The Desmosedici, in comparison, looks like a spaceship. Ducati's press offi cer made a huge fuss about the crew pulling off the fairing for the first time ever in public, and hell if we knew what we were looking at. With electronic fuel injection, on-board data acquisition, an anti-engine-braking system, plus launch, wheelie and traction control, there are so many wires and electronic gizmos you can barely see the engine. That engine is a 90-degree V-4, incidentally, with desmodromic actuation for its 16 valves (thus the name) and a redline somewhere north of 18,000 rpm. Power? "More than 200 bhp," is all they'll say, but that figure is likely closer to 220.
Thirty-three years separate...
Thirty-three years separate the '74 MV Agusta 500 and '07 Ducati 800. Giacomo Agostini and Vittoriano Gaureschi swap seats to compare notes.
The Ducati is tall to allow the insane lean angles commonplace in modern racing, and its mass is centralized-everything is packed tightly around the engine, with only the bare essentials at the periphery. Unique among modern MotoGP bikes, the GP7 employs a steel-trellis frame that stops at the engine. It's essentially a front subframe to support the fork, fairing and instruments.The engine is not just a loadbearing chassis member but an integral part of the frame, joining the front subframe with the massive black-anodized aluminum swingarm, which pivots in the engine cases. There is no rear subframe per se, just a self-supporting carbon-fiber seat. Suspension consists of a massive gas-charged inverted fork and single shock, both multi-adjustable, while radially mounted front brake calipers grasping carboncarbon rotors do the lion's share of the stopping; the tiny rear brake is pretty much along for the ride. Wheels are magnesium, the rear wider than both MV wheels combined. Top speed is conservatively given as "more than 200 mph."
With a dense cloud cover threatening rain,the proceedings got underway at 10:30 a.m.sharp with the '74 MV booming to life. With its four open megaphones it was obnoxiously loud, and it needed to be revved to keep from stalling-the classic vroom, vroom, vroom-the scent of castor oil hanging in the air. Surrounded by onlookers but with little other fanfare, Ago hopped on and roared off, pinning the throttle and going through the gears like a man 40 years younger. Listening to his progress around the circuit it was obvious he still knew his way around, and he came down the front straight with his head behind the bubble like a man on a mission. Approaching the Prima Variante (literally First Chicane), he clearly downshifted five times, each accompanied by a blip of the throttle. All alone on the track the MV looked fast-and sounded even faster. And while no one was taking lap times (at least publicly), Ago's pace was no doubt respectable for a 65-year-old man on a 33-year-old motorbike.
Pencil sketch of MV 500 engine...
Pencil sketch of MV 500 engine shows gear-driven DOHC with direct actuation of the 16 valves.
As Ago circulated on the MV, the Ducati team fired up the Desmosedici, and the sound couldn't have been more different. With a gaspowered roller painted in factory colors turning the rear tire, a mechanic let out the clutch lever and the V-4 burst to life, settling into a fast idle that sounded like the world's loudest popcorn popper. Unlike the previous-generation 990cc GP6, the 800cc GP7 uses a traditional "screamer" firing order rather than a big-bang. According to designer Filippo Preziosi`, that's because vehicle dynamics (read: wheelies) limit how much power can be used-riders seldom use full throttle-and the engine-management electronics are more sophisticated now. That goes a long way toward explaining why lap times haven't changed much since engine displacement was reduced. In fact, if you look at data-ack info for the 800 and 990 lapping the same circuit, you'll see that the former is faster entering, apexing and (briefly) exiting corners, while the latter has an advantage in acceleration and top speed.