2015 DUCATI PANIGALE R
FIRST RIDE
P58
three 20-minute sessions at the
swoopy, technical, roller-coaster
Imola track in between a single
session on the F15 Superbike on
which Chaz Davies finally broke
Ducati's three-year long World
Superbike losing streak earlier
this year at the Aragon round in
Spain, and riding that underlined
how close the two bikes now
are in terms of specification one
to the other. But the biggest im-
provement on the Panigale R is
rideability with the improved low
down torque on offer.
The Panigale R gains revs
like no desmo V-twin customer
roadbike ever created before,
and you need to keep your left
foot working the sweet-shifting
gear lever as fast as on a four-
cylinder screamer motor to keep
up with its appetite for revs. Dur-
ing my first session on the bike,
I repeatedly found myself hitting
the 12 grand revlimiter because
I'd been seduced into thinking
it was a desmo V-twin like any
other, which even in short-stroke
Panigale mode still gains revs
in a more measured way than a
four. Not now – you can't ride
this bike on anything approach-
ing auto-pilot, but must instead
pay close attention to the shifter
lights that start flashing 1000
revs below the cutout to tell you
to get ready to shift up – now!
Do so, and you'll find yourself
back in the super-power band
above 7500 rpm, where there's
a healthy kick of extra grunt –
"THE DUCATI'S ELECTRONICS
PACKAGE ON THE PANIGALE R
IS ESSENTIALLY THE SAME AS
FOUND ON THE 1299 PANIGALE
S MINUS THE ELECTRONIC
SUSPENSION, AND INCLUDES THE
BOSCH-SUPPLIED IMU/INERTIAL
MEASUREMENT UNIT."
in the sparkling acceleration out
of slow turns that was previously
lacking thanks to the ultra short-
stroke motor's architecture. A
combination of the reduced
inertia from the lighter crankshaft
assembly, Ducati's focus on re-
ducing friction, and Akrapovic's
intensive exhaust development,
plus the new higher-lift cam pro-
files are together mainly respon-
sible for the engine's improved
performance, allied with greater
(Top to bottom) Only
the really special
Ducatis have the silver
livery on the tanks.
Öhlins NIX30 forks
and radially-mounted
Brembo Monobloc
EVO M50 four-piston
calipers are as good as
it gets. No electronic
suspension adjustment
on the Panigale R but
you do get the best
track Öhlins shock you
can buy.
