959 Panigale test: Site takes up the 2018 Ducati Challenge
Which motorcycle to choose to start competing? Le Journal moto du Net had never asked the question … And did not think more when Ducati asked him to participate in his first race, riding a 959 Panigale and facing Panigale V2 and V4 , S1000RR or RSV4. Challenge met !
959 Panigale test – page 3: Angel of the track
Heating blankets removed, engine started … Site is about to engage first gear by pressing the selector but changes his mind at the last moment! "Our" 959 Panigale is in a reverse gearbox: first at the top and therefore the rest at the bottom. We will have to relearn how to fly !
Fortunately, MNC has Carole’s layout well head headphones, which simplifies the situation a bit. What complicates it, however, are the motorcycles with which we share the track: S1000RRs of – minimum – 200 horses in majority…
In the pit lane, however, our 959 Panigale does not pass for half a portion, far from it: its low exhaust, particularly discreet visually, is perfectly present in terms of sound! Bmws have better watch out: the little Ducati is ready to do battle !
In the first very winding portion of the small Parisian circuit (2055 m), our 959 has something to make its competitors blush. Its extreme agility and its front axle as solid as it is sharp allow it to stay in front of the little comrades without jamming them. Phew !
By positioning himself well on the front of the machine, the pilot can accelerate very hard when passing the Bravo chicane, without his handlebars landing an uppercut in the jaw. At the controls of a beastly Panigale V4, this sequence would undoubtedly be more difficult to cross…
Well inspired, our chief mechanic Julien did not hesitate to remove a tooth from the gearbox output pinion. This copiously shortened gear ratio allows the Superquadro to roar in 2nd – up to the breaker soft enough not to disturb driving – just before plunging into Charlie, a long straight line particularly pleasant to take with the little Ducati…
The grip provided by the Pirelli Supercorsa SC (2 at the front, 1 at the rear) is then devilishly impressive: you can brake very late and very hard on the angle, especially since the Panigale accepts to be jostled without flinching. The incline is then stunning. Way of speaking, of course: MNC does not dare to try the "diablo" by passing too quickly…
Unlike bikers who are new to the track, Site does not however have to force itself to have its sliders surf on asphalt. On the contrary, you have to retract your legs in order to lean the bike, always a little more! The angle sockets end up being quite bogus…
959: one hell of a number !
There are benchmarks that do not deceive: in Delta for example, Site’s boot regularly licks the tarmac. When exiting the same double left, the orange traction control warning light flashes briefly, proof that the electronics are restricting the engine and that the driver should not insist further.
Set to 3 throughout the weekend, the DTC may not give the rear tire enough confidence, which seems to have flawless grip. But MNC prefers to give up a few tenths of a second in this curve, rather than wasting several weeks in the hospital following an unfortunate high-side….
On a few occasions, moreover, Site felt the rear end of the motorcycle drift very briefly: on the maximum angle while searching in vain for the right trajectory between Echo and Fox (i.e. Carole’s famous parabolic), and on exiting Golf by accelerating as soon as possible in order to stay in contact with the 4-cylinders !
Long before the phenomenon gets carried away, the traction control moderates the engine revving up, thus allowing MNC to cut off the throttle without taking off suddenly! To avoid upsetting the rear too much, we pass 3rd gear very early in the parabolic.
The interest of the inverted selector then takes on its full meaning: pushing it with the tip of the boot is much easier than raising it, and the movement becomes natural after only a few laps. MNC then takes advantage of the gradual revving of the twin to propel itself into the straight line leading to Golf.
The little comrades, more at ease in this perilous exercise and having more power, take the opportunity to give us the wrong company … How high is our motorbike? Out of the corner of his eye, MNC sees his odometer reading 225 km / h. A very decent speed, compared to the 232 km / h "chrono" estimated by the FFM in its video "" !
"Up" three gears on the following heavy braking is a little less obvious to integrate. On several occasions during the first free practice session, Site expands copiously in Golf. It must be recognized that MNC does not facilitate the task of his Panigale by staying well on the outside – in bumps … – in order to allow faster pilots to pass.
In the return straight, the Superbikes are once again over our off-class machine (between the SSP and the SBK) but the twin-cylinder defends itself well: it is possible to stay in the wake of certain competitors and pass them to new on the brakes, on the outskirts of the last bend Hotel that MNC breaks less than these comrades riding their 1000 cc! The tour is complete.
In the middle of European Bikes…
Back in Alpha, the presence of a loophole reassures and encourages you to brake even harder. Result: an exit from the track in the second session for MNC who tries to put more rhythm than in first! In the end, the best time of the morning (19th in 1’07.039) is erased by that of the afternoon (22nd in 1’06.888). Qualifying shouldn’t be a problem, but there is a way to progress…
Before taking to the track on Friday, the Journal moto du Net and its mechanic had decided to keep the suspension settings of the previous rider / journalist, particularly swift (a certain "B. G.", like Beau Gosse?). MNC must above all concentrate on its own trajectories and its tempo which still lacks consistency.
Le Journal moto du Net has absolutely nothing to complain about the behavior of the Ducati suspensions. According to our mechanic, the hydraulics of the original suspensions are not far from being closed to the maximum. However, the fork is content to brush against its stop on heavy braking, ditto for the shock absorber when exiting slow bends. So don’t touch !
In terms of engine, electronics and tires, the 959 Panigale is also up to … our capabilities! Easy to handle, reasonably powerful, devilishly agile and damn stable, the 959 Panigale is perfectly suited to the Carole circuit..
At the end of the first day, only one problem weighs down this excellent result: the endurance of the braking. After ten turns, the lever loses its consistency. So much so that at the end of the first session, MNC must raise all the fingers so as not to pinch them !
In anticipation of the second free practice session, our mechanic performs a complete bleeding of the circuit. Site resumes the track by maximizing the clearance of the right lever. Unfortunately, the phenomenon reappears: spongy lever and power withdrawn. And this downpour which prematurely ends our day … "Maledizione" !
With great ailments, great remedies: for the second day, the Ducati MNC team performs a standard exchange, placing the Brembo calipers and master cylinder of the "road" Panigale on the "race" Panigale. Our mechanic wonders if the problem is not with the lip seals. Maybe they had a bad time with the previous round of the FSBK, contested in Pau-Arnos in the middle of a heatwave? Answer on next page…
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