Ducati 1199 Panigale. Just came out this year and all the bike magazines are raving about it. So I went down to the local Ducati dealer to see what all the fuss was about.

I have a Ducati Supersport. My Supersport is a hammer and the Panigale is a surgical instrument! What a bike!

It has 195 hp (translates to about 175 at the rear wheel), full Ohlins electronically-controlled suspension, ABS, traction control, wheelie control, etc. All programmable from the seat.

This is the most precise-handling and powerful bike I've ever ridden. I took it up the Sandia Crest road which starts at around 6,000 ft and ends at 10,600 ft with hundreds of beautiful mountain curves in between.

It had a few niggles that I didn't like, such as the seat getting pretty hot (close proximity of the exhaust), and a little bit of a flat spot at low RPM (between about 5-6K). I got the rear tire to spin accelerating out of a curve, but it still felt pretty planted and the traction control took over almost seamlessly. Ducati did a great job on this one! The one I rode goes for $21,000 (Panigale S).

Awesome. I'm jealous. A new exhaust system, or even just a new pair of slip-ons should alleviate the heat issue. A remap might help with the flat spot too. I had an 848. Such a beautiful, great handling bike.
I've been riding motards for the past couple of years and I still feel that my KTM 690 SMC is the best bike for me. Way more comfortable and better for the street than anything else. I've been working on a 996S track bike and can't wait to finish it.
Have you had a chance to ride the Aprilia RSV4? I've heard it's a monster.

Sweet!

Must be nice to have roads that do it justice.

I would just be wasting a bike like that.

If I get anything again it would be a Scrambler or Honda 700 x with an Auto gearbox.

PS I hate you.

HomieG wrote:Awesome. I'm jealous. A new exhaust system, or even just a new pair of slip-ons should alleviate the heat issue. A remap might help with the flat spot too. I had an 848. Such a beautiful, great handling bike.
I've been riding motards for the past couple of years and I still feel that my KTM 690 SMC is the best bike for me. Way more comfortable and better for the street than anything else. I've been working on a 996S track bike and can't wait to finish it.
Have you had a chance to ride the Aprilia RSV4? I've heard it's a monster.

I have a friend who has the RSV4 "Max Biaggi" model. I'm going to have to borrow it to see how they compare.

That looks like so much trouble I'd like getting in to.

I'm a little rusty about motorcycles but that thing looks badass!

A machine with surgical precision....
Hell..I'm told old and set in my ways..but I sure can appreciate it.
For me..all my bikes need a good stereo and cruise control...

rustell wrote:A machine with surgical precision....
Hell..I'm told old and set in my ways..but I sure can appreciate it.
For me..all my bikes need a good stereo and cruise control...

No stereo or cruise control for me. I'm right at half a century, so guess I'm in the "old" category, but really can't see myself on a Harley or Goldwing. If a bike can't go fast, and go fast around corners I don't want it.

I still think that wrestling a flexible horror show mess of a 400cc two stroke through corners with bias-ply tires slip-sliding away is probably more fun than traction management.

Where I live there are plenty of roads that would be fun to ride that bike on but to many deer bear and some of them moose. I would love to test ride that machine at a track. Is the maintanence some thing with in reach of an owner with a haines manual and a set of wrenches and sockets or does it take a computer? I guess I can get by ton up on a push rod with mechanical valve train.

Fukshot wrote:I still think that wrestling a flexible horror show mess of a 400cc two stroke through corners with bias-ply tires slip-sliding away is probably more fun than traction management.

I agree... that's why I'll probably keep the old Supersport - no ABS, traction control, etc. I actually like sliding around the corners and depending on rider skill instead of electronics to keep me upright.

eelj wrote:Where I live there are plenty of roads that would be fun to ride that bike on but to many deer bear and some of them moose. I would love to test ride that machine at a track. Is the maintanence some thing with in reach of an owner with a haines manual and a set of wrenches and sockets or does it take a computer? I guess I can get by ton up on a push rod with mechanical valve train.

We have deer and bear also, but probably not as much of a problem as some parts of the country.

As far as maintenance, I think it could be done in one's garage. Starting with the Panigale they did away with the timing belts and went to chains, it has a wet clutch now, and the valve check is up to around 15K. It still has the Desmo valves (no valve springs - it has opening and closing cams), but they're not hard to do... unlike some Japanese bikes the cams don't have to come out to change shims. Most of what you'll be doing on this bike is changing tires - probably more often than the oil. I think that with "spirited" riding rear tire life will be about 2,000 miles; maybe 4,000 for the front tire. One track day would probably eat one or two sets of tires.

At 72 yrs young, I finally stopped taking my RoadGlide to track days. With the dry conditions, the sparks from my floorboards were a concern, And they also forbid me setting the cruise and cd player with jj cale to run the track! Heathens!

paul

I've been drooling over the tri-colour version ever since I came across it on Ducati's website.

eelj wrote: Is the maintanence some thing with in reach of an owner with a haines manual and a set of wrenches and sockets or does it take a computer? I guess I can get by ton up on a push rod with mechanical valve train.

Maintenence, probably, with some special tools. Repair is likely a very different story. Also, unlikely to find a Haynes for it. Factory manual (add a few hundred bucks to the price of the bike to get the book).

I don't know much about bikes,well a little but I love that thing but for me I think a Honda 600 RR would be it,that 1199 is just a bit too much for me,