Ducati Patents Frameless Roadbike
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010It looks like Ducati have been pleased with the Ducati MotoGP carbon fibre semi-monocoque frame that the design looks set to replace Ducati’s trademark trellis frame on its road bikes in the future too.
A recent patent application designed to protect Ducati’s GP9 and GP10 design which uses a structural airbox to bolt the steering head to the engine at the front of the motor, and to the sub-frame and swinging arm at the rear. The patent includes several references to roadbikes and production which clearly indicate that the design will be used on roadbikes in the future.
The main benefits of the frame are lower weight (a saving of at least five kilograms is envisaged over the existing road bike frames), greater rigidity, and greater design freedom.
The patent application can be found here.
- Patent application drawings of the new Ducati patent
- Patent application drawings of the new Ducati patent
- Patent application drawings of the new Ducati patent
- Patent application drawings of the new Ducati patent
- Patent application drawings of the new Ducati patent
- See-through illustration of the 2010 MotoGP Desmosedici GP10
- The GP9 frame with tank and fairing removed
- The GP9 steering head
- The GP9 frame in detail
- Close-up of the GP9 airbox
- Clockwise from top left: the 2009 MotoGP Desmosedici GP9, two patent application drawings and recently released see-through illustration of the 2010 MotoGP Desmosedici GP10
