Ducati 1299 Panigale S 2015, brutally intense [ROAD TEST]

Ducati 1299 Panigale S MY2015 – Only praise for what for many is the best motorbike that can be bought. There are many adjectives we could use, because it is intense, adrenaline-filled, very light, very powerful, wonderful on an aesthetic and mechanical level, but much more. This year the comparisons have been wasted, due to the simultaneous release of very juicy innovations in this market segment. Honestly, we find it a way to present them all together, but a real comparison really doesn't make any sense. You don't choose a bike like this for a tenth more or less per lap, at least in our opinion. The alternatives are called BMW S1000RR, Aprilia RSV4 and Yamaha R1, the other opponents have remained distant after the important step made by these with the 2015 model of year, all monsters with around 200 horsepower. They are so close in performance that we really believe it is more logical and sensible that a choice should be based on other factors, more emotional and linked to the philosophy with which each interprets the same concept. The BMW of the 4 is the most comfortable for road use, for example, while the Aprilia between the curbs is still the favorite of those who have loved it since the versions of previous years. What appear to be the two biggest innovations this year, the new R1 and "our" 1299 Panigale S, if they are very close in terms of lap times, in terms of riding sensations and aesthetic taste they are perhaps the furthest between all. The Japanese is a sharp and precise weapon, beautiful certainly, but without that charm that no other motorbike has, after admiring the jewel of the Ducati brand up close.

Photo by “LINGEGNERE”

Even sitting on the saddle, the flavor of the Panigale is profoundly different. You ride knowing that the electronics keep everything under control, but the bike is decidedly more nervous and offers unique sensations. The pleasure of feeling better after having entered a corner with the bike a little disorganized is something far more satisfying, even if in the end it is always you who does most of the "dirty work". This is why for us from many points of view the new Panigale is the best, also for fantastic semi-active suspension of the “S”, sensational on the track as much as on the road, here too electronics do things that in the past were not even conceivable.

Aesthetics and finishes:

rating:  

Live it's even better, a little masterpiece

Photo by “LINGEGNERE”

We are always in the realm of subjectivity, but here we are very close to the concept of "objectively beautiful". Live more than in photos In fact, the Panigale knows how to be unique and fascinating. Show off so much aggression in such an elegant dress that the automotive parallel with a Ferrari seems almost obligatory, even if now that they are under the same roof we should compare it to a Lamborghini.

Photo by “LINGEGNERE”

Alone or accompanied a beautiful woman like in the shots we reserved for her it takes your breath away and attracts glances perhaps more than a model or a Huracan. The crisis in the motorcycle market aside, super sports bikes in our area have suffered such a decline in interest that, if there weren't other markets where they still "make the numbers" (like the American one), perhaps some would even stop producing them. However, interest remains high on the part of those who don't buy them, but admire them. Its tourist sister, with which it shares the starting point of the engine and more, the Multistrada, is certainly sold in more units, but does not attract the curiosity of the public (even the female one) so much. A masterpiece comparable only to its most successful ancestor, at least in recent times, the 916 which immediately became a classic. Perhaps the only one to convince practically everyone. The mix of elegance, style and aggressiveness of the 1199 Panigale (winner of the prestigious Compasso d'Oro award), lean and streamlined like a 125 from a few years ago, but with an engine of over 10 times as much cubic capacity, receives minor updatesand an higher and more protective fairing, new mirrors and a modified fairing to accommodate larger air vents. The shape of the tail and the right fairing are also new, also modified to make room for the growing mechanics, exhaust manifolds included. As standard, the bike comes as a single seater, however supports and footpegs can be applied, as well as an extra piece of saddle for the passenger (provided there is someone willing to take a seat in the back).

Engine and performance:

rating:  

The displacement and power increase, but above all the torque in between

The weight/power ratio has for some time now, for the most high-performance sports cars, exceeded the threshold of one horse per kilogram of weight. But with the 1299 Panigale hits another record, exceeding this limit even with the horses detected at the wheel! Also thanks to a SBK dry weight of just 166,5 kg (190,5 in running order), but above all to the extraordinary value of 205 horsepower (+10 compared to the “old” 1199), the same as its sister 1199 Panigale R, but delivered a thousand rpm lower, at 10.500. The gap grows at the maximum torque item, because the value of 1299 is higher, 144,6 Nm (+ 8,4) and lower by 1.500 rpm (8.750 versus 10.250). thanks to the increase in displacement obtained with one unchanged stroke and with the bore growing up to 116 mm (against 112), For a real displacement of 1285 cc. These are the numbers, already significant in themselves, but the changes are many and substantial: connecting rods, shaft, piston rings change. The exhaust is also increased, to allow the “L” twin cylinder to fill in the central part of the use range. Ducati declares an increase in the order of 15% in performance from 5 to 8 thousand rpm. You can definitely feel it in the guide. The new 1299 Panigale returns to being the Ducati of all time, the one that "comes behind" even with an extra gear, forgiving a mistake or allowing you to enter corners under torque to avoid having to make a complicated shift with the bike at an angle. There is a lot of torque and it always arrives when you open the throttle, but you don't notice a major change in character when revs go up. Indeed one of the best sides of the 1299 Panigale is that so much exuberance immediately seems easy to manage and within everyone's reach (at least on the track). Once upon a time, a motorbike like this would perhaps only have been manageable by professional riders, today you can open the throttle mid-corner and put yourself in the attentive hands of the electronics, without risking practically anything. And if we have perhaps gone further with cars, because according to many even supercars are becoming short on important emotions, with motorbikes the situation changes. Especially in Casa Ducati, because everything is refined to maintain good space for the rider to have fun, leaving the possibility for the bike to make the rider feel that it is going fast, because the 1299 Panigale S is on the tracks, but travels them with small "dirt", with that hint of movement that leaves a much more interesting flavor to those who manage it from above their saddle. The traction control is almost perfect (everything can always be improved). In its joint action with l'anti wheeling allows crazy things, like opening the throttle wide open in "on/off switch" mode and reaching over 240 km/h on the short Franciacorta straight, achieved with the bike "floating" on the front left free by the electronics to lift from time to time, giving an "important" smile under the helmet of the rider, in addition to the desire to turn the handlebars with the head down in the fairing, like real riders do... All topped off with the possibility of setting the engine braking to your liking, things that only a few years ago they couldn't even do it in Superbike and MotoGP. Let's remember that a 1299 Panigale today has more power than an official Superbike from 10 years ago is that, with a few interventions, we get close to the performance of a modern SBK. Compared to other current bikes, in addition to moving more, it also seems to be more forgiving, both in terms of chassis and engine. It is truly surprising how well it allows you to exit a corner even with an extra gear and the thing that is impressive is that even in that case by opening the throttle with the bike at an angle the traction control still works, demonstrating that a bike like this, without electronics, it would only be drivable by a very, very few. Not missing the Ducati Quick Shift, which allows you to shift without the clutch and without having to manage the accelerator, both when downshifting and uphill. The clutch is basically only used when starting and in that case it must be dosed wisely and with a good burst of gas, otherwise you end up with the bike turned off. Also for this reason it is certainly not at ease at traffic lights and in urban traffic, where the heat on the right side is felt quite a lot, but this is not a major flaw for a bike that certainly doesn't make the city its habitat.

Ride and handling:

rating:  

Brutally intense

Two words that convey the concept better than many others, we used them in the opening title, we reiterate them in this paragraph on the guide. We allowed ourselves to steal them from our photographer Alessio Sanavio (aka Lingegnere), who after driving it wanted to summarize it for us like this. Many times numbers do not translate into emotions, or rather, the expectations that arise from reading the numbers do not translate into such strong emotions. Just to make a comparison at Audi, just the day before taking the Panigale to the track we were behind the wheel of a very fast Lamborghini Huracan. 610 horsepower, 0-200 in less than 10 seconds and 325 km/h top speed. All for a list price of over 200 thousand euros. Numbers that almost give shivers to any motor enthusiast, together with the aesthetics of a true supercar. In the end, on paper it is also much more comfortable and usable than an extreme motorbike with 205 horsepower and which as standard is strictly a single-seater, to always be ridden with a full-face helmet and leather suit if you have a bit of salt in your head. Instead we find ourselves here noting that we wouldn't think for a single moment between the two, maybe it's because the bike has another charm for us, but in addition to choosing it, we'd like to ride it again and not just on the track. Yes why the new Panigale, especially thanks to the semi-active suspension, can be much more usable even over potholes and imperfections in the asphalt of a road. Just to take it for a walk on one of those routes that are sought out today with a sports tourer, we would be willing to put up with it straight on on the motorway even for a long journey (where it is obviously not the best in comfort), and then enjoy it among the curves. Roads like the Route Napoleon, the Grossglockner Pass and other Alpine routes with some nice wide curves in addition to the tight hairpin bends come to mind. Like when you climbed the Bernina pass coming from Tirano, after reaching the highest point you arrive at some wonderful bends to be taken at speeds that would require you to take out your driving licence, or staying within the limits, brushing them softly and enjoying the landscape and an almost unique motorbike. After this philosophical and somewhat romantic parenthesis, let's return to the concrete. The 1299 Panigale S is an evolution of the "old" 1199 which has a clear and well-defined objective. Having left the task of "acting as a basis" for the Superbike to the Panigale R, the 1299 is made for those who don't want to use it in races, but want to enjoy it between the curbs as well as on the street, without necessarily having to be an expert pilot. Two big steps forward have been made: midrange delivery given by the increased displacement (but not only) and the chassis which, especially in the “S” version, is equipped with Öhlins with semi-active mode both for the fork and for the rear mono, it now allows it to be faster and above all more drivable, in every context. Small adjustments in the odds, with half a degree less (now 24) of inclination of the steerer tube and 4 mm lower the swingarm pivot rear, to give her more traction. However, the revolution is made by the 30 mm Öhlins NIX43 fork with upside down legs and the TTX36 monoshock, both fully adjustable and above all with electronically managed hydraulic rebound and compression brakes..

Photo by “LINGEGNERE”

In addition to “normal” operation (Fixed), you can set that “dynamic” (Event Based), thanks to which the stresses (and therefore also the driving style) are detected modifying in real time and continuously the hydraulic brake of the suspension in compression and extension, as well as the setting of the steering damper (stiffer when exiting corners and as speed increases). This ensures an always optimal response in terms of set-up, also based on the choice between one of the 5 selectable configurations (from soft to hard). Then all the goodies of the "old" 1199 remain, such as the IMU inertial platform (Inertial Measurement Unit), which allows you to take advantage of the Cornering ABS developed by Bosch (which "reads" not only the locking of the wheels, but the inclination of the motorbike and the slipping of the tires when cornering), or the Ducati Wheelie Control to manage the wheelie or the now famous traction controls and engine brake management which already placed the Panigale at the top of the category in terms of "electronics package". Two buttons on the left handlebar block can be set for quick selection to your liking, for example to have more or less engine braking in a certain curve, or to choose one of the 8 levels of intervention on the wheelie. If you think it's all too complex to manage, don't worry, just choose the Riding Modes intermediate (between Wet, Sport and Race) and you already have an ideal setting to have fun without fear, even on the track. The “Panigalona” is also very stable when braking, thanks to the 330 mm semi-floating front discs with Brembo EVO M50 monobloc calipers, always safe thanks to the “evolved” ABS, even if it moves a little. As we mentioned, it is almost a choice of philosophy rather than a defect, the bike seems nervous, but in reality It's easy to drive once you gain confidence, though to take it to the limit the physical and psychological commitment is no small feat. On the track it's surprising how embarrassing it seems to go fast, it almost seems like it doesn't need the skills of the driver, who is helped a lot by the electronics (even if in the end you always need a big handle to break the tempo). Thanks above all to the real and most important innovation, exclusive to the 1299 Panigale S: le Ohlins Smart EC Suspension that they put electronics at the service of cycling. Apart from some other details (forged black rims, LED rear light and carbon mudguard), they are the biggest difference between the "S" and the "standard" 1299 Panigale, which costs almost 5.000 euros, but which make it a 'another motorbike.

Price and consumption:

rating:  

Compared to the contents, the price is also "interesting"

Years ago the differences between the Japanese and the top versions in the Ducati price lists were more marked. To date, taking a look at the figures, if you are not immune to the lure and charm of the Panigale, the 22.990 euros of a Yamaha R1M (just to give a concrete example) seem to amply justify the price list, which includes 20.990 euros for the base, which rises to 25.740 for the 1299 Panigale S with semi-active Öhlins . We don't believe consumption is the first thought of those considering purchasing a motorbike like this, however we can make a couple of considerations in this regard. The magic of electronics allows you to stay at very good values ​​when you drive it in a "civil" way. Even on the track we did not reach worrying levels (we travel over 10 km/l), but the tank has a useful capacity (excluding reserve) which is not the best, which requires some attention to autonomy, which is rather limited. While it might be legitimate to think the opposite, it is instead confirmed that even with the significant increase in power and performance, the new Panigale loses nothing in terms of reliability and does not impose an increase in maintenance costs. In fact, there are always 12.000 km between one service and another, 24.000 for checking the valve clearance.

PROS AND CONS
We like it:
Perhaps the definitive motorbike, unparalleled charm and riding pleasure, top performance, exceptional electronics (semi-active Öhlins included)
We do not like it:
It could be a drug

Ducati 1299 Panigale S: the Motorionline Report Card

Motor:
Handling:
Gearbox and transmission:
Braking:
Suspensions:
Guide:
Pilot comfort:
Passenger comfort:
Equipment:
Quality price:
Line:
Consumption:

Photo of the test by “LINGEGNERE”

Test clothing:
Leather suit: Spidi Track Wind Pro
Gloves: Spidi Carbo 3
Boot: Dainese TR-COURSE OUT AIR
Helmet: X-lite X-802R Ultra Pure Carbon