Talkback: Dissecting the Ducati 1199 Panigale

just means that should you have to replace anything or work on it it would be a pig to get to some of the parts, although with the quality of them hopefully with regular services you wouldnt have to tinker with anythin

It looks awesome and I am sure it will be great to ride...however, I can't say it is the future. Unfortunately, Rossi and Hayden threw this basic design in the dumpster. For one reason or another it did not work well and could not be made to work well in Moto GP....so at the end of the day their top level bike is back to what many manufacturers have used for years...a nice aluminum frame surrounding the engine. So Ducati sort of has a potential marketing problem on their hands? It might be good, but it is obviously not that good.

This is what WSB will be running... and that is what sells units.
GP bikes are pure 'unobtainium'

It looks stunning. I think the reasons for the GP8/9/10 getting progressively worse in GP was down to tyres. Bridgestone, as part of the cost measures went to stock tyres in I think 2008 or 2009. Casey got 1st in 2007, 2nd in 2008 and 4th in 2009/2010.

When they went to a single tyre, they obviously done a design which favoured the Honda, Yamaha & Suzuki with twin beam frames and not so much the Ducati with quite a different concept. Also, the 6 engine rule meant a design change was a new engine.

I think the design is sound, but in GP with the current regs it's totally unworkable.

Everyone that's rode the panigale at launch events has loved it and loads of reasonably fast journos aren't complaining about lack of front-end feel or tucking it.

As the man in Bangkok says, WSBK results will help with unit sales. MotoGP should be a wacky R&D playground. I'm quite thankful Ducati have brought something out based on a recent MotoGP concept. It's not like we're seeing Honda giving us a V4 sportsbike anytime soon is it?

After 3 days and 4 engineers working 24 hour shifts Ducati finally gets to replace that dicky brake light bulb.

I think the faults now are more if you are electronically minded or you have a trouble shooting experience. I hope there are not too many issues. My 916 seems like a dinosaur now...
vinnychoff

The panigale is already in use in world superstock, and the 2 bikes were well up front during that race in imola. The reason it isn't in SBK yet is actually because it is too good. Ducati were told to add weight to the 1198R (8KG) to make the rest of the field competitive. There was words flying about that they might have to add 20KG to the panigale to give the other manufacturers a hope in hell. Whatever the case, it is a real peach of a machine, if a year or 2 late...