Hmmmmm, Mixed review and feelings about the Panigale in MCN against the others

Steve B said:

It's not so much about "comfort" really as about being properly positioned for optimum handling. People talk about bikes' CG's and weight distribution all the time, but what they forget it that people have personal CG's and natural balance points too. Stand sideways next to a mirror and bend over. You'll see your butt move back without even thinking about it, since you're conditioned to automatically balance yourself. Try doing it with standing with your back against a wall and you'll feel off-balance and awkward, and will feel your core muscles being worked hard to compensate. Sound familiar? that's what happens when you introduce fixed contact points that don't allow you to stay balanced. So the real point is being balanced on the bike and spreading your weight evenly between hands, butt and feet. I've spent 5-6hr, 200K+ days on a road bicycle with far more reach and drop to the bars than any sportbike, and felt balanced and "comfortable" the whole time. And I guarantee you'll feel better in the corners on a bike that's dialed in to your personal anatomy than an off-the floor model.

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Agreed. And if you talk to someone who races endurance comfort comes into play. A comfortable rider is a relaxed rider and therefore a fast rider. The performance levels of these machines no longer dictates the need to be uncomfortable. Look at the CBR and GSXR as good examples of this. Look at the MV as the worst. Meanwhile the performance advantage in this case goes to the Japanese.

JONAH said:

Up till now the zx10r has proberbly been the best bike ive ever owned, awesome power just seemed to pull and pull, never ever gets the credit it deserved then or proberbly with the new bike now.

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My Wife rides an 08 ZX10R. That thing runs like a raped ape ! Pulls super hard ! It's a shame I'm gonna have to dust her ass when I get my Duc !

turning ?

I've had my base w out abs for 2 weeks and 530 miles . I'm a motocross guy but have had liter bikes in the past although a few years ago . I've been on motocross bike since age 4 so I'm no squid, not an expert on the pavement by any means . I will say from my stand point , this bike wants to turn . I can weave effortlessly at 70+ on the highway warming my tires for the next exit . I find my self hitting off ramps then getting back on the highway just so I can lean the bike over , it beggs for turns .

wfoduck said:

I've had my base w out abs for 2 weeks and 530 miles . I'm a motocross guy but have had liter bikes in the past although a few years ago . I've been on motocross bike since age 4 so I'm no squid, not an expert on the pavement by any means . I will say from my stand point , this bike wants to turn . I can weave effortlessly at 70+ on the highway warming my tires for the next exit . I find my self hitting off ramps then getting back on the highway just so I can lean the bike over , it beggs for turns .

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That's what Ducs are made for....have a blast

Here's a YouTube link to the MCN shoot out.
s1000RR Vs 1199 hope this helps.


Ducati 1199 Panigale vs BMW S1000RR and Aprilia RSV4 APRC - YouTube

I was really disappointed in the cycle world review just out. They had a shoot out with ten bikes, incredibly split them up in two groups based on price, ie under 17k or over 17k and ran the two groups on separate tracks, so it's impossible to compare the two groups.

Just a dumb way to do it IMHO

zvez said:

I was really disappointed in the cycle world review just out. They had a shoot out with ten bikes, incredibly split them up in two groups based on price, ie under 17k or over 17k and ran the two groups on separate tracks, so it's impossible to compare the two groups.

Just a dumb way to do it IMHO

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Never ever ever been impressed with cycle world at all. Not to mention if you look at their data, it's never 100% right. Just like when they put on there that none of the literbikes EXCEPT the BMWS1000RR could do above an 11 in the quarter mile??? Magazine director should be fired

elitesoldier357 said:

Never ever ever been impressed with cycle world at all. Not to mention if you look at their data, it's never 100% right. Just like when they put on there that none of the literbikes EXCEPT the BMWS1000RR could do above an 11 in the quarter mile??? Magazine director should be fired

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Not sure what you're referring to. Their quarter mile times were by far the best posted yet. The Pani was under 10 sec for the first time I've seen so far.

zvez said:

I was really disappointed in the cycle world review just out. They had a shoot out with ten bikes, incredibly split them up in two groups based on price, ie under 17k or over 17k and ran the two groups on separate tracks, so it's impossible to compare the two groups.

Just a dumb way to do it IMHO

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Yeah, I didn't like that approach either. They did compare the two winners on the same track with same tires, so at least that was apples to apples. I liked the article other than that strange strategy though.

I feel tests like these are done to negate them testing them relative to each other fairly across the board...........how else can Ducati justify their selling prices for a slower bike even tho it does have desirability not easily measured or quantified?

In a straight comparison it would show the BMW as being ahead on all measurable counts with the rest scrambling for the "best of the rest"..........I'm sure the manufacturers wouldn't look kindly on future advertising in any magazines (or web reviews) that didn't showcase them in a pleasing light.

It is what it is, the Ducati's desrireability rests on it's styling, cutting edge electronics and past race-win credentials, untested in it's present form at the moment! The Ducati is definitely a terrific machine but has documented "issues" with instability and slight quirks as noted by various journalists.
The 1199 is doing fairly well in World Super-Stock which is a good sign but it hasn't shone itself to be the "ground breaking" machine Ducati hyped it to be in street form with it's claimed 195HP and lightest wet weight.

In a perfect world they should have tested all the bikes with the stickiest street tires available and added mufflers and re-tuned ECU's as these represent the form most people ride them in and would show the track capabilities of the machines with minimal modifications.

SteveNunez said:

....it hasn't shone itself to be the "ground breaking" machine Ducati hyped it to be in street form with it's claimed 195HP and lightest wet weight.

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I don't agree. What was everyone expecting Ducati advertisement to be? Were you really expecting Ducati to come out and say "here's our all new superbike. We think it's pretty good but not as good as the S1000RR"? lol If you put the superquadro on an engine dyno (not a chassis dyno), it'll produce in the area of 195hp. So no false statement there. It's the lightest liter bike available, no false statement there either. It has more ponies than the 1198 it replaced, again no false statement there either. So what's the problem? Everyone should do less reading and more riding and we'll all be fine LOL.

Gunny Fitz said:

Screw all that printed opinionated BS from those reviewers. I KNOW I have a kick ass bike which is the best Ducati our of the last 5 I have owned. I dont need a magazine to tell me anything about my bike whether good or bad. They can pound sand!

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clap clap clap . I share your opinion. I don't care they don't praise it into heaven. I don't hope everybody starts buying the Panigale because I like things you don't see very often

The bike is awesome, period!

rm4two said:

I don't agree. What was everyone expecting Ducati advertisement to be? Were you really expecting Ducati to come out and say "here's our all new superbike. We think it's pretty good but not as good as the S1000RR"? lol If you put the superquadro on an engine dyno (not a chassis dyno), it'll produce in the area of 195hp. So no false statement there. It's the lightest liter bike available, no false statement there either. It has more ponies than the 1198 it replaced, again no false statement there either. So what's the problem? Everyone should do less reading and more riding and we'll all be fine LOL.

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Exactly! Honda's webpage for the CBR says, "Twenty years of superbike domination." It's just advertising. I don't think Honda is doing anything wrong by putting that out there, even if I may not personally buy it. This isn't peer reviewed academic writing meant to convey facts derived by the scientific method. Although as you correctly point out RM4Two, the hp numbers bear out, as do the weight claims.

jjmontesanto said:

Exactly! Honda's webpage for the CBR says, "Twenty years of superbike domination." It's just advertising. I don't think Honda is doing anything wrong by putting that out there, even if I may not personally buy it. This isn't peer reviewed academic writing meant to convey facts derived by the scientific method. Although as you correctly point out RM4Two, the hp numbers bear out, as do the weight claims.

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No doubt it's advertising....false advertising. I fully expected to be better at chess after buying the checkmate bike...but I still suck. I'm a victim

Seriously though, the R1 ad campaign says you can ride the AMA winning Superbike every day. Did R1 buyers actually think that was the case?

ttkarp said:

Not sure what you're referring to. Their quarter mile times were by far the best posted yet. The Pani was under 10 sec for the first time I've seen so far.

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Send the link. Last article I read they put on there that the quarter mile times were all under 11 secs except the BMW. Didn't make any sense

elitesoldier357 said:

Send the link. Last article I read they put on there that the quarter mile times were all under 11 secs except the BMW. Didn't make any sense

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My bad. I realized it was Motorcycle USA that ...... up the whole review. They had A LOT of their data wrong.

2012 KTM RC8R Street Comparison - Motorcycle USA

Look at the quarter mile times in the lower right hand of the page off to the side.

I really do not know why people are getting so het up about these claimed HP figures. Up until the BMW came out with its pretty spot on figures, all manufacturers lied about the figures with Ducati being the only firm not to exaggerate to the extent the others did. Typically the Jap bikes were out by 15%- 16% So Ducati have now caught up in the "sales and marketing" speak. So what, FFS 99% of the guys on the road only use an average of 50 or so HP ("Ride" magazine test circa 2009) anyway.

Further the Jap bike weights were usually total fabrication.

Marcbc said:

I really do not know why people are getting so het up about these claimed HP figures. Up until the BMW came out with its pretty spot on figures, all manufacturers lied about the figures with Ducati being the only firm not to exaggerate to the extent the others did. Typically the Jap bikes were out by 15%- 16% So Ducati have now caught up in the "sales and marketing" speak. So what, FFS 99% of the guys on the road only use an average of 50 or so HP ("Ride" magazine test circa 2009) anyway.

Further the Jap bike weights were usually total fabrication.

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"Dry Weights" were without the battery, fork oil, engine oil, coolant etc. There was literally no liquid in the bike. So, technically they weren't fabricated, they just weren't anywhere close to what the bikes weighed in ready to ride form. Thankfully they've all gone to the new "curb weight" which is much more accurate.

Btw, I can see how dyno's can vary, but how can two magazines weigh the same model and come up with a different weight? I've never understood that.

I wonder if these testers talked to Troy Bayliss? He stated the 1199 was the best Ducati hes ever been on, and he turned a faster lap on a 1199s then he did with any of his other World Superbikes. Troys word is good enough for me.