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

I can see both sides to be honest and was a little dissapointed reading the review this morning. Yes the Pani is expensive compared to the beemer, and from this article appears to be behind in power and handling from the off.

BUT like many others my reasons for buying one are so much more than just bragging rights. I fckn love the looks of the bike, it fits me really well, will be my first twin after 20 yrs on I4's, sounds awesome and I simply just got to have one - even if that means the kids eating beans on toast for months.

Add to that, I'm no neil hodgson or tricomi for that matter - in fact it may never even see a track day (will get a good few runs over the mountain though).

And on that note - read on to page 18 - Kevin Ash's review of taking the Pani S over the mountain course at the Isle of Mann, and I quote
"For such a light bike stability is excellent - you could take one hand off the bars and update your Twitter: '145 up the mountain mile today" - doesn't sound too UNSTABLE there.

So pays yer money and make your choice, am sticking with mine. In any event they are both awesome machines which 95% of us will never be able ride to to their full potential anyway.

The Panigale is a fantastic bike, just because the new BMW beats it out of the crate round a track means very little.

Its just the usual MCN test that in the very same magazine totally contradicts itself. MCN page 18 Panigale vs TT course.
After the pages before say how it has a slight weave and instability, when they test it at the TT course on rough roads ridden by a TT rider they say, quote " The smile inside my lid is hurting my cheeks, 145mph up the mountain mile and you could take 1 hand off the bars it has excellent stability"!!!

So perhaps the other test bike was set up differently!

I have the Tricolour and can say on the rough roads around me it is planted, turns in fast and is crazy powerful. I have fallen in love with it, previous bike was an RSV4 APRC Factory.

The looks, sound, build quality and uniqueness of the Panigale make it an easy winner in my book. Ride them back to back and see which 1 you want.
Like the testers all say, " if they had the money they would have the Panigale".

Rich

Just get your bike run in and get those dyno figures and exhausts made

Has anyone mentioned the 1500 BMW's being recalled, or the well know engine issues ? Coupled with BMW's seeming keeness to void warranties it used on track, I don't think the S1000 is such a good option personally.

Saying that I'm probably biased as my 1199 is getting delivered to me tomorrow morning !!!

O yes, on it, but its a complex build, lots of tooling required as we want very special not boring and uninspiring
Patience

Anyway it will put off a few of the riders who would be buying it just for the bragging rights then the more scarce they will be in my book thats a good thing

Mhobson said:

Has anyone mentioned the 1500 BMW's being recalled, or the well know engine issues ? Coupled with BMW's seeming keeness to void warranties it used on track, I don't think the S1000 is such a good option personally.

Saying that I'm probably biased as my 1199 is getting delivered to me tomorrow morning !!!

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are you having a laugh????? Do you know how many Panigale superstock bikes have blown up recently?

Guys simply put, I buy a Duc because it's a Duc....I've never bought one because it was the best at anything...maybe handling with the Trellis Frame.

All these guys complaining about reviews and lap times are either 1st time Duc buyer or or just frustrated with the waiting. But a Duc and you'll always own a Duc .

When the cbr 1000 rr had the thrown I was leaving my boys with em in the dust on my 999 which deffinately wasn't the fastest...same when the R1 took over, they couldn't hold me on my 1198.

I'm getting this bike because of how it already makes me feel, it's living room worthy. And I'll still be competitive riding with a pack of bimmers and I'll look better doing it lol...ON MY STOCK BASE 1199 might I add .

Hi guys.

I have the same doubts of Scott's.... As I own a 2010 S 1000 rr and waiting for a Panigale s / abs.

As I told, I've been at italian magazine Motociclismo comparison, It's been the very first one. I saw the dyno test and the track one. The chief rider of the magazine is a friend of mine.

My S 1000 rr, after the first 1000 Km, put on the dyno in 2010 pulled out 182 rwhp stock. The run in is VERY important with the S 1000 so as for the Panigale.

As for the Motociclismno test, I can tell you that the Beemer was not for sure a press special as it has been taken at a dealer's, who was present in person....

The Beemer had 560 km on the dash, tha Pani 1500.

The Beemer pulled out 182 rw hp, the Pani 169

The Beemer was 1,5 secs faster on the track

The magazine tester is a Panigale enthusiast, he was the same guy who tested the bike at Abu Dabi, so he had no reasons to speak bad about it.

He said he loved the Pani but .... Bmw engine is far better, so the fast corners stability.
Even Bmw electronics, expecially the Tc, is better.

The Pani was better for brakes and agility.

That's the fact.

I too now I'm a little upset , having spent a lot of money for a bike that is second after a three years aged one....

By the way... for sure Pani could do better with complete Termis and a proper setup...

But you know... last year I put on my S 1000 the complete (not legal) Akra, the Hp electronics and it pulled out 200 rw hp .... and I think with Ohlins suspension could do far better than the Pani if things are like this....

I did not receive the bike yet, I ordered in November... so ... yes, I'm a little upset now !!!!

So to sum it up then

People that have/ridden the BMW will be disappointed and everyone else will be happy, especially the hardcore ducatisto(because it looks pretty)

1098Rman said:

Two things to keep in mind. One, uncork the big twin with a full system it is going to pick up 10+hp. Recently MCN Dyno a Tri with and without the term slip-on and it gained approx 8 hp to 184.6! Second, every Ducati made over the past 20+ years was ever set-up for the average weight rider. In 2008, AMS in Dallas properly setup the new 1098r for the press launch it lapped the 2 sec faster.

With the right fork springs and the full system it will go S1000r hunting!

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Scott Parker said:

So to sum it up then

People that have/ridden the BMW will be disappointed and everyone else will be happy, especially the hardcore ducatisto(because it looks pretty)

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Haha let's hear what you have to say after you ride your Tri....give your self some credit, F the reviews....they can't tell you how the bike will make you feel

Scott Parker said:

So to sum it up then

People that have/ridden the BMW will be disappointed and everyone else will be happy, especially the hardcore ducatisto(because it looks pretty)

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Besides, look who's talking... Youre getting the Tri because it pretty so ..... Hahahaha

Whyd you get the S1000? Cuz it's sure ugly at f*ck...looks retarded pulling up to Starbucks lol. All jokes aside, don't get a bike based on reviews, I can't beleive these guys are actually upset lol

Scott Parker said:

are you having a laugh????? Do you know how many Panigale superstock bikes have blown up recently?

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So there haven't been bulk recalls or issues with BMW trying to void warranties ?

I could care less about the HP wars, but stability is critical when tracking 25K bike, especially since its always been a staple of Ducati handling. MCN's inconsistancies with stability at the track and Isle on Man are puzzling to say the least.

I read a French article testing the Panigale S against the BMW S1000RR and the Aprilia RSV4 R APRC.

They tried them on 300 kilometers on road and added some track laps for good measure.

Their result are:
1. Panigale S
2. Aprilia RSV 4 APRC
3. BMW S1000RR

They say the BMW is less precise on the curves, gives less feedback from the road, is too big, the traction control is too intrusive, and overall the BMW ask more efforts than the two others to be be ridden properly.

And, IMHO, I think this is a very fair review.

So far, the BMW has been praised because of it's top speed, but having discussed the matter with many people (and not just Ducati fans!), they agreed its precision on curves could be (and need to be) better.

Also, when I jumped on one, I was surprised to be on a bike which was as big as my Diavel. But, while my Diavel is a roadster, and thus, its size is acceptable, I can't accept that from a superbike.

BTW, looking at it, it looks more and more to me that the BMW is to the Panigale what the Yamaha Vmax is to the Diavel: BMW and Vmax are the fastest on straight lines, but they lack for everything else.

Maybe I read too much of Initial D, where the handling always wins to the top speed, but I think riding a bike is more about the curves than the straight lines, isn't it ?

Also, MCN is the magazine who said the Termi slip-ons alone would give added horsepower without the need of the full line installed, which I still don't believe...

Finally, don't get me wrong: I don't have my Panigale yet (although I got lucky to ride it twice) and I still can cancel my order and can get a brand new 2012 BMW on the road immediately. I would save money and could already have done my break-in. Just, BMW hasn't succeeded to convince me to switch (and the commercials tried hard, but their faces looked like they just lost the battle to Ducati).

What sounds strange is that Ducati itself claimed they got a S 1000 rr and an Aprilia as benchmarks for engine and stability respectivily....

They declare a 195 hp power ... just 2 more then the Beemer...

They claimed for months Pani would be the most powerful, stable and advanced superbike in the world, a milestone for years to come ecc ecc

Ducati itself told that, not Mcn or Motociclismo....

So everything sounds a little ridicolous now.....

If Ducati breaks our balls for months with this ... if I've to spend 25 k euros, not an euro discount, if I still have not received my bike...

I guess i'm right to be upset. No doubt at all.

Braintrash said:

Finally, don't get me wrong: I don't have my Panigale yet (although I got lucky to ride it twice) and I still can cancel my order and can get a brand new 2012 BMW on the road immediately..

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LOL no you can't because of the stop sale to replace the con-rod bolts in all 2012s

Soooo for all of the statistitians who are pulling out their calculators and stop watches - buy the BMW - you will have the best bike on paper.

For the rest you, you will just have to settle for the sexiest bike made since the 916 - you will have to deal with all of the people asking questions about your bike and having to hear them incessantly going on on about how cool your bike looks and girls wanting to get a ride all the time on your sexy bike. Yes you will have to settle for second best God its good to be second

I used to care what the magazines though of bikes ......... when I was 18yrs old and didn't have enough experience to form my own opinion

Today I road my 1199 Tric home and enjoyed 20km of pure f-kin heaven.

Need I say more.

Xbox said:

I used to care what the magazines though of bikes ......... when I was 18yrs old and didn't have enough experience to form my own opinion :roll eyes:

Today I road my 1199 Tric home and enjoyed 20km of pure f-kin heaven.

Need I say more.

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My point exactly - Thanks Xbox!