Motorcycle shootout the rest of the story
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Track: 1st Yamaha R1. 2nd 1299 Panigale. 3rd ZX-10R. 4th BMW S1000RR.
Street: 1st BMW S1000RR. 2nd Yamaha. 3rd 1299 Panigale.
Street: 1st BMW S1000RR. 2nd Yamaha. 3rd 1299 Panigale.
The Panigale came in 3rd on the road test for being a bit harder to live with in traffic. Heavier clutch and lumpy at lower speeds when compared to the 4's. They also said it was more involving to ride once the pace picked up. I'd say they're all fair comments.
The drawback with these tests is that they don't identify what YOU want from your bike. The GSXR which came dead last was cited as a great bike and you'd not be disappointed if you rode it in isolation, the point being none of them are bad.
In reality we all want different things. The racer just wants the fastest bike. The commuter the easiest to live with. The poser wants the best looking. Some just want bragging rights that theirs is fastest.... For many of us it's about the experience of owning the bike and the enjoyment that riding it brings. The 1199 wasn't perfect but the involvement and enjoyment I got from riding it far outweighed the fact it was 0.5 slower than a competitor or had 3bhp less. Where the 1299 comes on the track/road section of these tests means little really, buy the bike you want and you'll be happiest with. That'll be the 1299 for me.
The drawback with these tests is that they don't identify what YOU want from your bike. The GSXR which came dead last was cited as a great bike and you'd not be disappointed if you rode it in isolation, the point being none of them are bad.
In reality we all want different things. The racer just wants the fastest bike. The commuter the easiest to live with. The poser wants the best looking. Some just want bragging rights that theirs is fastest.... For many of us it's about the experience of owning the bike and the enjoyment that riding it brings. The 1199 wasn't perfect but the involvement and enjoyment I got from riding it far outweighed the fact it was 0.5 slower than a competitor or had 3bhp less. Where the 1299 comes on the track/road section of these tests means little really, buy the bike you want and you'll be happiest with. That'll be the 1299 for me.
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They are all great motorcycles and I am sure that I would gel with some and others not so much but at the end of the day, "run what you brung"!
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Very well stated. There is also an issue of fit. I'm a fairly average 5'9" 190 lbs. Even at 62 years old I can put well over 300 miles in a day on my 1199. I rode an S1000RR and was very uncomfortable within literally just a few miles. An inch here or there can make a huge difference in ergos on these bikes.
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This is a very individual thing..But I agree entirely Panigale ergos are perfect.... 640 one day for me and a few over 500 still could play the violin afterwards ..
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Stw
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Anyone seen a P1/918/LaFerrari comparison that spends any significant time talking about their manners at 35 MPH or in bumper to bumper traffic? Me neither.
Rating superbikes largely or even partially on their street performance "because that's what most of them are going to spend their time doing" is like rating hammers on their ability to drive screws. If people want to use a tool for a purpose it wasn't really intended to serve fine but don't let that get in the way of reviewing it for what it's supposed to do.
Rating superbikes largely or even partially on their street performance "because that's what most of them are going to spend their time doing" is like rating hammers on their ability to drive screws. If people want to use a tool for a purpose it wasn't really intended to serve fine but don't let that get in the way of reviewing it for what it's supposed to do.
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This.
Again this is personal preference but talking about the comfort of a superbike is just stupid. It's meant for the track and the only real measure of a superbike should be it's performance and lap times.
Not everyone uses them for that purpose, some people just like to look great and enjoy the experience of a superbike and that's great but it's what they were designed for (I don't care about how a superbike is to commute on just like a GS rider doesn't care how fast the bike is on track). Reviews should by all means mention such things so people are aware of them but it should have nothing to do with how good a bike is rated at performing it's intended purpose which is to win you races or make you faster on track.
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Sounds kinda like....
Yeah, my supermodel ....star got .... ratings for cooking and cleaning but boy does she make up for that in the sack...
Haha!
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I'm fine with you feeling that way, but you should not say that people should not use the bike as a tool it was not designed for. You are pushing your values on others. I put 4,000 street miles a year on mine. If I had bought a S1000 RR I would have had to sell it within about a month of realizing it was too painful to ride.
Besides, I have yet to see a Ducati win a track bike shoutout, so by your logic a ZX10r would be a better choice if you are going to try to project logic into this conversation.
Ball back in your court
(all in fun, btw)
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I'm mystified.
If the intended purpose is to go fast on a race track (and anything else they may be re-purposed for is silly/irrelevant) then maybe you can explain why Ducati built my 1199 with mirrors. And blinkers. And rear stop lights. And headlights (with high and low beams). And a speedometer. And an odometer. And a tag holder. And a VIN number. And a locking gas cap. And passenger pegs. And (according to Ducati) attention to the ergonomics.
I've raced "intended purpose" bikes. And they came from the factory with none of the above.
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It comes down how good the designer is and a thorough understanding of the market and the competition. Sometimes you can improve something without compromise. Comparisons are fun to read but always taken "with a grain of salt" as the authors generally warn. As mentioned earlier here, what are your real reasons for buying this bike? I test rode a 13 BMW 1000RR and the Paniagle S the same day. Excellent for me, both of them. The look and sound (character) of the Ducati won me over. My minimum expectations of a sportbike were met by both but which made me pull the wallet out? The BMW had better value but that wasn't the most important thing although it generally is. The Panigale gave me bigger and longer smiles.
I test rode a 998 many years ago; I liked it but the wallet didn't come out. it missed out on one of my minimum street riding expectations.
I test rode a 998 many years ago; I liked it but the wallet didn't come out. it missed out on one of my minimum street riding expectations.
I like riding sport bikes on the street. Way more fun than a sports car on the street, that's for sure. Just because you can't use the throttle doesn't mean you can't have some fun with the rest of the bikes attributes. A few track days and some mountain roads, throw in Deals gap every other year, and it starts to make more sense.
Most of the bikes in those comparisons can be fixed to win any category they lost. I don't sweat the reviews. Everyone has a preference. But the Ape, BMW, and Panigale are darn nice bikes. It's a good time to be a sport bike fan.
Some people "get it" with Ducati superbikes, some don't. You can almost hear the bell ring.
Most of the bikes in those comparisons can be fixed to win any category they lost. I don't sweat the reviews. Everyone has a preference. But the Ape, BMW, and Panigale are darn nice bikes. It's a good time to be a sport bike fan.
Some people "get it" with Ducati superbikes, some don't. You can almost hear the bell ring.
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