VOL. 52 ISSUE 34 AUGUST 25, 2015 P87
could have listened to it all day.
Looking at the Ducati and hearing
it in the metal, you'd be forgiven for
thinking it was as useful in traffic as a
rocking horse at Hollywood Park. But
the extra capacity over
the old 1199 has not just
beefed up the bottom
end but also made it
smoother, and there's a
nicer, calmer response
from the ride-by-wire
throttle in practically
every throttle mode you
can engage. There's
more of everything
compared to the old
1199, especially in the
mid-range where the
old bike would fall on
its face before coming
back to life and tearing
yours off in the top end.
That instantly makes the
1299 a better roadbike
than the outgoing model, easier to ride
as well as more enjoyable.
The ease of the ride can lull you
into a false sense of security because
combined with the Zen-like balance
provided by the electronic Öhlins, the
1299 rolls at jail speed very, very easily.
So easily you might get a shock when
looking at the speedo and see triple
figures when you were sure you were
just hovering around 75 mph.
Let's get one thing straight here.
The Panigale is not just fast—it's stu-
pidly, mentally fast for a bike with a
number plate. It might
be a nicer bike to ride
at traffic and beach-
cruising speeds with
more electronics than
a Playstation, but it's
nothing short of violent
when you let it have its
head. It frantically tears
up the rev range with
your left foot constantly
throwing cogs at an
engine hungry like the
South African Shark
that spotted Mick Fan-
ning.
But you have to work
for your speed. Like
any real Italian machine
the Panigale takes
effort to understand and adapt to, to
find that special connection. A friend
of mine told me of comparing the new
Yamaha YZF-R1 to the 1299: "The R1's
doesn't make you feel special. It's like
a stripper; she's like that with all the
boys. The Ducati makes you work for
it, you appreciate it more. If you get it
right, she rewards you."
(Right) They didn't
come up with it, but
Ducati almost has
a patent on single-
sided swingarms for
superbikes these days.
(Far right) Traction
control is now
switchable on the
fly via the race-style
levers.
"FOR THE MOST
PART, THE 1299
IS MILES, MILES
BETTER THAN
THE OLD 1199.
ESPECIALLY IN
THE RIDE AND
STABILITY."
