A NEW era of Ducati sportsbikes is firmly upon us. The Ducati 1199 Panigale was launched in 2012 and 18-months later, the predictable yet stunning 899 Panigale is now here.
Reasons to buy an 899 Panigale | Reasons to buy an 1199 Panigale |
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| Price: £4891 OTR (£5,291 with ABS) Capacity: 296cc Power: 38bhp Weight: 172kg kerb (£174kg ABS) Seat height: 786mm | Price: £4,195 Capacity: 200cc Power: 25bhp Weight: 140kg Seat height: 800mm |
Our choice: Ninja 300
We love both bikes and the 200 Duke performs way better than its puny 200cc would suggest. It's punchy off the line, has plenty of pep for around-town riding and with a comfortable 80mph cruising speed, you could use it anywhere. However, after a lengthy debate here at Visordown HQ, we think the biggest threat to the 200 Duke isn't the Ninja 300, it's the 390 Duke, which is just £300 more expensive and comes with ABS.
But back to this head-to-head. As cool as the 200 Duke is, the Ninja 300 with its fairing and extra dollop of power, means it's a better bike for distance riding and it's just as good around town. You could ride the Ninja 300 from London to the Lake District and you wouldn't be bothered. We're not sure you can say the same thing about the 200 Duke.
Have we got it wrong? Tell us which you'd buy, or add your review of either model using the links below.
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