, the most powerful twin-cylinder production
bike in the world, which provided much excitement
and incredible driving performance to many
participants.
This high standard set from the previous year will
be maintained in 2008 with additional, interesting
surprises, first of which is the chance to get on
the track with the new
Ducati 848, a bike that is
both agile and light.
But at the same time, the 848
performs at an extremely high level and completes
the Ducati Superbike family with a smaller engine
capacity with respect to the 1098.
The Hypermotard,
an extreme and thrilling bike that has met
indisputable success on the market, is yet another
exciting surprise that will be available for
participants. To top it all off, the highly
anticipated Monster 696 will be
available for the Basic
Course.
In addition to the news regarding the most recent
bikes added to the Ducati Riding Experience, there is also exciting news
about dates and circuits. In fact, the 2008
event will
debut on 18-19 March at the famous Mugello circuit
and then cross the Italian border, landing at the
prestigious “Le Castellet” circuit in France.
Driving a motorcycle is an exciting experience and
Ducati wants to make sure that every fan can
experience the two-wheeled thrills that a motorcycle
can provide - within the limits of the rider and the
bike.
Ducati Riding Experience makes this possible with a team of
professional instructors, including famous riders
like Dario Marchetti, Marco Luchinelli, and Niccolò
Canepa, the young 2007 Superstock 1000 Champion, who
will participate in some sessions for the first
time.
The driving courses organized by Ducati are aimed at
those who want to learn to drive a motorcycle or
improve their driving technique to face the street
and track in complete safety.
There are many types
of scheduled courses, starting with the Basic
Course, offering the first driving information, to
the Master Racing Course for those riders that wish
to perfect their track riding techniques. As in the
past, the courses are structured to cover an entire
day, alternating between on-bike sessions and
lessons on theory.
Basic Course
This course has been designed for people with no
driving experience who would like to give it a try
or who would like to move from being a passive
passenger to an active rider. The classes include
theory and individual riding sessions that will take
place in the paddock with a reduced-power Monster
695 and the new Monster 696 (based on availability).
You must be over 18 to participate in this course.
The course is designed for a maximum of 28
participants, divided into groups of four students.
The course includes on-bike sessions aimed at
teaching the basics of bike riding (starting,
cornering and braking) and elementary theory
lessons. Each participant is entitled to four
individual practice sessions with an instructor.
Intermediate Course
This course is aimed at men and women who already
have some riding experience but want to improve
their skills. In particular, the course covers
common road situations and focuses on how to tackle
them using specific riding techniques with the goal
to increase safety and to correct any risky or
incorrect riding behavior.
The exercises are
designed to help riders maintain better control of
their bikes and avoid potentially dangerous everyday
situations while obtaining a more correct driving
technique. To participate in this course it is
necessary to have a driving license without
limitations of engine displacement.
The course is designed for a maximum of 42
participants divided into groups of six students. The bikes available for the course are the
Hypermotard and the Multistrada 1100. Each group
will have four bikes available to ride in each
session. After a series of riding exercises in the
paddock, students will have the opportunity in the
afternoon to test their skills on the track (one
session), in complete safety, with their instructors
Racing Course
An important change for 2008 is the subdivision of
the Racing Course into two levels. Based on the
experience of the participants, it is possible to
enroll in either the 1st or 2nd level of the course:
1st Level Racing Course
This course has been designed for beginning track
riders or those with little track experience (having
been on a track from zero to four times). This is a
sport riding course that takes riders to the track
for the first time or helps them improve their
technique according to the needs of each
participant. It is necessary to have a motorcycle
license without limitations of engine displacement
to take part in this course.
The course is designed for a maximum of 10
participants, divided into groups of 5-6 students
with the brand new Superbike 848. Students will be
organized into groups based on the level of
experience they indicate when registering for the
course and which is demonstrated to instructors on
the track. If necessary, staff will adjust the
groups after the first on-track session.
2nd Level Racing Course
This course is aimed at skilled street riders (men
and women) who have never been on a track, or have
limited track riding experience (having been on a
track at least four times).
This sport riding course
is designed to help experienced riders improve their
track riding techniques, depending on the needs of
each participant. It is necessary to have a
motorcycle license without limitations of engine
displacement to take part in this course.
The course uses the Superbike 1098 and is designed
for a maximum of 30 participants, divided into
groups of 5-6 students. Students will be
organized
into groups based on the level of experience they
indicate when registering for the course and which
is demonstrated to instructors on the track. If
necessary, staff will adjust the groups after
the first on-track session.
Master Racing Course
The Master Racing Course is designed for very expert
riders who would like to get ready for competitive
track racing, like the prestigious Ducati Desmo
Challenge. The training is aimed at building on
existing track skills to reach a more advanced level
regarding all aspects of performance.
To participate
in this course, it is necessary to have a driving
license without limitations of engine displacement.
In order to participate in the Master Course, it is
very strongly recommended to have already
participated in one track course, and participation
is not recommended for riders that have ridden on
the track less than 10 times.
The course uses the Superbike 1098 S and is designed
for a maximum of 18 participants. Each group will be
made up of a maximum of just 3 riders so that
participants will have personal attention from their
instructors. If necessary, staff will adjust the
groups after the first on-track session.
Special On-Board Tests
During the course, each
rider will have the opportunity to ride a 1098 S
equipped with a data acquisition system which will
record information from the bike regarding the
rider's performance. Each participant of the Master
Racing Course will have the opportunity to use this
bike to carry out the test.
Recorded data will
include: throttle opening, RPM, vehicle speed, lap
times, suspension travel, brake pressure, tire
temperatures and lateral and longitudinal G-forces. At the end of the course, each student will receive
a copy of their own data.
Instructors
Dario Marchetti:
Dario, head instructor, has raced practically all
over the world and in very category, from the 500GP
to Superbike, winning four national titles. In 2001,
he won the Italian Endurance title with the Ducati
996R. In 2004, he won the Battle of the Twins in
Daytona in the seat of a 748, and in the same year,
he competed in the European Endurance Cup with Marc
Garcia with the 998 and 999R models. Once again for
this year, he is a Master Racing Course instructor.
Marco Lucchinelli:
It is difficult to find an instructor more qualified
that the Grand Prix 500 World Champion of the 500.
Marco, one of the great Italian riders of his time,
won the prestigious world title in the 500 class in
1981 and has six GP victories and a total of 19
podiums under his belt. He raced with Ducati in TTF1
and TTF2 and won two “Battle of the Twins” races in
Daytona. Today, he is offering all of his experience
to DRE – to have him as an instructor for the Master
Racing Course would make the “Ducati Riding
Experience” most memorable.
Registration and Payment
Registration for these courses, which opens in the
end of February, is only available on-line through
the
Ducati website. Payment can be made by credit card
or bank transfer following the instructions on the
site. Special rates are available for Official
Ducati Club members. The cost of the courses
includes bike use, lunch, open café, welcome kit,
on-site photographer, and special arrangements with
hotel facilities.
Riding Gear
Every participant must provide all necessary
equipment: leathers (one or joint two-piece),
full-face helmet, gloves and boots. There will be
the possibility to hire all necessary items when
registering on-line for the course (items available
while stock lasts).
Course Calendar
-
Tuesday 18 March - Mugello
-
Wednesday 19 March - Mugello
-
Wednesday 23 April - Adria
-
Thursday 24 April - Adria
-
Wednesday 21 May - Adria
-
Thursday 22 May - Adria
-
Wednesday 4 June - Monza
-
Monday 14 July - Castellet (France)
-
Tuesday 15 July - Castellet (France)
-
Tuesday 2 September - Misano
-
Wednesday 3 September
- Misano
More information can be found on the
Ducati website or
by contacting customer service at dre@ducati.com or
+39 051 6413584.
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