The 2013 Ducati 1199 Panigale R2012 Ducati North America Retail Sales ReportIn January of 2012, Ducati North America’s General Manager Dominique Cheraki discussed the Bologna-based company’s new retail-identity program.
This initiative, which was discussed following a record-breaking year (2011) of sales in North America, aimed at enhancing the Ducati customer experience.Speaking of the retail-identity program, Cheraki said “the introduction of the retail identity program demonstrates Ducati’s commitment to its core brand values, while building a complete and seamless shopping experience for customers.“We are dedicated to a continual investment in the functional and emotional quality of our products, as well as the premium retail experience.”The 2013 Ducati Multistrada S GranturismoAnd this experience apparently worked. For 2012, Ducati North America reported earning its highest sales year in the company’s history, with a record of 10,883 motorcycles retailed.Though the entire motorcycle industry experienced marginal growth in 2012, Ducati North America says its sales increased 21 percent over 2011. Each North American region increased to arrive at this number – USA by 21 percent, Canada by 25 percent and Mexico by 7 percent.With this new yearly sales record, Ducati North America also achieved its 10th consecutive quarter of increased sales, which further solidified North America as its number-one global market.But it wasn’t only positive numbers regarding motorcycles; Ducati’s line of apparel and performance accessories also reached new sales records, growing 42 percent in 2012 over 2011.Cristiano Silei (CEO, Ducati North America) says: “Ducati’s new all-time sales record and the consistent growth in all North American markets confirm our customers’ extremely positive response to our products and marketing programs. We are fully geared to continue this growth in 2013 with many highly-anticipated new products and our strongest dealer network to date.”The 2013 Ducati Hyperstrada.Much of Ducati’s success is due to its wide-range of offerings in 2012, including its all-new 1199 Panigale superbike, the middleweight Streetfighter 848 naked, the Diavel cruiser, the Multistrada tourer, and the flagship Monster, which celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2013.Ducati further added to its lineup for 2013, offering a redesigned Hypermotard family that features an all-new 821cc Testastretta 11-degree engine and the Hyperstrada, a touring version of the Hypermotard. Ducati also released a Multistrada S Granturismo, the Diavel Strada, which adds some touring capabilities to the cruiser, and the 1199 Panigale R.With these new offerings, and the continuation of its retail-identity initiative, Ducati North America is likely en route to another year of record-sales growth.
Hello everyone and welcome once again to Ultimate Motorcycling’s weekly Podcast—Motos and Friends.
My name is Arthur Coldwells.
This week’s Podcast is brought to you by Yamaha motorcycles. Discover how the YZF-R7 provides the perfect balance of rider comfort and true supersport performance by checking it out at YamahaMotorsports.com, or see it for yourself at your local dealer.
This week’s episode features Senior Editor Nic de Sena’s impressions of the beautiful new Harley-Davidson Low Rider ST that is loosely based around the original FXRT Sport Glide from the 1980s. Hailing from The Golden State, these cult-status performance machines became known as West Coast style, with sportier suspension, increased horsepower, and niceties including creature comforts such as a tidy fairing and sporty luggage.
In past episodes you might have heard us mention my best friend, Daniel Schoenewald, and in the second segment I chat with him about some of the really special machines in his 170 or so—and growing—motorcycle collection. He’s always said to me that he doesn’t consider himself the owner, merely the curator of the motorcycles for the next generation.
Yet Daniel is not just a collector, but I can attest a really skilled rider. His bikes are not trailer queens, they’re ridden, and they’re ridden pretty hard. Actually, we have had many, many memorable rides on pretty much all of the machines in the collection at one time or another.
From all of us here at Ultimate Motorcycling, we hope you enjoy this episode!