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Ducati 959 Panigale in the HP driving report

Super sports car with brilliant handling

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Ducati is now also increasing the displacement of the smaller Panigale, but has to turn down the volume control significantly. A first test drive with the new Ducati 959 Panigale on the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia.

In autumn and winter, representatives of the two-wheeled people from industry and the press like to come to Spain. Like today. Twenty degrees and sunshine in Valencia, it couldn’t be better. D.ucati presents the new "small" 959 Panigale here on the Circuit Ricardo Tormo. In MotoGP, the track is considered a Mickey Mouse course, because there is always nasty left around the corner. Handling and a balanced driving behavior are important here, not so much on top performance. Perhaps just the thing for the Ducati 959 Panigale? We will see.

Ducati 959 Panigale in the HP driving report

Super sports car with brilliant handling

959 Panigale was based on the 1299, i.e. the front and side panels are the same.

Goodbye to underengine exhaust

Just like its predecessor 899, the Ducati 959 Panigale has a two-arm swing arm and … what is that? A rather voluminous exhaust system hangs on the right side of the Duc. Goodbye underengine exhaust. Euro 4 and new volume limits are taking their toll. Before panic breaks out in the fan base: For the time being, the larger Panigale models will be spared this measure. “We’ll come up with something for 2017,” says Massimo Davoli, Ducati’s international press manager, confidently.

But back to the 959. We start the first turn to get to know the route in sport mode. That means DTC at level five and ABS at level two. Few super athletes make exploring an unknown slope as easy as the Ducati 959 Panigale. It goes exactly where you want it by itself. And today it’s not a bad thing that the PSler forgot his earplugs in the editorial office. This motorcycle is actually the most hearing-friendly Panigale that has ever existed. So far, the presumption of innocence has been confirmed across the board.

How about the performance?

By increasing the displacement (piston stroke 60.8 mm instead of 57.2 mm) to 955 cubic meters, the Superquadro in this version now lifts 158 hp at 10,750 rpm and pushes 106 Nm at 9,000 rpm. In addition, the engine has a revised crankshaft including a lubrication system, adapted connecting rods, piston heads and piston pins with DLC coating. To reduce mechanical noise, the cylinder heads and engine covers have been given a modified structure and a different timing chain is used. The power-to-weight ratio of 158 hp to 200 kilograms can definitely be seen on the data sheet. In practice, the twin takes the gas cleanly, revs up linearly and gives off its power in an extremely predictable way. At 8000 rpm there is another decent boost before the Ducati 959 Panigale runs into the limiter at a little over 11,000 rpm.

For the next turn we say goodbye to the sport and switch to race mode. The response should now be more jagged, the traction control is on three and the ABS on one. In this setting, the anti-lock device on the rear wheel is deactivated. So you could pull off big braking drifts if you could. Despite the default settings, all electronic parameters can be freely combined with one another. Unfortunately, there is no switch at the end of the handlebar that could be used, for example, to regulate traction control while driving. Configured in this way, the Ducati 959 Panigale accepts the gas noticeably more directly, revs up more aggressively and is much more fun.

Your friend in every situation

At the end of the back straight is the photographer. Gas on, clutch gently out and front wheel up. Wheelies are easy. Bang, the lead photo would be in the can. Twenty-minute turns can be tough, but the 959 is easy to hit. The super sports car can be driven precisely and is incredibly agile, so you have to focus on it first. Otherwise you tend to give in too early. Nevertheless, the Ducati 959 Panigale is your friend in every situation. Fast drivers are fast, and occasional racers are not overwhelmed. Incidentally, you don’t have to be afraid of brutal inclines in right-hand corners. If the exhaust hits, it’s probably too late anyway.

The slipper clutch, adapted from the 1299 Panigale, also works properly. There are passages in Valencia that you brake in an inclined position and shift down a gear before bending. In such situations the stern remains fairly stable and the load continues on course. The brakes give cause for slight criticism. After a few tough maneuvers, you would want a slightly crisper pressure point. The really excellent performance characteristics of the Ducati 959 Panigale can certainly not inspire everyone. Especially not those infected by the 1299 Panigale’s killer punch. Everyone else should give the innocent angel a chance.

Technical data Ducati 959 Panigale

Ducati

Wheelies are no problem with the Ducati 959 Panigale.

judgment

Ducati

Wider front, new side panels. In addition to the lateral guidance of the exhaust, retouching reminiscent of the look of the 1299 Panigale make up the face of the Ducati 959 Panigale.

No, the Ducati 959 Panigale has not become a beast. Instead, Ducati is launching a well-balanced, manageable super sports car with brilliant handling. More displacement and the anti-hopping clutch also make sense off the racetrack and will certainly not be detrimental to driving fun there.

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