Page 33 - LHR November 2025

We didn't notice at first, but the salt spray coated the continues. “But once you get going, it's incredibly
oil cooler, causing the engine to overheat. Also, we stable. And yes, it was terrifying, but not terrifying
did two runs close together without giving the enough to stop me from wanting to do it again.”
engine enough time to cool down between them.”
As a lifelong Ducati enthusiast, I must admit, I'm
Alan designed and built the bike's chassis himself. feeling a bit conflicted about the new V-twin
“The goal is to minimize the frontal area, so I've engine. Primarily because it's taken a significant
aligned the front wheel, rider, and engine in a step away from Ducati's most revered tradition: the
straight line. The twin-fork design is based on a desmodromic valve gear. For many, this technology
concept from the 1930s. There are eight bearings, is the hallmark of Ducati's engineering excellence –
but it keeps the forks low. Normal forks would have and as someone deeply passionate about engines,
been too high because the yokes are above the it's hard to see this iconic feature being replaced.
wheel.”
Desmodromic valves eliminate traditional valve
“Starting is really unstable since you're lying flat springs by using a rocker from a dedicated closing
with just your tiptoes touching the ground,” Alan cam for valve return. This system, although difficult