Well it's just under two weeks since I took the 1299s to the track (Snetterton) for the first time. Normally I use my 675, but I had an itch that needed a large scratch. Also this is the first time I have ever rode anything in the 1000cc (apart from a RSV Millie but that was fat, heavy and less power than the 675) category on track. My riding has come on leaps and bounds since I bought the Pani in Jun 2015. I have to ride my bikes to track days as I haven't got a tow car. So I err on the side of caution.
On the roads I realised I was putting down more power coming out of corners some than the trumpet at max chat with no electronic interference taking place. This kicked me up the back side. My fastest time at snetterton up till July 2016 was a 2:47 (BSB lap record is a 1:46:024 by Shakey this year). In July I did an open pit lane trackday on the trumpet and in 147miles, got down to 2:27. After another 4 track days there to June 2017 I chipped away and got to a 2:19. That was my limit. With 2:20-2:25 in traffic. Genuinely chuffed. I now get held up by R1s!
So at the start of this month the red beast went to the mecca of flat speedy death. (For those that saw the video of of the guy getting knocked out by a belly pan coming off at a trackday that was the Bentley straight at snetterton. See image for track layout). I hit 144mph on the trumpet on my own and got a triple towto 152 once on the Bentley straight. So was expecting big things.
Loads of Panis were there which was nice. One sadly shat it's guts out over pit garage floor, not mine.
So the first sessions were getting used to the bike. But I was straight away into the 2:29s in the lower group. Very surprised as I didnt feel I was pushing. After noticing DWC/DTC intervention at several locations for no reason I lowered them to 4. They then only came on at the Agostini at 50 degs of lean and coming out of the last corner wheeling on the power. I left them at that as they weren't interfering and I didn't want to die. After wacking the DES up to hardest for all 3 settings things felt good. Rear linkage is on Flat.
I swapped to the inters group after the 3rd session so I missed the 4th which was handy as the fuel light came on and it was a 5 mile ride to the local garage. Being tight I don't pay for circuit fuel! A total of 65 miles had been ridden from a full tank. 15 and a bit litres went in! She can drink.
After lunch, being in the inters was far better, not being held up so much I was able to get down to my 2:19 barrier with no problems. I then rode home 85 miles, somehow got off the bike, lubed the chain, checked my lap times, showered. Got instant cramp and seized up. Ached everywhere.
Well somehow and I don't know where I did a 2:15! I also topped out at 169mph on one lap. Well holy .... balls seriously happy with that. Oddly most of my laps were 2:19s so this seems my natural barrier. The thing being I had very few clear laps and was still doing 2:19-2:23 in traffic depending on where I was being held up.
The bike was utterly fantastic. Christ it drives hard and fast. Christ it revs quickly. A mate said I was visibly faster on the start finish straight than everything except a couple of BMW's. This is with coming out of the last corner in second at about 5k. head shaking and wheelie control was present till well in to 4th gear. At no time did I feel intimidated or scared. I just let her do what she wanted which was go faster! Then there's the brakes. Yeah they are pretty damn good. So much power and feel. ABS was on 1 for safety. Never kicked in once. Plenty of trail braking. The front end just tells you everything that's going on. Every bump, ripple communicated and absorbed with no fuss. Totally confidence inspiring. As for rear grip. Yes gods you can take liberties. Turn 3 is a fastish left that you can get on the gas early. I was getting on it earlier and earlier till I though no more. But still no flashing lights on the dash. How much grip has this thing got? I hit 52 degrees of lean at turn 4, Agostinis! Insane. Turns in beautifully and is so so stable mid corner. And the sound!
So the bike was rather physical to get around the track and left me a broken human being, but what a rush. But the gentler I was with it the better it felt. There were three slight problems for me: ground clearance I have never got knee and toe down together. I need some Rearsets! No tank grip. Defo need some of that. The last was sliding back on the seat. I'd be up against the tank on the brakes, supported only by my arms, hang of mid corner, get on the gas, slide back. Then I'd have to pull my self fwd with my arms as I could do it with my legs on stock pegs. This was why I'd ended up knackered! Finally the bike makes sense. As you can probably tell if you read this far I'm still buzzing thinking about it. Fair play Ducati fair play.
On the roads I realised I was putting down more power coming out of corners some than the trumpet at max chat with no electronic interference taking place. This kicked me up the back side. My fastest time at snetterton up till July 2016 was a 2:47 (BSB lap record is a 1:46:024 by Shakey this year). In July I did an open pit lane trackday on the trumpet and in 147miles, got down to 2:27. After another 4 track days there to June 2017 I chipped away and got to a 2:19. That was my limit. With 2:20-2:25 in traffic. Genuinely chuffed. I now get held up by R1s!
So at the start of this month the red beast went to the mecca of flat speedy death. (For those that saw the video of of the guy getting knocked out by a belly pan coming off at a trackday that was the Bentley straight at snetterton. See image for track layout). I hit 144mph on the trumpet on my own and got a triple towto 152 once on the Bentley straight. So was expecting big things.
Loads of Panis were there which was nice. One sadly shat it's guts out over pit garage floor, not mine.
So the first sessions were getting used to the bike. But I was straight away into the 2:29s in the lower group. Very surprised as I didnt feel I was pushing. After noticing DWC/DTC intervention at several locations for no reason I lowered them to 4. They then only came on at the Agostini at 50 degs of lean and coming out of the last corner wheeling on the power. I left them at that as they weren't interfering and I didn't want to die. After wacking the DES up to hardest for all 3 settings things felt good. Rear linkage is on Flat.
I swapped to the inters group after the 3rd session so I missed the 4th which was handy as the fuel light came on and it was a 5 mile ride to the local garage. Being tight I don't pay for circuit fuel! A total of 65 miles had been ridden from a full tank. 15 and a bit litres went in! She can drink.
After lunch, being in the inters was far better, not being held up so much I was able to get down to my 2:19 barrier with no problems. I then rode home 85 miles, somehow got off the bike, lubed the chain, checked my lap times, showered. Got instant cramp and seized up. Ached everywhere.
Well somehow and I don't know where I did a 2:15! I also topped out at 169mph on one lap. Well holy .... balls seriously happy with that. Oddly most of my laps were 2:19s so this seems my natural barrier. The thing being I had very few clear laps and was still doing 2:19-2:23 in traffic depending on where I was being held up.
The bike was utterly fantastic. Christ it drives hard and fast. Christ it revs quickly. A mate said I was visibly faster on the start finish straight than everything except a couple of BMW's. This is with coming out of the last corner in second at about 5k. head shaking and wheelie control was present till well in to 4th gear. At no time did I feel intimidated or scared. I just let her do what she wanted which was go faster! Then there's the brakes. Yeah they are pretty damn good. So much power and feel. ABS was on 1 for safety. Never kicked in once. Plenty of trail braking. The front end just tells you everything that's going on. Every bump, ripple communicated and absorbed with no fuss. Totally confidence inspiring. As for rear grip. Yes gods you can take liberties. Turn 3 is a fastish left that you can get on the gas early. I was getting on it earlier and earlier till I though no more. But still no flashing lights on the dash. How much grip has this thing got? I hit 52 degrees of lean at turn 4, Agostinis! Insane. Turns in beautifully and is so so stable mid corner. And the sound!
So the bike was rather physical to get around the track and left me a broken human being, but what a rush. But the gentler I was with it the better it felt. There were three slight problems for me: ground clearance I have never got knee and toe down together. I need some Rearsets! No tank grip. Defo need some of that. The last was sliding back on the seat. I'd be up against the tank on the brakes, supported only by my arms, hang of mid corner, get on the gas, slide back. Then I'd have to pull my self fwd with my arms as I could do it with my legs on stock pegs. This was why I'd ended up knackered! Finally the bike makes sense. As you can probably tell if you read this far I'm still buzzing thinking about it. Fair play Ducati fair play.
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