STONER'S DUCATI AUCTIONED FOR OVER $330K

As part of RM Auctions' two-day Monaco sale event, a pair of bona fide Ducati Desmosedici GP factory race bikes were put up for auction - Stoner's from 2010, and Rossi's from 2011. The factory racers the huge Saltarelli Ducati collection and a bunch of classic cars in being auctioned at Monaco. Both bikes represented unique opportunities for collectors, as the Ducati Corse racing department has never before offered such bikes directly to auction until the Monaco event.

When the hammer fell, Stoner's 2010 Desmosedici GP10 bike sold for $251,550 (AU$332,890 approx.), while the 2011-spec Rossi Desmosedici sold for $235,200 (AU$302,000 approx.). The Stoner bike is particularly significant, as it was the actual machine he won the 2010 Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Phillip Island.

The bike on offer was the 799cc D16 90-degree V4 engine with the 180-degree 'screamer' crankshaft, instead of the 360-degree 'screamer', which was developed at the end of 2009. Other changes on the 2010-spec bikes included a more rigid rear chassis section, with six mounting points instead of four. At least three different carbon-fibre swing-arms were trialled, with other chassis updates including a new headrace support and the suspension linkage design. Also new for 2010 was a larger diameter (48 mm) Öhlins TTxTR (through rod) front fork with 61-mm outer fork tubes, but the D16 still suffered front-end problems.

By this stage, Stoner had proven to be the only rider capable of handling the Desmosedici in MotoGP competition. Ahead of the 2010 season, Stoner had won 23 of the Desmosedici's 24 GP victories. Despite the mechanical changes, Stoner didn't get on the podium until midway through the season with this bike, at a time when the rumour mill started to pump out stories of Rossi's defection from Yamaha to Ducati to create the Italian "dream team" for 2011.

Towards the end of 2010, Stoner's form improved, thanks in part to suspension changes, a 12-mm shorter swingarm, and moving the riding position forward 10 mm. In this spec, the Ducati Desmosedici (but not this specific bike) delivered Stoner's first 2010 MotoGP victory at Aragon in Portugal. That was followed by victories in Japan and at Phillip Island.

The bike auctioned at Monaco is Stoner's actual Phillip Island-winning machine. Given the usually windy conditions at Phillip Island, the fairing's winglets, designed to reduce lift and improve cooling, were removed for that race to make the bike less susceptible to cross winds. Stoner led the Australian race from start to finish, winning at a race average speed of 175.100 km/h (108.802 mph).

RM Auctions expect that the offering of such a superb motorcycle is unlikely to be repeated, much less directly from the Ducati factory. Thus, the opportunity to acquire a genuine racing Desmosedici with successful, well-known provenance was one not to be missed. The Desmosedici GP10 was supplied with a certificate of authenticity from Ducati Corse, with the new owner also given a VIP tour of the Ducati factory in Bologna.

2010 Ducati Desmosedici GP10

Specifications
200+ hp liquid-cooled, 90-degree 799 cc V-4 four-stroke, desmodromic DOHC with four valves per cylinder; six-speed cassette-type gearbox with alternative gear ratios available; dry multi-plate slipper clutch; chain final drive; indirect Magneti Marelli electronic injection, four throttle bodies with injectors above butterfly valves; throttles operated by EVO TCF (throttle control and feedback) system; Shell Racing V-Power fuel; Shell Advance Ultra 4 lubricant; Magneti Marelli ignition; Termignoni exhaust; final drive Regina chain; Öhlins upside-down 48 mm front forks and Öhlins rear shock absorber, adjustable for preload, compression and rebound damping; Bridgestone 16.5-inch front and rear tyres; Brembo, two 320-mm carbon front discs with four-piston callipers; single stainless steel rear disc with two-piston callipers; dry weight 150 kg; top speed in excess of 310 km/h (192 mph).

History
Built: From 7/12/2009 to 11/12/2009 in Borgo Panigale
Started: 14/12/2009 in Borgo Panigale for bench test
First run: 3/2/2010 in Sepang Test
First race: 11/4/2010 in Qatar
Victory: 17/10/2010 in Phillip Island
2nd place: 7/11/2010 in Valencia
3rd places: 26/6/2010 in Assen, 4/7/2010 in Catalunya
Pole positions: 10/4/2010 in Qatar, 16/10/2010 in Phillip Island, 6/11/2010 in Valencia
Last race: 7/11/2010 in Valencia
Mileage: 4,232 km