DNA CEO Interview

[Gizmo]

Michael Lock, CEO of Ducati North America is interviewed on Superbike Planet. there are some very interesting comments on Pierre Tereblanche

So Pierre brings a lot to the party to R&D beyond penning the lines of the bike. Like I say, the 999/749 was not a commercial success. Very easy to shoot the designer for that, but designers don't bring bikes to market. They have to get through a whole bunch of hurdles before they get to market. So there were a lot of people in the company who signed off that project. Commercial people who signed off the project. And every now and then you get it wrong. The Hypermotard is selling quicker than we can make them. That's a Pierre bike. Pierre wasn't even briefed to make that bike. He did it in his own time. And wheeled it into R&D one day and said, "You think we could make that?" And they're like, "Wow!" So, the guy is definitely in credit, still, in the company. He's not in debit.

One of my favourites

And now came the 916, that was small and dainty and exquisite. But the initial reaction from the Ducatisti was "It's a girl's bike.

the interview provides a lot of insight into whats going on at Ducati and the future direction, Locks an interesting character and says what he thinks.

 

[vic]

Does that make the 1098 a 'girls bike' as well...

 

[Screwy]

Bit of a lengthy read but but very interesting never the less

And two of the techs in Pro Italia, two of the experienced guys, stood and looked at the bike (the 916) and said, "You know? Looks like a girl's bike." Because what they were used to was the 888, 851. These were muscle bikes.

So there you have it the 851/888 is the Pontiac Firebird of the bike world



Paul