They are some of the most desired bikes on the planet—Ducati—and though the factory has had difficulty getting its bikes to go fast in the past, recent years have seen innovations streaming from the Italian bike maker. The Panigale is a World Superbike race winner, the GP16 became a MotoGP race winner, and now Ducati might even release a street version of its ultra-powerful V4. So, what’s next for the big red bike factory? You might not believe us.
Is Ducati Designing Jet Engines?
Okay, let’s take a step back. Ducati doesn’t seem to be designing a jet engine, but it is designing some jet technology, and it might be showing up on its bikes soon. Patents filed by the Italian firm show that the bike maker wants to integrate jet technology into its exhaust systems.
This kind of tech won’t help your Panigale fly anytime soon, but Ducati has a good reason for exploring the technology. A jet could add extra thrust to a motorcycle when engine power has exceeded what a tire can put to the pavement. It can also keep the motorcycle from wheelieing, which will prevent wheelie control units from reducing engine power to keep the front wheel down.
Ducati’s design utilizes adjustable petals similar to what you would see on the back of a jet fighter. They adjust to increase thrust, but they could have the side effect of robbing engines of power. Many motorcycle engines rely on a free-flowing exhaust for extra power. Could a jet system actually rob engines of the power they seek to give the bike?
Naturally, an innovation like this would apply to race bikes more than street bikes, but there are possibilities. The attorneys who ride at the Metier Law Firm will continue to watch these updates, and let you know how they could affect your motorcycle riding in the future.