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Ducati 1199 Panigale Answers
Friday, February 17, 2012
Hey everybody I just got done spinning about a hour's worth of laps on Ducati's new '12-spec 1199 Panigale Superbike... Here are the answers to the questions ya'll had:

zenjim: From what I've read, this bike seems to have a whole lot of electronics. I'm interested in the execution. Is there so much it overwhelms the "feel" of the bike? Or is it nicely complimenting the ride? Do you have to make adjustments to your riding style? How far can you push that engine braking?

motousa_adam: The S model 1199 we tested has a whole slough of electronics. First off the menu system is intuitive and pretty easy to use but your going to have to review the manual as there are plenty of settings to change. The quick-shifter functionality is better than before but still could be faster. It was hard to get a good read on the traction control. I've never been a fan of Ducati's set-up and the updated version didn't really impress me either. The engine braking feature however is a definite plus and helps make the chassis more settled during corner entry. I was also pleasantly surprised with the calibration and feel on the new ride-by-wire throttle control with it offering smooth, predicable power when the throttle is twisted in both Sport and Race modes.

509MXFan: any comment on why it isn't homologated for WSBK? Or about the departure of the dry clutch?

motousa_adam: The new bike is going to be homologated for WSBK. Ducati ditched the dry clutch set-up in order to make the engine quieter as well as giving the bike more consistent clutch feel and durability. The wet-style clutch works head-and-shoulders better than the old version and better even than then set-up employed in the 848 Superbike.

buzzdsm: Has Ducati fixed the tank expanding issue with this bike?

motousa_adam: The 1199 Panigale employs an aluminum fuel tank so the tank deforming issue should be completely eliminated.

Oliver: Hi Adam: What I am most curious about is the lateral "flex" of this chassis. Given that the motor is a stressed member and the airbox and headstock will be the only likely areas that can flex, I wonder if the bike will have similar issues to the Ducati MotoGP bike; i.e., lack of front end feel due to inadequate flex when the bike is on its side. It has to be a real challenge to engineer flex into such a short area, since obviously the engine won't flex. Although you may not get the opportunity to push the bike to its limits, I wonder if that may be the limiting factor in this design.

motousa_adam: The new chassis seemed to work well offering much quicker turn-in without compromising feel or stability at lean. The new chassis felt positive l and I was really impressed with the way the back of the bike hooks up off corners. The bike's we rode had above average balance front-to-rear and you could really get into both the throttle and brakes without upsetting the chassis.

h7gixxergary: When will be on the show room floor in the U.S. and did you experience any of that front end chatter?

motousa_adam: The bike will arrive to the U.S. May, 2012. I experienced no front end chatter whatsoever.

Superlight: Is this Ducati the first Euro bike to finally set the performance benchmark for the class, setting the new standard of superbike power/handling/braking?

motousa_adam: The BMW S1000RR has set the performance benchmark for all liter-class sportbikes. While the new Panigale is a big improvement over its predecessor it's still no BMW. The braking performance however might be better but we're going to have to performance test it for an accurate comparison.

shashankmittal: I am curious to know about the ergonomics. How is compared to other bikes specially 848 and S1000RR? How good are the forks/shock on the base model in comparison to the Ohlins? Is the tank gonna be affected with Ethanol present in American gasoline?

motousa_adam: The ergonomics and the way the rider interacts with the bike is one area of significant improvement. The Panigale has a much more conventional "˜Japanese' feel to it which is a good thing. We rode the S model equipped with the electronically adjustable Ohlins stuff and it worked well but I'm not really sure if its worth the upcharge. The fuel tank is aluminum so there should be no expanding issues.
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Ducati 1199 Panigale Superbike Impressions
Friday, February 17, 2012
Greetings all, I just got done spending about an hour’s worth of time at the controls of the 2012 Ducati 1199 Panigale Superbike at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, UAE. So obviously the big question is how good is the bike? Well first off, this is the machine Ducati should have built four years ago. I know this is going to piss off die-hard Duc enthusiasts but the biggest thing about the bike is just how ‘Japanese’ it feels. Engineers have done a nice job mellowing out some of the classic but quirky Italian traits equating to a more versatile machine that is less demanding to ride. Yet it still retains that lovable V-Twin feel and charisma. The powerband is much more mid-to-top biased than ever before. It still isn’t anywhere as close to as fast as the S1000RR but since its so light (without question its the lightest bike in the class) and delivers a high level or rear end traction you’ll be surprised by how fast the thing goes. I also appreciated how much quicker it steers not to mention the borderline insane stopping performance courtesy of its updated Brembo set-up. In terms of electronics I’m still not sold on Ducati’s traction control and the quick-shifter could be faster too. The new ride-by-wire throttle control system however is calibrated extremely well which makes dialing in the throttle fast and easy. The engine braking functionality also surprised me as it helped make the chassis more stable during corner entry. Overall I’m pretty pumped on the new bike and think it might have something for the competition come shootout time. Make sure to visit us on Monday for the full report.

from MotoUSA