2001 Reve RedBull (2002 IFC) Ducati 996 RS - Making of a Superbike

It is difficult to believe that this 6 year build is almost complete. After working on the different aspects of this build, I get a real sense of the technology as well as the "research and development" provided by the Ducati factory and the race teams that is required to produce the ultimate Superbike. This is not a "tarted up" street bike, but a purpose built racer. 

In 2001, the claimed horse power was 184 bhp. However, riding my other 996 rs with a "de-tuned" engine to 165 bhp to improve reliability as a "track weapon", I was still able to take that bike up to 75 mph in just first gear without issue and still had to use the rear brake to minimize the effect of "power wheelies". Not at all useable for the street if we are being honest. I can only imagine the effect of riding an ultra light Superbike with a 184 bhp power plant at the track much less on the street. Below is a photo of this 996 rsengine that Toine Biggelaar found and rebuilt for this project.

Toine is a very well known engine builder in Europe and the UK and quite the expert in building modern Ducati Superbike engines from his 3rd generation Ducati shop in Osterwijk, The Netherlands. Toine also built my other 996 rs engine that is the most fun that I have had on a racing machine or any machine for that matter. Used to busy shifting when racing the Ducati 748 rs and 750 bevel drives. I find that I am so much more relaxed riding the 996 rs with all of its useable torque even at full speed. 

It has been reported that in 2001, that the Reve RedBull team opted to use the Corse triple injection system and the Micron exhaust which allowed them to get approximately 4 more bhp out of the bike over other teams. Each team has their own "recipe" for maximizing performance and to tailor the "set-up" for each specific rider. This bike was one of John Reynold's title winning machines in 2001 that teammate Sean Emmett used in the 2002 season of British Superbike when he was the number 1 rider with the IFC Ducati team according to the paperwork. Below is the triple injection system before it was mounted into the bike. 

Ray Stringer, I am told, was in the management group with the Reve RedBull team and was also the team manager for IFC Ducati in 2002. Additionally,  I have been told by some sources that he was very instrumental in designing race components that also aided their efforts to pursue more horsepower and performance such as bell mouths for the injection system. I also found it interesting that he devised an adjustable system for changing the steering angle using an aluminum tube in the headstock and with an aluminum steering stem to connect the two pieces of the magnesium yokes/triple clamps. The photo below shows the componentsbefore they were painted black in the Reve RedBull paint scheme. These are the "wide-track" items that were used with the massive Superbike FG9760 Ohlins forks for significant stability. 108 mm Brembo billet Superbike calipers brought the bike to a stop as needed. 

Ohlins suspension, magnesium wheels, magnesium swingarm with large Corse axle, magnesium yokes/triple clamps and Carbon Fiber/fiberglass bodywork. This Reve RedBull Ducati comes with the Ducati Corse 996 rs carbon fiber fuel tank and carbon fiber airbox with the extender that added volume to the airbox by extending all the way to the steering head. Engine case breather box is also a Ducati Corse factory item with the black silicone hoses mounted. Interesting to me at least is that the other bodyworkis fiberglass and was made by Fibre Tech which was one of the team sponsors. I have a set of the white Ducati IFC side panels from 2002 with the Fibre Tech label in it with blue "over-spray" on the inside of the panels when they were Reve RedBull items, thus demonstrating the history of these bits as they progressed from team to team. 

There have been times that I have felt that I was working on an airplane. Thanks to Larry and Chris at MotoCorse Performance who have been a huge help in providing key Corse bits and their extensive knowledge from racing, set-up and the electronics packages. The wiring loom/harness is heavy duty and with big connectors that connect the triple injection system, the data logger, the telemetry system, and the Lamda sensor to the computer "brain" of the bike. All of this technology to aide the team and the rider to "dial-in" their settings to maximize the performance of the Ducati Superbike at each race event. The telemetry system measures the suspension travel and the Lamda system measures the efficiency of the performance of the engine as measured by the exhaust gases in the exhaust system. The Lamda system can be seen plugged into the exhaust pipe just to the upper left of the clutch cover. 

The light blue Lamda computer has its own tray that attaches to the underside of the rear of the subframe and lines off of the wiring loom/harness travel under the seat to plug into the Lamda controller with data from the plugs in the exhaust system. Even in 2001, this was the height of technology. This is one of the reasons that I love racing as it fuels the passion for greater and more significant advances in technology which in turn benefits us all. 

Not only is this Reve RedBull an amazing piece of technology, it is in my opinion, one of the most striking color schemes in racing. It is unique how much this blue matches the blue of a can of the RedBull energy drink. Being Scottish, I am partial to Blue & White (St Andrew's Cross flag of Scotland) and Red & Yellow (Rampant Lion emblem )(USMC colors as well) so in my opinion, it has everything that a striking color scheme can have! 

It is my hope that you enjoy this walk around of the almost complete Reve RedBull Ducati 996 rs. The Worldcom decal for the seat base has been made and applied. Now the only thing missing is for my seat maker to complete the foam seat base on the Fibre Tech seat pad base and that should be this week. Otherwise, I hope that you enjoy some of my recent photos after I assembled the bodywork and applied the decals.