Ducati lines up first Rossi-branded bike

Ducati has launched the first of what surely must be lots of Valentino Rossi branded bikes; starting the process with a pair of MotoGP-inspired Monsters.

Ducati has said from the moment it signed Rossi to race the Desmosedici in MotoGP that it would be desiging Rossi-themed motorcycles. The Monster is the first.

The paintschemes are part of the Monster Art series which now has the “GP Replica” to add to the range. Previous models in the Art series have added around £540 to the price of the standard bike.

The kit will fit any from the Monster range including the 696, 796, 1100, 1100S and new 1100Evo.

The bikes will be presented tomorrow night (March 4) in Bologna as an expected 50,000 Rossi and Ducati fans will gather to send the team off to the first round of the MotoGP championship at Qatar on March 20.

The Ducati press release states:

Starting from early evening, the huge event promises a packed program of entertainment with a concert and star-studded line-up of VIPs joining in the Ducati party until the riders appear on stage with the Desmosedici GP11 at 9pm.

The celebration, in Bologna’s Piazza Maggiore, is intended to be a passionate send-off to the Ducati Marlboro Team just prior to their first race of the year in Qatar later this month, and as the two factory riders appear on stage to greet an expected 30,000 fans, the new Monster Art GP Replica schemes will also be presented.

First introduced in 2009, the innovative Monster Art project offered an additional range of colours to the standard factory options with a collection called “Colour Therapy”, while in 2010 the introduction of the “Logomania” collection celebrated 50 years of historic Ducati logo styles.
 
Changing the colour and character of any model in the Monster line-up in just 10 minutes is the genius of the Monster Art program, and a feature that passionately supports the Monster culture of customisation.

Consisting of tank panels, micro-bikini fairing, single-seat cover and front mudguard, the kits have now become a modern canvas in the world of motorcycle art and a unique method of Monster personalisation.

Fast-forward to 2011, the pre-season “Ducati MotoGP Night” and the roll-out of two new GP Replica Monster Art schemes dedicated to factory riders, Nicky “The Kentucky Kid” Hayden and Valentino “The Doctor” Rossi.

The new kits have been inspired by the livery of the Desmosedici GP11, which will power both riders this year, with a white design presented on a background of red.

Each GP Replica scheme is decorated with the riders’ respective logos and further personalised with Rossi’s signature flash of fluorescent yellow and famous racing number “46” and Hayden’s starred number “69”.