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Premiere, Ducati 1199 Panigale S.

Ducati 1199 Panigale S already driven

Content of

After a long, tense wait, the time has finally come: Ducati presents the Desmo milestone 1199 Panigale S at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. PS pulled on the cable of the red burner.

S.turn in pat! Here you have to give in late! The view moves further inwards, the pylons at the top of the curve come into view and come closer at breakneck speed. The left knee and the boot grinder sand across the asphalt, the Panigale grumbles dully at 7000 tours, waiting for the GO! The apex is reached, as if out of nowhere, the almost one thousand meter long straight appears behind the slight crest. GO! The right wrist vehemently cocks the tap, the 1200 Superquadro accelerates directly and spontaneously, calls up full power and pushes like hell. The DTC indicator light flickers wildly in the cockpit. The pilot pulls in his knee, folds himself up behind the very tight windshield and loads through the handlebars with loose hands. 3rd, 4th, 5th gear, the twin roars and pushes ahead without braking. 6th gear, thrust, thrust, thrust!

first

Ducati 1199 Panigale S already driven

happiness

The TFT display is easy to read and is great to use.

Never before has a series-produced Ducati superbike kicked off so strongly and sustainably in these speed regions and playfully flicked the digital tachometer into the red area again and again at just over 11,000 rpm. What remains is the hard Desmo thunder – and the pithy blow of the 90-degree V2, which pounds unforgettable into the driver’s heart. The 1199 heralds a new era in Ducati superbikes? 
Yes, definitely. And something else. Forget everything you knew or heard about Ducatis so far. The Panigale S is different! Much stronger, much more manageable, much smaller, much more nervous. And much more comfortable than any previous superbike from Bologna! But one after the other. Interested motorcycle fans and PS readers are familiar with the technical innovations from the trade fair reporting and the background stories in PS. Therefore, the technical innovations are only briefly summarized here. 

At the center of the Panigale is the super quadro engine, the shortest-stroke Ducati twin of all time, with the gigantic bore of 112 millimeters and specified 195 hp at 10,750 rpm. According to the technical director Andrea Forni, “every single component was checked and further developed in terms of weight and function.” The primary goals of the development philosophy were to concentrate the masses around the motorcycle’s center of gravity and to minimize the number of components. In fact, the Ducati engineers set their sights on the Aprilia RSV4 and the BMW S 1000 RR as benchmarks. How consistently the philosophy of "omitting and reducing" was implemented is shown particularly well by two examples.

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In addition to the ride-by-wire system, the S version also comes with the electronically adjustable Ohlins chassis.

Keyword omission: the usual Ducati tubular steel frame is missing. The main element of the Panigale is the engine housing. A monocoque is screwed to it, which is the front subframe and airbox in personal union. The swing arm and suspension strut are also supported directly on the engine housing, and the rear subframe, which weighs just 2.1 kilograms, only carries the pilot. Keyword downsizing: Thanks to a decompression mechanism in both cylinders, the starter no longer has to work against the full compression of the engine. This means that not only the starter but also the battery can be made smaller. Weight savings thanks to auto deco: over a kilogram. This consequence is reflected everywhere in the 1199. Be it the fittings or parts such as brake calipers or triple clamps. The spirit of lightweight construction can be felt everywhere.

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The Ducati 1199 Panigale S has new Brembo M50 stoppers.

An unprecedented upgrade took place in the electronics area. The 1199 S can proudly attach the title “Playstation” to its red chest, because no series-produced motorcycle has been able to play around more electronically than it. The basic equipment of the S includes an ABS that can be switched off with a combination brake function (standard in Germany), DES (Ducati Electronic Suspension), DQS (Ducati Quick Shifter), the well-known, further developed DTC (Ducati Traction Control), EBC (Engine Brake Control), a real ride-by-wire (RBW), the further developed DDA + (Ducati Data Analyzer) and the TFT display in the cockpit, through which all the electronics are logical and easy to operate. 
So much for the theory. Researching the complexity of the system on the route certainly takes several days. PS, however, there was only just under an hour’s drive available, which is why we concentrated on the essentials on the unknown Formula 1 track Yas Marina in distant Abu Dhabi – the search for the fast line and the fun potential of the Panigale S..

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The loud rattling dry clutch was retired on the 1199.

After the long push phase down the straight, a 100-degree left flies towards us. So straighten up and anchor. Despite its compactness, the 1199 remains stable when the two 330 mm panes are heated up, although not as stoically calm as its predecessor. The gears slide precisely into position until the second is on. Then set the steering impulse! Willingly like a bloodhound in a hunted frenzy, the Duc leans into an inclined position despite the brake still slightly pulled. Gently release the brake, aim at the apex and – whoops, missed. How come? 
Because with the Panigale, a new Ducati era begins. Getting along with her and driving a clean line takes time to get used to. A Ducati has never been so handy, so light-footed and above all so crammed with electronics. So take your time and slowly get to know each other. 

The vertices that were initially missed, for example, are very easy to get under control. The EBC, the electronic engine braking torque control, is to blame. At level three out of three, the braking torque of the motor is reduced to a minimum by readjusting the control flaps. This means that the Duc rolls towards the apex unusually quickly, too fast for the pilot at first. So switch off the EBC and the Panigale behaves like a Ducati with a 90-degree twin again. Brakes with the motor when turning and the line fits again. 
The 1199 will do such subtleties very quickly with a well-practiced driver. PS is already looking forward to a pronounced acclimatization phase with this bomb.

The Ducati 1199 Panigale S.

Technical specifications

drive  
Two-cylinder 90-degree V-engine, 4 valves / cylinder, 143 kW (195 PS) at 10,750 / min *, 132 Nm at 9,000 / min *, 1198 cm3, bore / stroke: 112.0 / 60.8 mm, compression: 12.5 : 1, ignition / injection system, 67.5 mm throttle valves, hydraulically operated multi-disc oil bath anti-hopping clutch, six-speed gearbox, chain 
landing gear  
Load-bearing motor with light metal subframe, steering head angle: 65.5 degrees, caster: 100 mm, wheelbase: 1437 mm, Ø fork inner tube: 43 mm, spring travel v / h: 120/130 mm 
Wheels and brakes  
Forged light alloy wheels, 3.50 x 17 / 6.00 x 17, front tires: 120/70 ZR 17, rear: 200/55 ZR 17, 330 mm double disc brake with four-piston fixed calipers at the front, 245 mm single disc with two-piston Fixed rear saddle, C-ABS optional
Weight (full tank)  
188 kg * Tank capacity: 17 liters of super 
Base price  
24,490 euros (plus ancillary costs)

Conclusion

The Ducati 1199 Panigale S is awesome. So light-footed, so strong, so different from anything that ever came from Bologna. And despite its radicalism, it is now more comfortable for the pilot to drive. A praise not only for the technical innovations, but also for the good ergonomics and rideability of the petite superbike. Congratulations on this litter.

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