Hi from Dubai!

Hi Everyone!

Just joined this forum so thought I'd let you know who I am. Same as most everyone here I have a Panigale on order, ordered it a couple of days after the unveiling and am waiting for a Tricolore Hoping it will arrive soon!!!

I'm Dutch but have been living in Dubai UAE (that's in the Middle East) for many years. The Panigale will be my 4th Ducati , I previously had 2 monsters which I sold and currently have a 08 848 which I bought new when it came out. I'm likely keeping the 848 and either customising it or keeping it as a track day bike.

I'm also the President of the UAE Desmo Owners Club, we have about 80 Full members. Through that I was lucky enough to attend the Panigale Press Launch at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi which is just down the road from where I live. Got to start the bike, sit on it, got the full briefing but as I'm not a journalist sadly wasn't allowed to ride it But I did get to meet #21 Bayliss


I learned to ride on my neighbours Honda Monkey bike when I was about 10. Got my first own bike when I was 15 which was an old Yamaha 125 Enduro. Been riding ever since, about 27 years, yes I am old I mainly rode dirtbikes untill I got my road licence 7 years ago.

I currently have the following bikes, Ducati 848 '08, Honda CR250R '07, Yamaha Raptor 660R '03, Pitbike '06

Any hoo that's me ;-)

Hi, and welcome!! Question for you, how was the ergonomics of the Panigale as compared to your 848. I am 5' 7" and a little concerned with the seat height of the Panigale but I am on the front of my feet on the 848. Also, how did the weight feel on the Panigale with gas in the tank, was it extremely lighter than the 848 or somewhat lighter? Cant wait for me to get that first feel and sit on the bike.

welcome, you sound like you could be a good asset to the forum ...Most of us havent laid eyes on this beauty yet so, lucky you.

Thanks for taking the time to introduce yourself and welcome!!

I'm but a short hop away from the UAE, so you may have to temporarily patch me in on my next visit

Welcome. Nice stable of bikes. Yas Marina would be a nice playground to have in your backyard.

Thanks For the great welcome!

Thanks for the welcome Gents, I'll do my best to fit in and be as helpful as I can, but as much as anything I'm here to learn, new bike new tech.

@ RepDucWayne It really is like an 848. You are about the same height as me and I had the same worry. Stop worrying you'll easily have your feet on the floor. and it's also remarkably comfortable position wise. I'm not sure how to describe the lightness of the bike but with my feet on the floor and leaning it over abit it felt lighter than the 848. I'm not sure how to quantify lighter but..... it's not just the weight, it's where it is that made it feel that way. Made me very happy!

@ XBOX once the Panigale gets here I'll have a spare 848 in the gargage, so welcome to come ride it (note: ride, not crash!! LOL) Where are you? It says Med(iteranean)? next to your Name, that's not quite next door!!.

@512BB Yas Marina is a great circuit, I had a chance to go on it last October during California Superbike School being held there. Unfortunately they don't really let bikes on there unless you are Ducati and rent the entire track, although they are apparently going to change that. Track days are at the Dubai Autodrome nearly 1 every week. Not that I go there that often sadly. I tend to ride to our East Coast with the club, nice twisties through the mountains no cameras/radars either!! LOL

Delta One said:

@ XBOX once the Panigale gets here I'll have a spare 848 in the gargage, so welcome to come ride it (note: ride, not crash!! LOL) Where are you? It says Med(iteranean)? next to your Name, that's not quite next door!!.

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Very civilised offer sir and rubber side down duly noted

I'm in the east Med, so its turned out to be an easy hop via Emirates.

Get as far as saying Duuu and the wife is already grabbing her case

Dubai is in The Middle East? Get the .... out.

FrostyFire said:

Dubai is in The Middle East? Get the .... out.

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What's your point?

Xbox said:

What's your point?

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I love it when people have to spell things out as if we're ........ children. If anyone here didn't know that Dubai is in the middle East they should be shopping for a scooter and a sippy cup instead.

FrostyFire said:

I love it when people have to spell things out as if we're ........ children. If anyone here didn't know that Dubai is in the middle East they should be shopping for a scooter and a sippy cup instead.

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Jeez whats got your panties in a twist

Wallaroo said:

Jeez whats got your panties in a twist

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Same thing as you, another two months of waiting.

FrostyFire said:

Same thing as you, another two months of waiting.

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2-months!!!!!

They'll have them in Dubai (Middle East) way before then

Wallaroo said:

Jeez whats got your panties in a twist

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can't you see? his rabbit has a blue waffle on it's head for chrisesakes

Lol....At least everyone still has a good cense of humour


By the way Delta One welcome to a forum full of panty twisted Ducatisti....

Sorry for being my usual ignorant self and not saying it sooner.

Xbox said:

2-months!!!!!

They'll have them in Dubai (Middle East) way before then

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Technically mine will be at the dealer in 5-6 weeks, but I'm going away for a month to South Africa (that's a country in Africa,) and will only be able to pick her up May 26th.

Cheers guys!

Just mention Dubai is in the Middle East because most people know where it is these days, but......... when I first came here in 1976 no one knew where it was. It was usually followed by "Do you live in a tent?" "Do you go to school on a camel?" ","are the streets really made of gold?" and a few other gems which indeed made me wonder about the ability of some to walk around outside unsupervised ;-)

Been told my Panigale will be here end of this month, begining next month!! Apparently it's already in a container Woohoo!! Have started paying off my traffic fines so I'll be able to register it LOL!

Was going to add a pic of me n TB#21 but needs to be a certain size etc so maybe later.

Well My Tricolore arrived in the showroom yesterday! Did a bit of a launch in the showroom and all that, I was the first to order one and it coincided with the 2nd birthday of the shop so. Pics for the paper and some blogs, cake and all that. Great fun!

Hopefully it will be registered by the end of today or latest tommorow morning and then.........................Woohoooo!!!

Wooohooo is right! Congratulations, Delta One!

Most of us are going to be living vicariously through your posts for a while until ours begin to arrive and get uncrated.

Cheers.

So ....Bike was finally registered last night!! Got to ride it , for a short while only sadly. However that said I'm already extremely happy and consider it money well spent.

First impressions

PRO

Extremely stable, corners like on rails
Very Agile, think about turning and it's there, tips in beautifully
very light to handle, compared to my 848
turning circle is very tight
wicked sound even with stock cans
clutch is really light
throttle response is crisp
great riding position, re bars
Was worried about the break in at only 6K RPM, not an issue at all bike does 170 Km/hr at just under 6K in 6th. So can still get some traffic tickets even during run in ;-)
The dash is a joy to look at.

Main thing: Stability, stability, stability, really holds a line.

CONS
Uhmmmmm..........ok?
Engine designed to run hotter than my 848. 848 about max 104C Pani apparently 124C so it's naturally a bit hotter, which you don't feel on a high/motorway but in traffic gets a bit "warm" here, probably no issue and a plus point for everyone that lives in cooler climates.
Don't get the DP clear tank protector, it keeps bubbling up. I hate fake carbon but I think I might remove the clear one and replace with the carbon one, looked ok on another Pani i've seen.

That's really all I can muster regards cons despite trying. But I've only put a few Kms on it so far.