Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/476137
2015 DUCATI 1299 PANIGALE S FIRST RIDE P56 than the 1199, but just as control- lably with excellent grip. This is thanks presumably to the 4mm lower swingarm pivot on the 1299 versus the stock 1199. (This was the position that Tati Mercado opted for on his FIM Super- stock title-winning Barni Ducati Panigale R, which has a choice of five different settings.) The 1299's new swingarm position provides less anti-squat, accord- ing to Ducati, thus allowing the suspension to compress more for increased grip on corner exit. Of course, it also helped that we were riding the 1299 at Portimao on exactly the same excellent E L E C T R O N I C S C H E A T S H E E T There are so many acronyms describing the multitude of electronic pro- grams incorporated in the Ducati 1299 Panigale S, that an explanation of this alphabet soup may come in useful. Here it is. ABS Bosch 9.1MP Cornering ECU is posi- tioned on the right side of the bike and weighs 2.2 pounds less than before. It regulates brake pad pressure according to grip as determined by speed sensors on each wheel, as well as the angle of the bike. It can also be switched off altogether. DDA/Ducati Data Analyzer with a GPS function it records a wide range of data, including throttle, road speed, gear selected, engine temp, distance travelled, rpm and lap times. It is down- loadable via Mac or stick. DES/Ducati Elec- tronic Suspension incorporates Öhlins Smart EC, an active control system which modifies suspension set-up during use via stepper motors so as to improve cornering grip, stability, braking and handling. The semi-active system links fork, shock and steering damper, regu- lating each independently. DQS/Ducati Quick Shift makes it possible to change gear in either direction without using the clutch, with a choice of four different settings— downshifts only, upshifts only, both together, or switched off—achieved via a bi-directional micro- switch integrated into the gearshift lever mecha- nism. The system works differently for upshifts and downshifts, interfacing with the ECU to incorpo- rate an auto-blipper func- tion during downshifts. DRE/Ducati Riding Modes allows the rider to choose between three pre-set modes to provide the optimum setup for different weather and road conditions. Each Riding Mode is programmed to modify the character of the engine and the settings of DES, DTC, DWC, EBC and ABS; even on the move. DTC/Ducati Traction Control provides a choice of eight different levels to supply a tolerance value for rear wheelspin, or can be switched off entirely. DWC/Ducati Wheel- ie Control is controlled via the IMU [see below] and uses an algorithm with a series of parameters— including speed, accel- eration, lean and pitch angles—to calculate if the front wheel is lifting from the ground, and by how much. There's a choice of 8 different levels according to which the system inter- venes by reducing power and torque levels in order to control the wheelie, or it can be switched off. EBC/Engine Brake Control optimizes the stability of the bike by bal- ancing the force acting on the rear tire under extreme engine braking. The EBC monitors the position of the throttle valve, the gear selected and the speed of deceleration of the crankshaft during extreme braking, and regulates the throttle opening via the Ride-by-Wire system. It does so according to a choice of three different settings to adjust the re- verse torque level applied to the tire. ECU/Engine Control Unit positioned on the right side of the airbox and controlling all engine management, including mapping of fuel injec- tion, ignition, idle speed and engine braking, with alternative maps automati- cally selected according to each different riding mod. IMU/Inertial Mea- surement Unit is a Bosch inertia platform located in the nose of the bike which measures acceleration in relation to three axes, and calculates the bike's lean angle and fore/aft pitch, interfacing with the ABS, DWC and Smart EC suspension to ensure these systems operate at optimum effec- tiveness. RBW/Ride-by-Wire is a digital throttle which allows the engine ECU to regulate power delivery by directly adjusting the throttle butterflies via an electric stepper moto, rather than a cable. This makes it possible to have different power and deliv- ery based on the selected Riding Mode, to alter the level of EBC and DTC. TFT/Thin Film Transistor dash uses advanced data visualiza- tion technology which allows the configuration of the color display to be adjusted automatically in order to provide the clearest possible data display according to riding conditions or the selected Riding Mode.