Finally got some seat time.

Some background on me. I am a 26 year old motorcycle enthusiast and have owned 2x Hayabusa, 3x GSXR1000, Nightrod, S1000, 2xR1, Xb12, ZX6, GSXR750. My family has a dealer licenses so I usually do pretty well at riding bikes for half the summer and flipping them. My most recent street bike is the BMW S1000RR and I really enjoyed it. When it came time to move on I started researching the 1199, I feel that and the RSV4 are the most comparable bikes to the BMW, my brother has a RSV4 so I went for the Ducati. My buddy told me I could borrow his Pani for as long as I wanted it. I must admit the Ducati is easily one of the best looking bikes ever made, it just oozes style and ... appeal. So I grab the bike and start riding it, the blinkers didn't work which I found odd for a bike with 300 miles on it. Things I noticed right away, dam that seat is HARD and the stock exhaust is loud and I can feel air move from both sides is the exhaust loose fitting. The traction control system on the bmw is a stand alone control vs the Ducati is integrated with the turn signals. Since the turn signals weren't working out of habit I still turned them on only to switch the modes on the traction control system which was annoying.

So onto my actual riding impressions. The bike is fast there is zero downplay there, the torque is addicting. The bike does sound BAD ... at idle and any amount of throttle input. The exhaust is HOT, I never liked roasted nuts and I certainly don't now. The ergonomics of the bike make me feel like a fat over weight man with back problems, I'm 5 foot 10 with 8 percent body fat. The bike feels very confident at speed but awful at slow speeds.

How does it compare to my S1000. The BMW is faster, smoother, and by far more comfortable. In the looks department the Ducati wins hands down its a super model. I was not impressed by the bike having less then 400 miles and already having electrical issues. The traction control system on the bmw is easier to use I can't say which is better. Brakes are both out standing the Ducati is a nudge better. The BMW is by far smoother, Ducati should advertise their bike as a Vibrator for woman I am sure it will increase sales numbers.

So what one is the better street bike and what will I buy next? The Ducati might be better on the track but on the street its cramped, hot, and a vibration machine. With the options and price tag on a 15 BMW its hard to beat by any machine. I guess thats why it wins so many shootouts. I think they compliment each other very well and I would love to own both but with just building a house and a far more expensive hobby, my girlfriend I will stick with the 15.

Nothing wrong with the Bmw that is for sure, always interested in hearing others thoughts on which bike is better and why... i was up for the choice between a S1000RR & a Panigale 1199S.. after riding both, felt the BMW was more comfy enough, and had a great motor.. other than that it was status quo I4, boring. Nothing else stood out about the bike.. I am no Ducatisti but at the same time I want a bike that excites me when riding and visually.
after having owned a RSV4 factory and countless other literbikes, modded with all kinds of go fast parts, I am fine with dealing the engine heat and less than ideal in-city riding. Get it out on the backroads, canyons, mountains or track and enjoy the bike for what it is, a kick ... machine than is less than perfect... NO BIKE IS!

regarding the blinker not working on the Ducati. There is actually a safety recall out there to correct that. I had mine down last month. The dealer actually had to add an extra wire harness that would correct the problem. call your local ducati dealer and provide them your VIN number and they can look up any existing recalls that needs to be completed.

Ditch the girl and get a panigale n keep the bmw. You'll get more play anyway. Problem solved.

rides his buddies noncurrent 1199 with non functioning turn signals 5 miles
says ducati sucks bmw better .
Yeah that is a fair assessment

Thinking he swithced modes by just nudging the button Read the manual, or actually watch what actually happened would work Cramped ergos? I'm 6ft, sitting like a king on the 1299

His review os not too wrong.
I wouldn't expect those riding without gloves to like the panigale.
It is not the bet streetbike / easiest to ride in traffic, and it takes some time (considerably shorter than other ducatis though) and the opportunity to push to extremes to properly like it. Certainly not on most streets, and not as easy to like as 4 cylinder bikes.
People who like panigles are either those who already adored it, ducatisti, or those that have the opportunity to taste what it is best for.

Looking at his profile, his viewpoints are all understandable.

There seems also a positive correlation between age and whether a rider likes panigale or not. At least up to certain age.

I'm 45 yo and chocked full of metal and arthritis and I never feel any abnormal vibration , the bike is the most comfortable bike I've owned (third ducati , 10 yamaha , 20 hondas a few suzuki's ) almost every time I leave my house on my 1299 I travel over 100 miles.

there is no way this isn't a troll . its not a review its a boondoggle

trolling is strong with this one..

he's pretty much dead on. I got one of the first '10 S1000RRs made, then got a '12. I would have gotten a '15 but....

- I've never been able to get completely over the styling of the bike, but that's fairly superficial.
- The power of the S1000RR is no joke. BMW hit a home run with that motor. It's IMHO the best inline 4 ever made. When I sold my S1000RR last month, I did a little demonstration. Started in 1st, rolled up to 20mph, then banged through 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, while maintaining 20mph without a single hiccup or lurch, then rolled on the throttle and the bike smoothly pulled away. That's flexible, and it's why it makes sense to use that motor for a naked bike, and especially the touring bike. My Multistrada with the Testastretta 11 motor is also smooth at slow speeds, although it can't pull every gear at 20mph smoothly. Most Ducatis are jerky and lurch at slow speeds - there's a 15mph school zone near my house. On my Multi it's not a problem. On my 1299, it sputters and lurches - granted, I haven't finalized my custom mapping.

BUT....
- the bike is so competent that it has no soul. Last year I had the choice of my Multistrada or the S1000RR. I chose the Ducati 95% of the time, 4% of the time I borrowed my wife's 796 Monster, and I only rode the S1000RR out of guilt, or for trackdays.

- the fuel tank. It's part of what makes the bike comfortable, because it's big enough to lean on. But then it really gets in the way when you want to move around on the bike. I'm not say it's impossible obviously, but the lower profile Ducati superbike tanks start to make a whole lot more sense when you're really riding aggressively and need to shift body position frequently.

- the S1000RR also gets hot, but solving the heat issues on that bike was a lot easier than the work in progress in trying to quell the heat on my 1299.

- the S1000RR handling is fairly numb, when compared to an Ohlins-equipped Ducati superbike. It also takes a LOT more physical exertion to get that thing to change direction. I just feel a lot more confident on my Ducatis. I can lean a lot more (to be more specific, carry more corner speed, THUS requiring more lean angle) because I can feel the tire grip better.

- BMW doesn't make junk bikes. But they do find ways to meet price points. The S1000RR is significantly cheaper than a 1299, and it's in small things - using perfectly adequate, but not top-shelf, components. People rave about how the S1000RR manages to brake "the best" with bottom-line Brembo Goldline calipers, but they forget that when you use the front brake, the rear engages too. So obviously you're going to have better stopping power when all brakes are activated. The 1199/1299 has the same Bosch system but the automatic rear braking is more subtle, if it's even there - I can't feel it.

The Panigale is beautiful in appearance and elegant when you're riding at pace. The chassis design is innovative and takes much inspiration from the groundbreaking Britten V1000. It's a unique approach to the superbike.

The S1000RR is the UJM inline formula - perimeter frame, etc. They just copied the Japanese and came up with something faster and more refined.

Anyways, most people find Ducatis to be too different on a first test ride, and don't really "get" it. But once you do, it's hard to go back.

OhioS1kRR said:

2012 S1000 Ducati hunter

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Self admitted troll.

kismetcapitan, summed it up perfectly. I just recently sold my 2010 S1000rr. Loved the bike and all that's said about it is spot on. Did everything well, like a sowing machine, read BORING! Looked great in Motorsport colors, but profile could easily be mistaken for Yamaha-ish, R6, had that happen many times. Bike was awesome above 9K, but who rides the streets legally and safely there all the time?
Bought my 1199 a year later and over the course of 18 months a look at both odometers proved which bike I enjoyed riding and being on the most. Bimmer SOLD and don't regret it!

Please boys, the guy's a squid, and I don't use the term loosely.

...looking at his pictures above...I just cant see him as a type of a guy who rides Ducati. haha.

If photoshop his BMW with Ducati...it wouldnt look right.

Guys dont mind a little friendly banter between enthusiast. I see a handful of Ducati owners with no helmets around these parts.

fireman1251 said:

Please boys, the guy's a squid, and I don't use the term loosely.

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I was unaware how you can tell someones riding ability by a post on a forum.

kismetcapitan said:

he's pretty much dead on. I got one of the first '10 S1000RRs made, then got a '12. I would have gotten a '15 but....

Anyways, most people find Ducatis to be too different on a first test ride, and don't really "get" it. But once you do, it's hard to go back.

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What I like the BMW for is its just so darn fast. Its smooth and just takes your breath away everytime.

Yeah...pretty typical.

To an I4 rider, Ducatis feel lumpy. To a Ducati rider, I4's seem buzzy and dull.

I think the S1000RR is awesome...very fast, but compared to the duc it felt too wide (all I4's do), the shifting was numb, and like I said it felt buzzy. I will say the big downfall of the twins is the low speed performance...but that's not why you buy a 200 hp superbike. Plus the BMW looks like it has a bunch plastic stuff bolted onto it that doesn't need to be there.

It takes a while to acclimate to how a asymmetric firing twin delivers power, but once you do everything else feels blah.

Eh, rider preference, troll or not. I'm 26 too and have ridden both s1000rr and the duc on the backroads and track. Both are nice, could live with any of them... but the 1199 just feels more right to me.

The 15 BMW S1000RR is fast bike and I thought about it for a second but I went with the 1299 because it handles better, better mid, looks better, sounds better and you don't have to ride it in the upper revs to enjoy it. Plus I know how to tame the heat on the Panigale.

Actually, I find the 1299 easier to ride fast than the 2015 S1000RR. The Duc is a bit more picky on tire pressures in order to not just bounce in the corners as it's more rigid, but once you get that down it's just so much more confidence inspiring. The S1000RR just felt soft and sloppy to me when cornering hard on uneven asphalt. Oh, and in every day traffic there is no way I would want to deliberately choose a bike with 25% less displacement and the following stressed nature. The comparatively effortless character of a bigger engine lets me relax more, as I don't need to be "on cam" if I suddenly need more power since there is more in the whole range than the 1000cc. It's almost the same jump as going from a 600 to a 1000 when it comes to low and midrange power.

To each their own... I see some valid points but I cant say I agree with the ergos or vibration issues. Opinions and reviews are like ........... Its good to see all views and perspectives whether you agree or not. Thanks for your thoughts OhioS1kRR.