The commitment of Pirelli in WSBK is well explained by the numbers, certain to be repeated also in the 2010 World Championship which has just begun:

• More than 40 solutions developed each year for the different circuit requirements, weather conditions and driving styles of riders (nearly 48 for the 2009 championship alone)

• Progressive decrease of lap times by as much as 0.8 sec and race time by an average of 20 seconds, signifying faster and more consistent racing as well as a strong stabilization of race performance.

• Pirelli supports each round of WSBK with 8 service vehicles and up to 5,000 tyres (which must be industrialized products due to the quantities needed and the constraints of maximum uniformity), along with 30 staff between tyre engineers providing technical advice and service staff for the mounting / dismounting of tyres to all drivers of different classes.

• Solutions designed by R&D for the track emerge as technical benefits of the product range. Of the available dry solutions used by the Superbike and Supersport riders on the grid last season, one front and three rear solutions have already become part of the 2010 Pirelli Racing range.

With nine manufacturers and nearly 90 riders competing in the four classes of the championship, Pirelli’s seventh year as sole supplier marks a further increase of the absolute performance from its Diablo family of products, thus resulting in technologies uniquely injected directly into new tyres like the new Diablo Rosso Corsa for passionate road and track riding. Due to the industrial processes used to manufacture consistent product for each weekend of the WSBK season, the various technological breakthroughs in compounding, contact patch and structural materials discovered within this environment can be quickly transferred into Pirelli street product.

The first two year period of Pirelli’s relationship was dedicated to refining the service element to guarantee adequate support for all riders in the Superbike paddock. The next step then began with a true search for performance, improving lap times and cornerspeed for an elevated excitement and the shattering of circuit records. Over these last two years, Pirelli has reached a noteworthy stabilization of performance, that being a reduced lap times all the way to the checkered flag.

“After completing six enriching years as a partner in the Superbike World Championship, our team has found a proven formula of developing new technical solutions in this extreme environment, primarily through a commitment and involvement of our whole R&D department who share participation throughout the season. Our ultimate achievement has been the elevation of both performance and quality using an industrial process that allows us to spread these benefits throughout our entire radial tyre range.” – Giorgio Barbier, Racing Director, Pirelli Moto

In addition to the Superbike World Championship, Pirelli is also represented as the single tyre supplier in seven national championships, i.e. British Superbike, Canadian Superbike, Brazilian Superbike and the CIV Superstock 1000 in Italy. Pirelli’s competitive appetite is continually fed by the participation in nearly 85 different classes of 32 open national racing championships worldwide.

Pirelli Moto is delighted to announce the Diablo Rosso Corsa, the newest member of the successful ROSSO Generation and the only hypersport tyre for road and track use with WSBK technology. The new tyre supplements the Diablo Rosso in Pirelli’s sport range and effectively replaces its acclaimed predecessor, the Diablo Corsa III, by measurably exceeding its key performance values. Diablo Rosso Corsa matches the evolution of bikes’ needs in terms of handling and acceleration, as a technical component to reach the maximum potential by transferring more horsepower on the ground.

TARGET: EVERY DAY IS RACE DAY
The Diablo Rosso Corsa’s reach includes all true performance-oriented motorcyclists who push the limit from the mountain curves to the racetrack, specialists who can recognize the distinction between pure racetrack and pure road usage, and those who crave ultimate performances along with an aggressive tread design look. The new top-of-range for Pirelli Moto features a broader range of sizes, EPT (Enhanced Patch Technology) technology, and an undoubted grip level from its III zones compound. Pirelli’s development of this ultra-performance radial tyre was aimed towards today’s modern sport bikes characterized by new technological features and electronic aids, e.g. new ABS system, traction control, advance electronic management systems, suspension control and gear shifting systems. Diablo Rosso Corsa is structurally adaptive to the new generation of chassis with higher rigidity, allowing greater responsiveness for the optimal balance between grip and handling.

PRODUCT TECHNOLOGY
• Diablo Rosso Corsa is credited with 25 patents, along with grip enhancements from its Enhanced Patch Technology (EPT), a solution developed in the WSBK experience for an optimized contact patch area at all lean angles on road and track, for true confidence and power transfer to the ground in any riding condition.

• EPT is complemented by the III Zone Compound rear tyre whose new compound in the central
zone guarantees lasting performance and ample shoulder zone compound from WSBK.

• Diablo Rosso Corsa’s captivating tread pattern is designed with the winning FGD (Functional Groove Design) technology, which combines a slick-like area on the rear shoulders while the tread grooves are selectively concentrated for an aggressive tread design resulting in quick racetrack warm-up and consistent water drainage for great control on wet surfaces.

NEW PATENTS
• “H shaped” bead – the new design optimizes the sidewall stiffness, bringing increased support and precision at maximum lean angles. The layout of the “H shaped” bead wires creates a uniform pressure between the tyres and rim, creating a stiffness that improves stability both at lean and in straight-line riding, also reducing the risk of tyre slippage during severe racetrack usage. A reduction of the number of steel wires used in this layout also results in a lighter weight.

• High Performance Single Cord (HPSC): Using a single cord winding of the steel belt, Pirelli’s engineers were able to obtain a differentiated structure from crown to shoulder, in the center a road-oriented winding scheme for street handling and a racing winding scheme in the shoulders for track performance, while the total number of steel strings maintains a linear performance. The tread design and compounds are designed to assure maximum safety in all riding conditions, even in the wet: confidence and safety feeling are never compromised; in wet condition Diablo Rosso Corsa surpasses all race replica products.

COMPOUNDS: DERIVED FROM WSBK
The front compound is the result of WSBK top riders’ feedback whose indications resulted in the development of a solution that combines the highest grip without loosing the tread stiffness, in order to guarantee the necessary support during heavy breaking and the fastest exit from the curve. The III zone compound on rear represents the ideal way to offer the best performances required throughout different conditions (racetrack and road). The differentiated compounds between shoulders and centre zones is the winning solution engineered to give to Diablo Rosso Corsa the racing performance needed for the track and the long lasting performance for the road:

• Long mileage is guaranteed by high mechanical resistance materials on the Central Zone with a compound derived from Diablo Rosso experience, but even sportier; Pirelli engineers have inserted pecial resins and plasticizers optimized in terms of chemical properties and quantity to ensure the best balance between dry and wet grip. A new dedicated curing process increases the compound’s wear resistance, thus mileage.

• The wide shoulders adopt a new high hysteresis compound developed and used in the WSBK arena featuring continuous grip response and incredible traction even at high lean angle. The 100% Carbon black compound’s lower rigidity, especially at mid-low temperature, allows very fast warm up and reduces the temperature difference on the tyre’s surface for a very linear transition from one compound to the other. Specifically tuned WSBK resins from the Diablo Supercorsa are used which function at very high temperatures and levels of stress, distinctive elements of racetrack use. The wide shoulder zone offers WSBK grip starting from low lean angles, to exploit the new performance when needed, whether on racetrack or on road.

TREAD PATTERN: ATTRACTIVE DESIGN
The Diablo Rosso Corsa tread pattern adopts the same winning FGD technology (Functional Groove Design) concept of the Diablo Rosso tread, combining excellent slick-like racetrack performance together with great control on wet surfaces. The 100% slick area on the rear shoulders (nude shoulder) is available from low to high lean angles to allow WSBK racetrack feeling with calibrated grooves in the middle that maximize the contact patch: Transversal groove between rear central section and edges quickly disperse residual water and assure maximum grip throughout the corner, even on very wet surfaces. Another slick area in the center puts more rubber on the ground for traction and stability.

PRODUCT BENEFITS
Diablo Rosso Corsa confirms all the outstanding features of Diablo Corsa III in terms of comfort and stability, while enhancing to the utmost handling and grip. Diablo Rosso Corsa improves duration performance on racetrack, and above all on-road to ensure true road lasting and racetrack performance. Furthermore, Diablo Rosso Corsa improves wet performance compared to the Diablo Corsa III, confirming itself as the best in class for wet versus any race replica product.

AVAILABILITY
The Diablo Rosso Corsa is available in the following sizes: front, 120/70ZR17; along with rear 160/60ZR17, 180/55ZR17, and 190/50ZR17 as well as 190/55ZR17. More detailed information and videos of the Diablo Rosso Corsa as well as the entire range of Pirelli motorcycle tyres can be found online at www.pirellimoto.com .

With Pirelli’s new Diablo Rosso Corsa, the motorcycle tyre is transformed from a purely technical component into a “canvas” on which motorcyclists may write and communicate their story and inspirations. Pirelli Moto opens the road to tyre personalization with an industry first: the unique and exclusive possibility to apply special labels on the sidewall of the tyres, accepting a full name or initials, single words or entire messages, images, logos and colors. Dedicated spaces on the sides of the front and rear tyres of Pirelli’s newest ultra-performance tyre are specially designed to accommodate the innovative labels, which anyone can freely create from Pirelli’s website and receive at home.

The Diablo Rosso Corsa personalisation kit contains an exclusive set of six tyre labels and the necessary adhesive materials to apply them to the tyres’ sidewalls, and is available to create and order on-line directly from a special section of Pirelli’s website: www.pirellityre.com/drc.

In a simple yet new era of exclusivity, motorcyclists can choose from a vast selection of templates containing prestigious circuits of the Superbike World Championship, as well as designs and country flags, and compose even one’s own name or unique message in a variety of colors. In this simple but stylish way, the Diablo Rosso Corsa becomes an even more unique element of the bike as its expression of personal tastes makes it more possible for motorcyclists to differentiate themselves.

The Diablo Rosso Corsa is a hypersport tyre characterized by differentiated compound zones with an exclusive shoulder compound derived straight from WSBK, along with a performance-enhancing contact patch technology for a package that fuses superior craftsmanship and a “signature” look, both ultramodern and timeless. The tyre thus becomes a discreet element of style and is all about the consumers’ tastes. This Pirelli innovation makes the tyre purchase even more personal, since the labels can be applied only to Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa motorcycle tyres.

Label application and safety instructions can be downloaded from Pirelli’s website: www.pirelli.com.

With the arrival of Diablo Rosso Corsa, a new way of measuring tyres and their level of performance is born: the amount of horsepower the motorcycle transfers to the ground. The latest Pirelli tyre is the first on which intensive comparison tests were performed on a test circuit in order to measure the true “usable” power of the motorcycle.

The results show that the Diablo Rosso Corsa at any point in the circuit, when coming up from lean and at initial acceleration, is able to transfer to the ground at least 10 more Hp than any other tested reference with a peak difference of 40 Hp. This more exploitable horsepower delivered by the Diablo Rosso Corsa translates to quicker acceleration out of the corners, higher speed on the straights and ultimately lower lap times. These tests were run using a standard production Honda CBR 1000RR with normal production suspension and standard setup as recommended by the manufacturer, including tyre pressures for normal road use.

This coveted performance has been achieved by technical features such as its III zone compound with WSBK shoulder grip and EPT (Enhanced Patch Technology), as well as its patented structural elements like its H-shaped bead and 0° steel belt with new High Performance Single Cord. Pirelli tested the new Diablo Rosso Corsa against various reference products (Diablo Corsa III, Diablo Rosso, Dunlop Qualifier RR, Michelin Power Pure, Bridgestone BT 016 and Metzeler Sportec M5) at the Siracusa test circuit.

By securing instruments commonly used to analyze the telemetry data in the World Superbike environment, Pirelli was able to accurately measure the required parameters in order to calculate the power discharged by the tyre to the ground. These parameters form a true scientific logic and include: acceleration (in both its lateral and longitudinal components), instantaneous velocity, and lean angle. Among the various stages of the curve, the measurements were focused on the moments on corner exits and at maximum lean when the throttle is being reopened, which is precisely when a rider needs all available power on the ground to achieve the maximum acceleration.

The final calculations took into account the mass of the vehicle, including both the weight of the bike and rider, the true Force applied by the tyre to the ground is measured by the scientific formula F = m * a (force = mass times acceleration). The Power output is found by multiplying the force by the velocity (P = F * v). In this way, Pirelli’s R&D staff was able to measure the horsepower the bike was unloading to the ground moment by moment, centimeter by centimeter in various corners of the circuit in Sicily. More detailed information and videos of the Diablo Rosso Corsa as well as the entire range of Pirelli motorcycle tyres can be found online at www.pirellimoto.com.

THE TYRE THAT TRANSFERS POWER TO THE GROUND. The most notable innovation of the Diablo Rosso Corsa is the introduction of an effective method of measuring the true performance of tyres: the amount of horsepower which the motorcycle transfers to the ground. During the intense comparative tests carried out using the Diablo Rosso Corsa, the tester was able to transfer from the bike to the asphalt at least 10 Hp more than any other tested reference in each point of the track, with a peak of 40 Hp. These tests were conducted using a standard production motorcycle and a standard setup, and the Diablo Rosso Corsa was found superior to all other tested tyres in its ability to make the horsepower of the standard bike more usable.

THE TYRE THAT TELLS THE STORY OF THOSE WHO RIDE. The extreme technology inside Diablo Rosso Corsa is uniquely matched with the opportunity for motorcyclists to express their passions. With special customizable labels designed by riders themselves, the sidewalls of the Diablo Rosso Corsa become a calling card, where the rider may compose a personal message to be written on the tyres: including rider’s own name, beloved country flag, preferred circuit layout, and even in different colors. The dedicated areas on the front and rear sides of Pirelli newest hypersport tyre are specifically designed to accommodate the labels, which can be created on Pirelli’s website and received at home. The Diablo Rosso Corsa personalisation kit, containing an exclusive set of six special tyre labels and all the materials needed for application are available for purchase from the MY DIABLO ROSSO™ Corsa dedicated section of the official website: www.pirellityre.com/drc.

This past weekend at the famous Bugatti Circuit in Le Mans, France, the Team GSR-Kawasaki equipped with Pirelli Diablo Superbike tyres raced to victory at the 33rd edition of the 24h of Le Mans Moto 2010. This event represents the opening round of the 2010 Qtel FIM Endurance Championship and is considered the world’s most competitive 24-hour motorcycle endurance race. From the very beginning of the weekend, the #11 Kawasaki of Team GSR (Gilles Stafler Racing) and its three talented riders, Julien Da Costa, Olivier Four and Gregory Leblanc set the tone by taking the Superpole after leading all the qualifying sessions.

Taking the race lead after just few laps and despite constant attempts by its competitors, the No. 11 Kawasaki took advantage of the night to gradually increase its lead as much as 11 laps until the checkered flag was drawn on its second crew. The reliability of the motorcycle, the organization and preparation of the team, teamwork by its riders and the performance Pirelli tyres have allowed team “green” to defeat the former-champion Yamaha R1 bike of the YARTYamaha Austria Racing Team and the runner-up Suzuki GSX-R of Team RAC 41-City Bike.

The three riders were able to perfectly exploit Pirelli tyres to their maximum, even though the entire race was completed on standard tyres: Pirelli Diablo Superbike SC2 at the front and SC1 on the rear. Pirelli has once again demonstrated an effective performance, reliability and longevity of its Diablo Superbike tyres. This victory confirms the Italian manufacturer’s famous saying “We sell what we race, we race what we sell”, a strongly impassioned philosophy and proof that Pirelli Diablo tyres are a critical element to success. The final word is left to Team Manager of the GSRKawasaki Team, Gilles Stafler, who said: “We did a lot of laps (828) and Pirelli [tyres] worked well the whole time. This victory is the fruit of our work!”

The second round of the 2010 Qtel FIM Endurance World Championship will take place on the 22nd of May in Spain, which will host the 8 Hours of Albacete.

Pirelli announces the immediate availability of the new race-replica slick Diablo Superbike PRO on occasion of the pre-season World Superbike tests in Portimão, Portugal. The new tyre represents a natural link for end users to the professional racing world, extending experiences and know-how from years of WSBK activity to those devoted to competition training, trackday riding and racing for fun. All this in a rewarding package focused on performance lasting over multiple weekends, consistency throughout sessions and easy set up.

Compared to Pirelli’s Diablo Superbike SC tyres, the PRO’s more flexible carcass, higher duration compounds, a new structure derived from the hypersport range and 17” sizes with similar profiles, the Diablo Superbike PRO works perfectly even with a stock chassis and suspension. Riders need not adjust their bike’s suspension to compensate for the typical movement of professional soft racing compounds, nor make the 16.5 inch wheel conversion typical of full professional setup.

With a development firmly rooted in the Superbike World Championship, the Diablo Superbike PRO is painted with technology gathered from six years of experience as sole Official Tyre Supplier for the seven manufacturers and nearly 40 professional riders who set multiple track records over a dozen race weekends. However, today’s demand for more economical solutions from those passionate about on-track riding has altered the slick tyre scenario, since the semi-professional slick riding experience is now sought out by club racers for training as well as enthusiasts just for pure trackday fun.

New requirements are now centered on performance lasting: using the same tyres over many weekends, a resistance to frequent entrances / exits from the pit, easy bike set up and pure fun in every condition. Pirelli has widened its racing tyre range to fulfill the needs of this new market, in addition to meeting the traditional requirements of extreme performance.

At high tyre temperatures the PRO compound is characterized by a lower thermo-plasticity; a compound stiffness offering a reduced abrasion and thus improved wear, along with an increased capability to bear mechanical and thermo stresses, thus tyre behavior is predictable both in extreme and mild riding.

Structurally Sound

The Diablo Superbike PRO is characterized by an extremely versatile structure that adapts easily to a ‘stock’ motorcycle setup and combined with its higher duration compound guarantees maximum performances throughout more track sessions. Inside the carcass is Pirelli’s patented 0° steel belt, the backbone solution of Pirelli’s entire Diablo range of racing and supersport street products. The profile of the tyre is amazing in the corners, with massive grip at super high lean angles without the need to compensate for geometry change or install aftermarket products to properly fit the tyre in the swing-arm.

The carcass’s enhanced flexibility ensures higher dampening properties to better match the long lasting compound. As a result, the tyre is very stable and handles in a uniform manner; it is very balanced in corners and stable under braking. The PRO structure is developed to control the overall tyre temperature with a consequent reduction of wear throughout all tyre components, resulting in not only longer life but more consistency of performance. The profile of the new Diablo Superbike PRO is a duplicate of the SC version which properly distributes all stresses incurred by the contact patch area, thus enlarging the footprint area to transmit fully the available horsepower to the ground.

The slick tread design avoids all potential wear triggers, specifically in colder conditions, and improves the riding feeling versus standard racing DOT tyres. Diablo Superbike PRO is therefore the perfect combination of a racing profile, hyper-sport structure and a new generation of long lasting compound to deliver great braking stability and precise cornering, confidence at lean angles all the way to the maximum and optimal trajectory for the highest corner exit speeds.

High Performance at a Lower Cost

The real 100% potential of true professional slick tyres can be exploited only with a professional bike set up which can include special modifications (including a professional suspension system). This demands a high level of technical knowledge and can very often be extremely costly, which is not convenient for a typical racing for fun or trackday user. Therefore, Diablo Superbike PRO is designed to reach the maximum performance level of a stock bike with lasting performance and compared to racing DOT solutions of the same size and under the same conditions, will raise grip and feeling to an incredible level.

Diablo Superbike PRO is the ideal solution for club racers preparing for competition and racing for fun users looking for long lasting trackday enjoyment. It is easily recognized by a red stripe which is printed on the tyre and for its red “PRO” marking on the sidewall. Diablo Superbike PRO is not homologated for street usage (NHS – not for highway service) and is available in original equipment homologated 17” sizes for the front: 120/70R17; and rear: 180/55R17 and 190/55R17, so there is no need to adjust geometry, swing-arm length or gearing to be able to fit them, just mount them and go!

For tyre pricing of the Diablo Superbike PRO, please consult your local Pirelli motorcycle tyre dealer. More information regarding Pirelli’s entire range of racing tyres can be found on www.pirelli.com

Milan (Italy), 10th November 2009 – As the 2009 Superbike Championship has season has concluded with a newly crowned champion, American Ben Spies, Pirelli congratulates the first victory for Yamaha in WSBK (after that of Suzuki in 2006), which adds to the victories of Honda and Ducati from the start the experience as unique supplier. For Pirelli it also meant additional data from two new entrants, Aprilia Racing and BMW Motorrad. With eight manufacturers and over 120 world-class riders competing in the four classes of the championship, Pirelli’s sixth year as single tyre supplier continues add value to the absolute performance of the Diablo family of products and injects technology directly into new tyres like the Diablo Rosso Corsa for passionate road and track riding.

The first two year period of Pirelli’s relationship was dedicated to refining the service element to guarantee adequate support for all riders in the Superbike paddock. The next step then began a true search for performance, improving lap times and cornerspeed for an elevated excitement and the shattering of circuit records. During the last two years, Pirelli has continued to deliver a higher level of performance, but more noteworthy is the stabilization of performance, meaning reduced lap times all the way to the checkered flag.

Relative to this stabilized performance, the measured race time for 2009 decreased an average of 20 seconds over last year, signifying truly faster racing and a consistent competition level. From the 48 dry solutions available to riders this season between the World Superbike and Supersport grids, one front and three rear tyres will enter the 2010 Pirelli Racing product range and be available to all authorized customers on the market.

With as many as 6,000 tyres delivered each weekend on the WSBK calendar, the cutting-edge technologies bred within this environment can be quickly transferred into street product through Pirelli’s application of perfected carcass constructions concepts. For example, the new Diablo Rosso Corsa adopts a carcass from the Superbike class and shoulders of its III zones compound rear tyre being an offspring to those used in the Superstock class.

In addition to the Superbike World Championship, Pirelli is also represented as the single tyre supplier in four national championships: British Superbike, Canadian Superbike, Brazilian Superbike and the newly formed Pirelli Superstock Series in Spain. Pirelli’s strong always competitive appetite is fed also by participation in nearly 85 different classes of 32 open national racing championships around the world.

Pirelli opens its PZero fashion space in Milan to motorcyclists for a special presentation on occasion of the 67^th annual EICMA show

Milan (Italy), 10 November 2009 – Pirelli Moto is delighted to announce the newest model in its successful Diablo family and the only hypersport tyre for road and track use with WSBK technology: the Diablo Rosso Corsa. From the fast pace and intense SBK environment, where seven manufacturers and thirty world-class riders give feedback every weekend, is derived a superiority of tyre performance through maximum versatility and easy bike setup.

A Prestigious Name

Brand new for 2010, the Diablo Rosso Corsa situates itself in the performance demanding Racing Street segment, incorporating personalities from three well-known names in the Pirelli supersport range. Diablo – in honor of Pirelli’s prestigious mark that since the start of the new millennium has been considered a reference in the racing world and sportbike tyres, Rosso – after Pirelli’s all-Italian passion for racing, and Corsa – to reflect the noblest expression of the power of a breed. And so arrives the Diablo Rosso Corsa, Pirelli’s newly born top-of-the-range motorcycle tyre in the segment which sees use on both road and track. The new tyre supplements the Diablo Rosso in Pirelli’s sport range and effectively replaces its acclaimed predecessor, the Diablo Corsa III, by measurably exceeding its key performance values.

Every Day is a Race Day

The Diablo Rosso Corsa’s reach includes all competitive and passionate motorcyclists who push forward the limit from the mountain curves to the racetrack, specialists who can recognize the fine distinction between pure racetrack and pure road usage, and those who crave ultimate performances along with an aggressive tread design look. The new top-of-gamma for Pirelli Moto will feature a broader range of sizes, patented EPT contact patch technology, and a never doubted grip level from its III zones compound. Diablo Rosso Corsa fuses Pirelli’s renowned WSBK technology with maximum versatility to complement the high horsepower and handling capabilities of the modern sportbike line-up.

Product Technology

Diablo Rosso Corsa is credited with three patents, the foremost being Enhanced Patch Technology (EPT), derived from the WSBK experience for an optimized contact patch area at all lean angles on road and track, for true confidence and power transfer to the ground in any riding condition.

EPT is complemented by the III zones compound rear tyre whose new compound in the central zone guarantees mileage and ample shoulder zone compound is straight from the WSBK arena.

Diablo Rosso Corsa’s captivating tread pattern includes a slick-like area on the rear shoulders while the tread grooves are selectively concentrated in the center and shoulders, an aggressive tread design resulting in quick warm-up and consistent water drainage for great control on wet surfaces.
With the new Diablo Rosso Corsa, WSBK performance is now in the hands of a street-legal road tyre for an unbeatable feeling for the rider, including safety in all weather conditions and remarkable racetrack performance.  EVERY DAY IS A RACE DAY.

Availability

The Diablo Rosso Corsa will be available on the European market starting in January 2010 starting from initial sizing: front 120/70ZR17, along with rear 160/60ZR17 (April 2009), 180/55ZR17, and 190/50ZR17 as well as the 190/55ZR17 size.  More detailed information and videos of the Diablo Rosso Corsa as well as the entire range of Pirelli motorcycle tyres can be found online at www.pirellimoto.com.

Milan (Italy), 10th November 2009 – Pirelli Tyre, S.p.A and Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A have strengthened their longstanding partnership with an agreement to fit all models with Pirelli motorcycle tyres beginning from the 1st of January 2010. Pirelli and Ducati are two leading brands with deep similarity: both have a DNA filled with a passion for motorcycling, technical excellence, a devotion to the world of racing, and a unique Italian style.

The agreement between these two premium brands appropriately confirms an existing collaboration which began years ago with Pirelli developing dedicated solutions for Ducati models and the support of marketing initiatives like the Ducati Desmo Challenge. Consumers and dealers alike shall benefit from one unique tyre range and a closer connection between the brands’ existing communities.

Gabriele Del Torchio, President of Ducati Motor Holding, commented: “We can only be very happy and proud of this partnership. It is not only a commercial agreement but a constructive collaboration between two important Italian companies. Pirelli and Ducati are two examples of Italian industrial excellence that, in terms of innovation, productivity and competence, demonstrate their winning spirit in both the sporting and business areas. A partnership such as this, the latest in a line of important collaborations with selected suppliers, allows us to contribute to the development of our bikes, in terms of both performance and safety.”

In occasion of the EICMA show, Pirelli opens a “Fuori Salone” at its PZero Showroom to present the new top-of-range hypersport tyre Diablo Rosso Corsa, dedicated to motorcyclists with a sporty riding style who use their bikes on the road and track. This new tyre will be immediately equipped on the 2010 Monster 1100S.

The main highlight of Ducati’s presence at EICMA, the new 2010 Multistrada, will come equipped with the Pirelli Scorpion Trail enduro street tyre with new 120/70ZR17 front and 190/55ZR17 rear, the latter being a first for the enduro segment since the size is typically reserved for hypersport tyres. The new Hypermotard EVO SP will be fitted with the Diablo Supercorsa SP, originally developed for the 1098R, whereas the base model of the Hypermotard will use the Diablo Rosso.

Added Guglielmo Fiocchi, Managing Director of the Moto Business Unit of Pirelli Tyre, “Pirelli’s original equipment program is a key component which drives product development and adds value to our leadership in the motorcycle world. Ducati is a natural partner for us and we are thrilled to maintain a longstanding partnership between our two Italian companies.”

More detailed information the new Diablo Rosso Corsa mentioned in this release as well as the entire range of Pirelli motorcycle tyres can be found online at www.pirellimoto.com.