My take on the new 1299 S (as a newbie)

OK... I have been on Kawasaki's for years.. (roadraced a 2011 ZX10) I also use a 2013 ZX14 R as my cruiser to take the wife out for a spin etc. I love those bikes!

However... This is my take on the new Ducati 1299 S from what I have experienced so far!

It is like dating an italian Supermodel..
(1) It makes me hot and wet between the legs..
(2) I can see that is is going ot be expensive to keep up and maintain...
(3) It is relatively finicky on how you ride it. ( It really has to be rideden hard in order to perform well)
And I think my wife knows Im up to something since I have been spending a lot of money and time with it... and she is starting to get jealous!

But even with all these issues Dammit .. IT IS A SUPERMODEL !!!!

You gotta pay to play...

Speedy

What issues do you speak of? I know it will be inevitably more expensive than a japanese bike, but c'mon...it's well worth it. And if it's worth anything, my wants to kill me too, she sick of hearing about it!

This is my first trek into italian greatness, stepping off a Suzuki gsxr 1000. Let the games begin, I'm off to my dealers this weekend.

Parts are more, but I don't see myself spending a lot more money to maintain this bike, I do most of my own work and as far as I know, the 1199 has been reliable

speedy14 said:

(1)It makes me hot and wet between the legs..

Click to expand...

You are a female?

speedy14 said:

It is like dating an italian Supermodel..
(1) It makes me hot and wet between the legs..
(2) I can see that is is going ot be expensive to keep up and maintain...
(3) It is relatively finicky on how you ride it. ( It really has to be rideden hard in order to perform well)

Click to expand...

1. I know that feel bro.
2. Ehh More like the accessories cost more but you will be perfectly happy with them no matter the cost.
3. She likes to be ridden hard and put up wet!

Enjoy her.

Prince Albert said:

You are a female?

Click to expand...

Either that or pissed his pants . Dunno .

wilkson said:

Either that or pissed his pants . Dunno .

Click to expand...

Oh, are we already ruling out diarrhea?

That's what I love about this Forum.. The sheer class and sophisticated philosophical bent of the discussions...

Diarrhea, cha cha cha

wilkson said:

Either that or pissed his pants . Dunno .

Click to expand...

Quite understandable, my ....... has been rogered (Arsehammer in prison) to the point that, i have to wear "depends" diapers because I always .... myself after the sudden onset of torque past 6000RPM

When your shifting down to first, and your feeling something burst

The Avidmoto said:

Diarrhea

Click to expand...

It is really finicky and IMO, the 1199 is not that fun on the streets. Even on smooth canyons, like Berryessa up here in NorCa it's bearable. lt feels everything on the road and doesn't do a good job. I'm sure the 1299 is similar.

I'm converting my 1199 to a track bike and the ride the 1098 on the street. The Pani feels at home on the track.

speedy14 said:

OK... I have been on Kawasaki's for years.. (roadraced a 2011 ZX10) I also use a 2013 ZX14 R as my cruiser to take the wife out for a spin etc. I love those bikes!

However... This is my take on the new Ducati 1299 S from what I have experienced so far!

It is like dating an italian Supermodel..
(1) It makes me hot and wet between the legs..
(2) I can see that is is going ot be expensive to keep up and maintain...
(3) It is relatively finicky on how you ride it. ( It really has to be rideden hard in order to perform well)
And I think my wife knows Im up to something since I have been spending a lot of money and time with it... and she is starting to get jealous!

But even with all these issues Dammit .. IT IS A SUPERMODEL !!!!

You gotta pay to play...

Speedy

Click to expand...

I have a 2014 ZX-14R and Superduke 1290R. I am thinking about trading the SD 1290R for the 1299 and keeping the ZX-14R to take my wife riding on. How is the throttle on the 1299? Does it still have a lot of play like the 1199?

OK... Evidently some of you don't have much of a sense of humor LOL.
The bike DOES make you hot and sweaty between the legs when it gets hot outside..
Therefore the Supermodel reference.. I would imagine you would get hot and little bothered if you were on a beautiful Italian supermodel too LOL..

Regarding the expense.. It just cost me $280.00 for the 600 mile checkup. (basically changing the oil and filter and tightening nuts and bolts and adjusting the chain.(all basic maintenance I will be doing myself from here on out)
Of course at the 15.000 mile mark the charges to do the
Desmo valve service etc. will be between $1000 to $1500 from what I have been quoted.Not exactly chicken feed! Hence the other reference to a super hot chick..They don't usually come cheap LOL.

Anyway I love the bike I have wanted one for a long time and have ridden many fast bikes.. lots for track days for the blast 8 years or so. I'm not a stranger to high speed in the corners LOL
The Panigale 1299 S is one fine handling machine and it will take me some time to adapt. I am so used to winding out the motor of my ZX10 and making it scream down the straights. The Panigale is deceptively fast and requires a totally different riding style due to the dramatically increased torque down low.

As far as being finicky...
My 1299 S is awesome but... it doesn't like to be below 4000 rpm. Anything below that and it surges and buck and kicks like it wants to go fast! It does get irritating.
In order to get it in the higher RPM range taking off from 1st gear I went down one tooth on the front sprocket ( from a 15 tooth to a 14 tooth) and that helped it get going better off the line. Personally I think Ducati intentionally geared this bike waay too tall!
(Probably to keep the noise levels in check (ie; lower rpm) with the drive by sound/decibels test the EPA requires. It is a loud bike even at idle. louder than compared to any other stock production sport bike. I recently heard a brand new 2015 Yamaha R1 and it sounded like a Vespa scooter compared to the 1299.
Overall those are some things you just have to live with if you are going to have a hot Superbike like the Panigale (or date a Supermodel )

Speedy

RRnold said:

It is really finicky and IMO, the 1199 is not that fun on the streets. Even on smooth canyons, like Berryessa up here in NorCa it's bearable. lt feels everything on the road and doesn't do a good job. I'm sure the 1299 is similar.

I'm converting my 1199 to a track bike and the ride the 1098 on the street. The Pani feels at home on the track.

Click to expand...

Come up here and ride with us, we will fix that right up lol.


I love this bike in the canyons, it is a freakin blast and so much better street bike then my 848 ever was.

wilkson said:

Either that or pissed his pants . Dunno .

Click to expand...

speedy14 said:

My 1299 S is awesome but... it doesn't like to be below 4000 rpm. Anything below that and it surges and buck and kicks like it wants to go fast! It does get irritating.

Click to expand...

That is because no sportbike, of any kind/brand/model, has any business being down at 4k RPM. The fueling on most bikes is way off down there. They simply aren't meant to be ridden at such low RPM's.

speedy14 said:

it doesn't like to be below 4000 rpm. Anything below that and it surges and buck and kicks like it wants to go fast! It does get irritating.
In order to get it in the higher RPM range taking off from 1st gear I went down one tooth on the front sprocket ( from a 15 tooth to a 14 tooth) and that helped it get going better off the line. Personally I think Ducati intentionally geared this bike waay too tall!

Click to expand...

1199, 899 and most likely 1299 as well will get rid of this disease when exhaust butterfly valve is bypassed and fueling sorted. I've hear from several 899 & 1199 owners that it will be smooth after those done. I had 899, and I only took off the valve. Immediately better while it was stock otherwise.

With Akra, 1299 gives vibration free smooth power from under 3000rpm.

I personally hate Powercommanders and never had anything but problems with them. There are tools for adjusting original ECU, for example Rexxer. I can see that they have representatives in the US as well. To my mind, well dynoed & sorted Rexxer remapping makes a world of difference for Ducatis.

speedy14 said:

As far as being finicky...
My 1299 S is awesome but... it doesn't like to be below 4000 rpm. Anything below that and it surges and buck and kicks like it wants to go fast! It does get irritating.

Click to expand...

That's why I mentioned, it sucks in the street. Esp here in the Bay Area where traffic is inevitable and the roads are often bumpy, no thanks.

outhouse said:

Come up here and ride with us, we will fix that right up lol.

I love this bike in the canyons, it is a freakin blast and so much better street bike then my 848 ever was.

Click to expand...

What's in Auburn? Berryessa to Calistoga is heaven!

https://www.google.com/maps/place/C...2!3m1!1s0x80844262aedbd01d:0x9f3cd1dda649854d