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BMW S 1000 RR, Ducati 1299 Panigale S and Yamaha YZF-R1 in a comparison test

Circuit comparison

Content of

For years, fans of Japanese or Italian superbikes have longed for the ultimate BMW killer. The brand new high-tech weapons Yamaha YZF-R1 and Ducati 1299 Panigale S have what it takes to atomize the BMW S 1000 RR?

BMW has announced that it will equip the test S 1000 RR with the “Calibration Kit 2” tuning tool if Yamaha launches the hot M version of the YZF-R1. Yamaha, on the other hand, drove the new superbike several hundred kilometers in the trailer to our dynamometer in order to follow the measurements live. And Ducati is eagerly calling during the test to find out how things are. Manufacturers and importers are rarely that nervous. But after the recent upgrade of their figureheads, this racetrack comparison is about everything for them: brand image, prestige, market power. Such things are of no interest to us today. We’d rather pack the Yamaha YZF-R1 (standard version), the BMW S 1000 RR (without tuning kit) and the D.ucati 1299 Panigale S in the van and jet off to Spain. There the tricky Alcarràs piste is already waiting for the trio: who burns the fastest time in the asphalt?

BMW S 1000 RR, Ducati 1299 Panigale S and Yamaha YZF-R1 in a comparison test

Circuit comparison

Yamaha YZF-R1. Much had been reported in advance about the Japanese. Equipped with everything that makes you fast, the engineers trimmed the Yam for just one goal: maximum racetrack performance. A clear and bold direction. 

Yamaha YZF-R1 – precision tool made in Japan

Yamaha YZF-R1.

“The Yamaha YZF-R1 is awesome to ride over the front wheel,” enthuses Arne. “You can also feel everything that’s going on on the asphalt below you. In addition, it sticks extremely light-footed and precisely into the curves and stays on the line with millimeter precision when tilted. A real racing bike, awesome! ”The only weakness in the chassis is the Yamaha when it comes to very hard braking maneuvers. During this exercise, the rear wheel quickly loses contact with the ground and breaks sideways – good-bye ideal line! We also had to close the compression damping (low-speed) of the shock absorber completely with the exception of two clicks. Nevertheless, the yam circles the curl at lightning speed. The recording attests to a lap time of 1,39.26 minutes. “I thought so,” Oscar grins. “The Yamaha is really fast.” Times under 1.40 minutes are really very fast here with a production motorcycle. 

With a little more steam from the lower rev range, the Yamaha YZF-R1, which jumps a bit hard on the gas, could probably shave off a few more time chips. “It pulls out of the tight corners a bit tough in second gear and too aggressively in first. The Yamaha works really well around the top, ”says Tode in astonishment. In fact, the four-cylinder, offset from the crank pin (crossplane technology) sends an impressive 202 hp to the transmission – a top value! At 199 kilograms, a Japanese woman has more horsepower than kilograms for the first time. As the icing on the cake, the quadruplet runs wonderfully soft and bubbles pleasantly quietly from the end pot. 

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Ducati 1299 Panigale S – thunder and performance

Ducati 1299 Panigale S..

The Ducati 1299 Panigale S is less reluctant to work. With a mighty thunder, it turns from the pit lane onto the track. It is always amazing how the Italians get such high noise levels homologated. But that is not the topic today. What counts is full throttle! With 1285 cubic meters, the new Panigale doesn’t fit into any racing class. But regardless of the regulations, it offers hobby pilots a fat package. Example of power: 197 hp is a new two-cylinder record and a real challenge. It also breaks the magical one horsepower per kilo mark. However, even experienced racers traditionally have to focus on the diva for some time. This is especially true when changing from the Yam. The performance of the Japanese stands in stark contrast to the Ducati-V2, which goes into the race with killer punch from low speeds and a lower maximum speed. The 1299 slips up when applying the gas between 5500 and 6500 rpm. Here it reacts to gas commands with a delay in the partial load range. At first nothing comes, then suddenly a mega-push. This peculiarity makes it difficult to accelerate out of the corners with feeling – please vote again, Ducati!

“The seating position is a bit more racing than on the also very sporty Yamaha YZF-R1,” remarks Arne. “It fits like a tailor-made suit, and with the wide handlebars you have the bike perfectly under control. In addition, despite being 1.83 meters tall, it is very easy for me to fold it up. ”She delivers pure race feeling, especially in attack mode, but doesn’t like strolling on the slopes. “The Ducati 1299 Panigale S drives first class over the front wheel,” says Arne. I can turn corners really quickly with it. ”In addition, it stays nice and calm in braking zones, even when maneuvering on the last groove. If the rear wheel drifts out of track, it happens wonderfully smoothly. In addition, the Italian is wonderfully stable in an inclined position. "It is a bit more uncompromising and closer to a thoroughbred racer than the Yamaha," says Oscar.

Panigale also impresses with the chassis

The Ducati 1299 Panigale S also impressed the testers with the chassis. It offers the choice between fixed damping values ​​and the semi-active variant. In the first case, the fork and shock absorber work conventionally, the electronics do not interfere. Setup changes to rebound and compression are made via a menu in the cockpit. In contrast, the fully automatic version offers five basic settings – from very soft to super tight – and changes the damping depending on the driving situation. An electronic magic box records this permanently via mass inertia measurements and sends corresponding signals to the driver assistants. Such a measuring system is in all three candidates and proves the extremely high level of development of the high-tech cars. 

The basic setting of the suspension elements recommended by the factory for the racetrack (“hardest”) seems quite soft when the fork is stationary. But even hardcore bolts cannot harm the Ducati 1299 Panigale S. Only a slight stir at the rear shows the immense forces that act on the undercarriage when blasting out of the corners. The many bumps on the bumpy slope neutralize the spring elements very confidently. This is also noticeable in the lap time. At 1.39.42 minutes it is 0.16 seconds behind the Yamaha YZF-R1.

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BMW S 1000 RR – fast as an arrow, Bavarian all-purpose weapon

BMW S 1000 RR.

There is excitement in the pit lane and the BMW S 1000 RR is rolling onto the track. Can the all-time winner counter? In terms of power, she has definitely improved it since the last measurement and is now sending crazy 208 stallions out to the pasture. The way the S 1000 RR delivers its performance is also impressive. The Munich resident pushes, pushes and squeezes anytime and anywhere, always producing more punch. And when she lifts her intake funnel to improve performance at 11,500 rpm, she pulls the arms of the astonished pilot a few centimeters longer. The four-cylinder can be calculated at any time, it does not know any sneaky attacks. The throttle response is also top notch. The fly in the ointment is the somewhat rough engine running, which of course only elicits an indifferent "So what?". 

On the other hand, they are likely to react more sensitively to the semi-active chassis. It works very well at the front. But as on the Rijeka slope (PS 01/2015), the rear wedges really nasty when accelerating hard over bumps. A real shortcoming, especially when cornering: “In extreme cases, I have to take off the accelerator”, growls Arne. So change setup. Unlike usual, we soften the rebound and compression stages of the shock absorber for spinning. As a result, it absorbs unevenness better and does not pass them on to the chassis of the BMW S 1000 RR. As with the Ducati 1299 Panigale S, damping settings are made via the cockpit menu at the touch of a button.

Sitting position of the S 1000 RR less extreme

“Clearly better,” says our times driver with satisfaction. "The rashes are not as violent anymore, I can attack a lot more now." Now the Bavarian is also playing her trump cards, such as her uncomplicated handling and great handling. “It takes the tight left-right chicane even more nimbly than the Yamaha YZF-R1 and the Ducati 1299 Panigale S. In corners that I don’t use the brakes, the R1 and Panigale drive more easily. And they are also a little more precise. ”This is at least partly due to the less extreme seating position of the BMW S 1000 RR. With a handlebar height of 870 millimeters and a seat height of 820 millimeters, it looks almost touristy.

In terms of racing, however, it gets down to business when anchoring. In this exercise, it is even a touch richer than the Ducati 1299 Panigale S and gives you unlimited confidence even with ultra-late braking points. And? Lap time? Please note: With 1.38.83 minutes it burns the competition a good four tenths (Yamaha) and almost six tenths (Ducati)! However, even the recording does not reveal exactly where it gets the time. The fact is: At the braking points, she is usually one or two km / h more on the clock, and at the apexes she can maintain the speed of the competitors. The tricky, demanding downhill double links are an exception. Here the Yamaha YZF-R1 and the Panigale are clearly faster than the BMW S 1000 RR.

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Power of electronics – the driver assistance

We come to the driving aids and thus to the electronics. ABS, traction control, various driving modes, wheelie control, automatic gearshift: each of the bolides offers the full range. The Yamaha YZF-R1 even has an adjustable slide control that effectively supports the TC and gently catches a rear wheel breaking away. In contrast to the BMW S 1000 RR and Ducati 1299 Panigale S, your automatic gearshift does not have a blipper function – downshifting only works with the clutch. In addition, their traction control allows too much slip at level one and a little too little slip at position two. And your ABS can neither be set nor switched off. 

Your competitors offer more adjustment options. The driving aids are optimally graded and the ABS can be deactivated. In positions two and three of the Ducati 1299 Panigale S system, the feature known colloquially as "cornering ABS" is even used. The deeper the lean angle, the less brake pressure the system allows. It works really well: warm up the tires, squeeze your buttocks, try them out! 

On the next page of this test are our setup tips for the driving aids. The flood of setting options leaves room for experimentation here, of course. In addition, we tended to choose late control levels or completely deactivated one or the other assistance. There is absolutely no shame in trying out intervening positions earlier and gradually getting closer to your favorite level. Then you are well prepared. For the day of the decision. 

Driver assistance settings

A flood of settings leaves plenty of scope for experimentation with the electronic driving aids.

Yamaha YZF-R1

Driver assistance

attitude

PWR (power delivery)  

2

TCS (traction control)

2

SCS (slide control)

1

LCS (launch control)

off

QSS (automatic switch)

1

Lif (wheelie control)

off

Ducati 1299 Panigale S.

Driver assistance

attitude

fashion

Race

DQS (automatic switch)

U + D (up and down)

EBC (engine brake)

2

DWC (wheelie control)  

off

SECTION

1

BMW S 1000 RR

Driver assistance

attitude

fashion

Slick

DTC (traction control)  

-3

Technical specifications

3282 cm³ distributed over three bikes. That’s quite a lot.

Readings

The performance charts of the three candidates.

The almost 300 cubic centimeters more displacement of the Ducati 1299 Panigale S are clearly noticeable in the performance diagram. Up to its maximum output, the Duc is clearly ahead at every speed. The two four-cylinder counter with a higher peak performance. What is remarkable is the huge power surplus of the BMW S 1000 RR compared to the Yamaha YZF-R1 at medium speeds. There, the Munich woman pushes up to 17 hp and 19 Nm more than the Japan bike. This is extremely noticeable when powering out of tight corners.

Premiere: For the first time, all test candidates have more horsepower than kilograms – madness! 

Pro against amateur racers

BMW S 1000 RR, Ducati 1299 Panigale S and Yamaha YZF-R1.

  Arne death  

  Volkmar Jacob  

  Time difference  

  Time difference  

Waypoint

  km / h

  km / h

  section

  total

1 end of start / finish

258

251

0.11 s

0.11 s

2 first right

205

195

0.97 s

1.08 s

3 right bend

164

155

0.52 s

1.60 s

4 knoll

181

167

0.59 s

2.19 s

5 after double left

190

180

0.30 s

2.49 s

6 Left to chicane

139

135

1.06 s

3.55 s

7 Start / finish entrance

224

220

0.57 s

4.12 s

8 start / finish

228

223

0.38 s

4.50 s

Lap time in minutes

1.38.83

1.43.33

temporary work

The circuit layout of Alcarràs.

As part of this test, we compared the lap times of racing professional Arne Tode and the author. Test bike: BMW S 1000 RR. The graphics show the race track layout (left) and the superimposed recording curves (below). The key points are drawn in both sketches. They correspond to the points in the table (above). Their values ​​show the maximum speeds at the braking points. The time differences (“section” and “total”) are calculated from the section of the route between the points. Between the end of the start / finish (1) and before the first right (2), Tode gets just under a second. One world in this short piece.

The superimposed recording curves.

The curves show that he goes into the irons much later and harder there. The latter illustrates the steeper sloping blue line. At the exit of the bend he accelerates much earlier than the hobbyist. The trickiest section of the slope lurks between points four and five. It leads over a knoll (4) into a challenging double left. Tode burns a whopping 14 km / h faster over the summit and arrows faster through the double curve. Before anchoring he stops longer and has a correspondingly higher speed (5). It’s really impressive how much time a professional gets in individual sections. Theoretically, the author knows how to do it: brake later and harder, earlier and harder on the gas. Only the implementation is still a little lacking… 

rating

Only one can be the first. The Ducati 1299 Panigale S takes first place ahead of the BMW S 1000 RR and the Yamaha YZF-R1.

Max. Points  

BMW S 1000 RR  

Ducati 1299 Panigale S.  

Yamaha YZF-R1

drive

Power delivery

10

10

9

9

Responsiveness

10

9

7th

9

Load change reaction

10

9

9

7th

Running culture

10

8th

8th

10

Gear actuation

10

10

9

8th

Gear ratio

10

10

10

8th

Clutch function

10

9

9

9

Traction control

10

10

10

9

Subtotal

80

75

71

69

landing gear

Driving stability

10

7th

9

6th

Handiness

10

9

9

9

Cornering stability

10

8th

10

10

Steering precision

10

8th

10

10

feedback

10

8th

9

9

Suspension tuning in front

10

8th

9

10

Chassis set-up at the rear

10

7th

9

9

Braking effect

10

10

10

9

Brake metering

10

10

10

9

ABS function

10

10

10

8th

Sitting position

10

8th

9

9

Lean angle

10

10

10

10

Subtotal

120

103

114

108

Lap time

Lap time *

20th

20th

17th

17th

Total

220

198

202

194

placement

2.

1.

3.

* Key points:
Best time: 20 points. Delay up to 0.2 s: 19 points; 0.21 s to 0.4 s: 18 points; 0.41 s to 0.6 s: 17 points; 0.61 s to 0.8 s: 16 points; 0.81 s to 1.0 s: 15 points; 1.01 s to 1.2 s: 14 points; 1.21 s to 1.4 s: 13 points; 1.41 s to 1.6 s: 12 points; 1.61 s to 1.8 s: 11 points; 1.81 s to 2.0 s: 10 points; 2.01 s to 2.2 s: 9 points; 2.21 s to 2.4 s: 8 points; 2.41 s to 2.6 s: 7 points; 2.61 s to 2.8 s: 6 points; 2.81 s to 3.0 s: 5 points; 3.01 s to 3.2 s: 4 points; 3.21 s to 3.4 s: 3 points; Etc.  

Conclusion

The test victory on the racetrack goes to the Ducati 1299 Panigale S..

1. Ducati 1299 Panigale S.

Third fastest lap time, still victory? Yes! Because the time intervals are generally short. The Ducati 1299 Panigale S also has a first-class chassis. The fact that she cannot implement its advantages in better times is due to the uncompromising diva’s long time to get used to it. The competition is less capricious. 

2. BMW S 1000 RR

With four points behind, the long-term winner lands in second place this time. Your electronic chassis is not yet working perfectly, especially at the rear. In addition, the BMW S 1000 RR loses more points because of its less extreme racing orientation. Still, it’s incredibly fast. Its plus points are the extremely powerful engine and its uncomplicated nature. 

3. Yamaha YZF-R1

Without a doubt, the Yamaha YZF-R1 is an excellent motorcycle with a top suspension. But for the self-imposed claim of a real racer, it lacks the ultimate consequence, keywords braking stability, driver assistance, load changes, translation. Nevertheless: It can definitely do more than this ranking shows. 

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