New MCN April 25: Ducati special issue

This week we have a special issue dedicated to Ducati, with 27-pages of features on the historic Italian manufacturer.

We pit the all-new Ducati 1199 Panigale against its European and Japanese rivals, ride it round the TT course and tell the story of how Ducati became world beaters

Also this week, 25-year-old Playboy model and fiancee to Randy de Puniet Lauren Vickers takes us through the life of a MotoGP WAG.

Plus we have all the news from a thrilling weekend of racing in WSB at Assen.

MCN has worked hard to make sure the all-new paper will feed your passion for motorcycles better than ever before. It’ll take a moment to get used to the new surroundings – but we’ve tried to make as little stand between you and the fantastic stories that biking breeds as possible.

Here’s how the new paper works:

The week
All the news that matters from a week in bikes, all in one place. Catch up quick on all the must-know stories and whet your appetite for the big stories in Focus.

Focus
Where we go in deep on the stories that matter. Road tests, features, analysis, interviews, surprises, MCN brings every tool to bear to crack the story.

Comment
Letters, celeb columns, polls and advice – Comment feeds the discussions that define the week’s debate, and harnesses the power of MCN’s readership.

Bike life
Men and machines with stories to tell. From used bikes to dream garages, epics enjoyed and nightmares survived: why a life in bikes is better.

Sport
The best writers in bike sport. Bringing you the inside story on the riders, race bikes – and rucks – that make up the greatest spectacle in sport.

 

Ducati Panigale versus rivals Launch fanfare over, Ducati’s impressive Panigale is pitched into battle against the European and Japanese superbike elite.

Ducati Panigale versus its heritage Does the all-new Panigale take after its V-twin ancestors? Neil Hodgson rides and decides.

Panigale versus the TT course We know the Panigale is fast on smooth race tracks. But can the featherweight Duati survive a pounding on the TT course?

How Ducati became a billion-dollar firm Audi’s $1.1bn purchase of Ducati marks the climax of a 16-year rags-to-riches saga for the Italian firm. With the help of current and former bosses, MCN analyses its stellar rebirth.

The big picture: Ducati becomes what it is Forty years ago Paul Smart  rode the unfancied factory Ducati 750 at the Imola 200. The race changed Smart’s life and set Ducati on course to more rider’s and manufacturer’s titles than any other.

Rossi to partner Bradley? If Valentino wants to return to Yamaha, new MotoGP rules mean he’ll have to talk to Tech 3 boss Herve Poncharal.