Ducati 1199 Panigale S
If you haven't ridden an 1199 Panigale S, you need to before you croak. It’s a bit of an angry road bike when it comes to pace and stability, it’s not particularly rapid on a circuit (as demonstrated by those who race them) and it’s very expensive. But nothing can match the feeling it gives you when you open the throttle in the first few gears; it’s like putting your balls in a vice and letting someone else wind the handle in. The 1199 is still the only production bike in existence that ingrains a permanent smile on my chubby little face no matter what the environment I find myself in.
2014 was the first year Ducati allowed us fit a control tyre to the Panigale. The result was a more stable, more consistent animal with the Bridgestone rubber in charge. The stock Pirelli's are good, but this upgrade was demonstrably better.
Don’t mistake us though; the 1199 was still a raging convulsion under hard acceleration and by far the most physical animal to boss around the Algarve. We all agreed that by the time we got to the last left hander, only mental strength and a will to see our loved ones again were keeping us onboard. I’ve never had bruises from riding a bike unless I’ve crashed one. Last year at Anglesey, however, the 1199R left bruises on my inner forearms which repeatedly smashed against the tank through indignation, yanking limbs one way and another. The S version on test is only marginally less barmy.
Why is the big Panigale so much slower than its European rivals? The crux of the time lost is down to lack of fluidity and instability. The wheels
can snap out of line in an instant and exploring the boundaries of the 1199 is far riskier and more unpredictable than its peers, which is no bad thing unless you’re chasing tenths. The few superstock teams racing them have been known to shove weight on its arse in an attempt to anchor the 1199 to the Tarmac. Of course, ridden at mincy speeds, you can sit back and relax, knowing full well you look absolutely fly on Ducati's work of art.
As time wafts by, we haven’t grown any fonder of the electronic suspension. By the time you’ve started the bike, toggled through the maze of options on the dash, found the desired suspension adjustment, Jeeves could have had the 4mm Allen key whipped out in a jiffy – not that the 1199 would have benefited from being set-up any further at Portimao.
Such is the Superquadro’s ferocity and manic delivery, and the way it sprints to the redline, you’re never quite sure if it’s the rear wheel spinning or just the engine working to the extreme. This isn’t a conventional v-twin, but more of a modern-day two-stroke. Keep the revs around 7,000rpm, and the throttle might as well be an on/off switch, which no doubt hindered its lap time. There’s plenty of oomph towards the lower end of the rev range and it fuels brilliantly, which ensures a manageable state on the UK’s highways. And any rear-end misdemeanours are tidied up brilliantly by the phenomenal DTC. As good as the mid-spec Panigale is, as fierce as the Brembo brakes are, as pretty as the package is, £20,000 is too much dollar considering the exact same model was just over £15k a few years ago.