Opinion on looks Ducati V4 / 1299

I have been looking at as many images as possible of the new V4, in SA we can place an order now for the V4 expected delivery Feb18.

Now the thing for me is that the current 1299 I have has more power and more tech than I could ever demand from it as a mediocre street rider, I don't track but do the track day riding courses periodically.

So my motivation to change will be only on looks alone (in my case) but the std Panigale is already a very good looking bike.

Just wondering if some of the guys around the world are in a similar situation?

Can looks alone justify the purchase or replacement at this stage or do we hang in say 2 years and see if it has some cosmetic upgrades?.

Looks are so subjective. I will say that what looks good now, might look dated fairly quickly. I don't think there's such thing as a "timeless" motorcycle design. To me, even the 916, which I absolutely loved at the time, looks so dated now. Which it is. If they had a V4 that looked exactly like a 916, and I could choose between the V4 Panigale and the 916 look-alike, I would choose the Panigale. Give it time and people will stop complaining about the looks. Same thing happened with the 1199. It was a travesty. The 1198 looked so much better. Prices would go up on the remaining 1198s. Then as time passed it looked better and better; now the new bike is junk and the 1299 is the best looking bike ever.

I've always had a theory (applies to music, and people too, for that matter) that something that is appealing immediately will fade rather quickly, that all flash and no substance doesn't last. Something with real substance will take time to appreciate. And in the end will look better for it.

Some iteration of this bike will be the fastest, most capable bike Ducati has produced. The comparable model of the V4 will be faster than your 1299.

Pretty is as pretty does.

In the flesh the V4 speciale with all the extras looks great, they had to bring that as the V4 base and S although beautiful are not so mind blowing to look at and with the leaked photos people were starting to criticise the looks, if there were no Panigale predecessors then the V4 looks would be as ground breaking as the engine, but consider that the last two were the SL and FE they are hard to follow with looks.
Another plus is the base has Showa forks now.
Front 10 out of 10
Side 7 out of 10 as I dont like the style or finish on the frame arm (but thats me)
Rear 8 out of 10, prefer the 1299 by miles but guess they couldn't use it twice. Should have gone with different wheels.
Would I buy it, in a heartbeat but I have enough and will wait for the R

.

I'll tell you what. Get an enlarged version of each bike by itself. Hold one up to your non riding friends. Then put it down and hold up the other one. Then put it down and ask them which one they think is better looking.

I'll bet you that they will say you just held up picures of the same bike. Owners will see the difference right away. Nobody else will. So who are you trying to impress? I'm guessing you are going to say you are not trying to impress anyone but yourself, in which case that's all that matters.

yea most people hardly notice they just see a red bike or whatever it is.

and a lot of owners will put a sticker kit on it at some stage to make it look like an R model or speciale or whatever the latest greatest model is but that's another topic

jjsC6 said:

. So who are you trying to impress? I'm guessing you are going to say you are not trying to impress anyone but yourself, in which case that's all that matters.

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Yes impressing once self is way harder than impressing thousands of strangers
In my case while I enjoy Ducati ownership and have embraced the many feel good factors associated with ownership ....you know the character building stuff the old dogs insist are a must to becoming a Ducatisti.. Im not a real purist, I dont have a Duc coffee cup or Duc undies, I dont ride in the rain to add to this feel good factor FFsake I dont even have a Duc T shirt. and I certainly dont have a Duc sticker on my car o) so am I really a normal brand fan? Many of the guys on here eat sleep and live Ducati so for them its a no brainer to simply get the newer model?


So im on the fence right now, looking fwd to reading the comments from the guys who are purists and really know there stuff related to the bike

When are you guys in Europe and the USA expecting first arrivals?

Yeh looks are totally subjective. I prefered the aggressive looks of my 2012 ZX10R over my current 1299, as well as most of my other mates who arent bikeys. I got interested in the 1299 with its refreshed design giving it a nose, and a beefier looking body compared to the 1199, but i still preferred my 10R in looks. I sold the 10R cus it was getting old and i needed a new bike, and the 1299 was the most fun and different bike i test rode compared with the then-new bikes of 2015 (S1KRR, RSV4RR, R1).
This V4 will be no different, I'll test ride it first then give my opinion.

McobraR said:

Yeh looks are totally subjective. I prefered the aggressive looks of my 2012 ZX10R over my current 1299

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That's not subjective, that's just bad taste haha

First off, Ducatisti are by nature design centric (self included). We support the company for its commitment to both technology and aesthetics. So in that regard, all of us should have a strong opinion on what the brand pinnacle machine should look like. When they get it wrong or push too far ala 999 we scold them. When they get it bang on the money ala 1098 we run out in droves and reward them. When they educate us on progressive design ala 1199 most get it and applaud it, while some need a bit of time to get use to it... And in the case of the 916 where it was and still is so iconic the die hard fans still find them endearing!

With V4 I'm honestly on the fence about if I will actually grow to like the looks of it!
I definitely need to see it in person in daylight before I judge.
And relative to the 11 and 1299 my initial reaction is the bikes appearance is not nearly as developed, edited, or well organized. Where the 1199 is clean the v4 is comparatively fussy and complicated. The other huge difference we all need to appreciate in person is the gerth and scale of the bike. I'm guessing the size and shape of the tank and width owing to the engine will leave a very different impression. One of the things we all Love about the Twins is the narrow feel after all.

So long story short: given that I already own a couple of remarkable bikes from a technical standpoint and the V4 has some issues with regards to its aesthetic. I will hold for now...
being a Ducati Diehard though, they might get me on an evolved version down the line

Nope. I've owned or currently own an ST2, 996s, HyperMotard, Pikes Peak, 1098s, 1299s, 959.
I didn't like the 999.

I do not like the v4. It won't grow on me.

I love the look and will be on one next year.

The Akra exhaust is an engineering marvel.

I was at the dealer yesterday was talking about this new bike (again)

Please can ENDOC or Prince ALbert and the guys who know the bikes add some data here for me?
Pani 1299 = 205 Hp @10500Rpm ...144Nm @9000Rpm

V4 215 Hp @13000Rpm.... 124Nm @ 10000Rpm

can this be right?

Yes. Same printed numbers.

i'm sure endoc has already built better v4 than ducati for cheaper .

shots fired

jpanigale said:

Yes. Same printed numbers.

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Then it makes the decision even more complex because its not like a huge jump in power .... so no real bragging rights

reganc said:

i'm sure endoc has already built better v4 than ducati for cheaper .

shots fired

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you could be looking for trouble here with that comment

Captain Greg said:

Then it makes the decision even more complex because its not like a huge jump in power .... so no real bragging rights

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On the street, you aren't going to really feel the difference between either. Hell, I would argue the 1299 will feel faster in that scenario.

Track is another story where revs up top actually help out quite a bit.

Captain Greg said:

Please can ENDOC or Prince ALbert and the guys who know the bikes add some data here for me?
Pani 1299 = 205 Hp @10500Rpm ...144Nm @9000Rpm

V4 215 Hp @13000Rpm.... 124Nm @ 10000Rpm

can this be right?

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Nup, thats comparing apples and oranges. The 205hp rating for the 1299 is using the outdated way (for ducati) of measuring power, where the 214hp for the V4 is the revised way. Theres many articles of ducati announcing the power revisions. Revised 1299 figures come down to 197hp and about 137nm. As shaka said, 1299 should feel better on the road because of the torque, around a track and long straights is where the V4 (and any 1000cc 4 cylinder) will shine.

Captain Greg said:

Then it makes the decision even more complex because its not like a huge jump in power .... so no real bragging rights

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True, I was hoping for 260hp as 214 or 226 isn't enough for me.
Pure tea-bagger hp figures

Opinion on Looks - Ducati V4//1299

Was just on RoadracingWorld.com // Roadracing World Magazine // Motorcycle Roadracing Daily News and see an article entitled "Ducati Panigale V4 voted most beautiful bike of show".

Back when the Panigale was originally introduced, again at this show, it also was voted the most beautiful bike of show.