Rossi: Not bad for a first taste...

[SpeedLimit?]

A Ducati MotoGP bike featuring an aluminium twin-spar frame, as used by all the factory's Japanese MotoGP rivals, made its public debut at the start of the Valencia test on Tuesday.

Lone factory rider Valentino Rossi finished the first day of 1000cc testing alongside rivals from Honda and Yamaha in sixth position, 1.671sec from pace setter Dani Pedrosa (Honda).

“This bike is nicer to ride than the 800, even if we're only just starting our work. You can say that it's improved in some respects, while in others, it's very similar to the other bike, but that's exactly what we expected," said Rossi.

"We know we're doing preparatory work for the bike that we'll use in the 2012 winter tests, which are very important. The engine seems to be pretty good already. It's fast, although I never really found myself with the others to do a direct comparison.

"On the other hand, I'm a little slower in mid-corner, and we also have to try to improve rear grip because for now, we're not able to get the power to the ground and take full advantage of it. But it's not bad for a first taste."

Billed as an 'experimental' version of next year's GP12, Rossi believes the use of the conventional frame - relative to the carbon fibre and stressed engine of recent seasons - will allow a greater range of adjustments during testing.

"The really important thing is that we can work more freely, changing the bike's balance, the weight distribution, the measurements, and whatever we need as we prepare for the important next three months of work," he said.

Team-mate Nicky Hayden will miss the test, which concludes on Wednesday evening, after wrist fractures were discovered following Sunday's turn one pile-up.

SOURCE:Rossi: Not bad for a first taste... | MotoGP News | Nov 2011 | Crash.Net

[Raiden]

Seems promising. Now that it has a normal frame and the testing limit has been lifted. I hope JB and Rossi can find a good setting and be competitive with those pesky Hondas. To bad Nicky wasn't able to test. I hope he benefits from this new frame as well.

[Dmitry]

Hope they can pull the rabbit out the hat, kinda tired of Repsol parade at every race. If Ducati can build half decent bike it will only mean one thing: better battle at the front of the field.

[mduc]

Hopefully things will get better for Ducati with this new frame. I can't imagine it getting any worse.

[Ritter]

Doesn't seem like a bad start, considering they have a whole new frame.

[mduc]

Originally Posted by Ritter

Doesn't seem like a bad start, considering they have a whole new frame.

Definitely way better than this time last year. Last year Rossi ran 10th, 11th and 12th in testing at Valencia. He must have been saying OMG under his helmet back then.

[tweek]

Glad to see them going in the right direction. The sucksville for Honda is that even with angry dwarf parade - I'd still rather buy a Ducati. Oh, I did.

[CAlexio]

Rossi literally had the season from hell didn't he?.. could it get any worse than your worse results season ever and then running over your best friend... and then not even getting to do a parade lap at the last race because some other douchbag takes you and your teammate out?

the dude is overdue some good luck... and I'm ready to see the G.O.A.T. back competing for the top spots.

[mduc]

Originally Posted by tweek

The sucksville for Honda is that even with angry dwarf parade - I'd still rather buy a Ducati. Oh, I did.

No suckville for Honda they're 2011 World Champs and in dominant fashion with 10 wins. Ducati zero wins. Who's sucking right now???

[DucmanST3]

Originally Posted by mduc

Who's sucking right now???

People like me who can't afford the Panigale=sex with wheels