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OK, information source is MCN so it may not be 100% accurate .... but .....

Nortwest Ducati 200 boss John Hacket has suggested that if rival manufacturers are unhappy with the performance of the Ducatis, they should build a 1200 twin themselves.

Well, I do have a little sympathy with this view - it is up to the manufacturers to make the best of the regulations of the series in which they compete.
However, coming from Ducati, this is really taking the piss. Was it not Ducati that only months ago insisted that the rules were changed to allow them to race their 1200 twins rather than comply with the rules that favoured the 1000cc 4s? Were they not threatening to pick up their toys and go home?
For goodness sake, they even have a sub 1000cc v4 - and, could have used this as a basis for a less exotic version that could have entered superbikes and been the basis of a more affordable homologation road bike.
..... and now a Ducati representative is suggesting that every other manufacturer should change the bikes they race to comply with the rules introduced at Ducatis insistence to promote the fortunes of their bikes !!

But furthermore:

But with a £24,000 price tag for a 1098R, many are keeping their eyes on Ducati to see if they reach the deadline {to sell 100 homologation bikes}. If they don't, the race teams using the 1098RS in BSB could be penalised.
Hacket said: "It doesn't really make sense that Honda has to sell 100 Fireblades when Ducati has to sell 100 1098Rs.

.... well sorry to disagree Mr Ducati-with-a chip-on-your-shoulder but it seems to make perfect sense to me. The rule is there to limit the exotic nature of these bikes, keep costs to a reasonable level and help to maintain a level playing-field. Therefore it should not be that much more difficult for Ducati to build a bike to a price at which they can shift 100 of them than it is for Honda. OK a V configuration is more expensive than an inline configuration - but then a twin is cheaper than a 4 - so overall there shouldn't be a major difference.

Sorry for the rant but those comments "got my goat" .... and I ride a v-twin and like them winning .....

D-Rider wrote:but then a twin is cheaper than a 4

Is the blade more expensive than the 1098?

genuine question, I thought the Ducati was dearer.

Falcopops wrote:

D-Rider wrote:but then a twin is cheaper than a 4

Is the blade more expensive than the 1098?

genuine question, I thought the Ducati was dearer.

No it's not - but that wasn't my point.

A parallel twin is cheaper to make than an I-4 as there are far fewer components.
A V is more expensive than an inline engine.

Ducati is more expensive cos it's got a desmo head and a Ducati badge on it ........