Ducati 899 Panigale

DUCATI 899 PANIGALE

RIDING IMPRESSION

A middleweight with a heavyweight punch

EVER SINCE the original 748, Ducati traditionally has I had a middleweight sportbike contender based on its larger-displacement sibling. After the 748 came the 749, 848, and now the new 899, which is based on the same monocoque frame concept that the company uses for the 1199 Panigale.

Although clearly not an entry-level machine, this hyper-potent 899 Panigale is a great alternative to the $18,995 1199Costing a full $4,000 less, the 899 offers incredible racetrack handling while also proving to be an impressive streetbilce.

On the street, you won’t forget what you are riding because the 899’s rear cylinder exhaust manifold and header cook the rider’s legs on a hot day, just like what happens on the 1199.

The seat is rather unforgiving, too. But these complaints aside, the 899 proves to be a decent commuter, one blessed with 128 hp and 68 poundfeet of torque. There is a big dollop of grunt available right off idle, so leaving stoplights requires very little in the way of revs. Getaways are fuss-free affairs, aided by an easy-pull clutch.

Although it weighs a tad more than the 1199 (due to its use of less exotic materials), the 899 manages to have a light and agile feel while also offering great stability. On a curvy road, the 899 delivers in exemplary fashion, aided by excellent brakes and a good quickshifter, plus a great transmission and slipper clutch that make this Ducati an awesome cornerslaying machine.

During Cycle World testing, the 899 sprinted through the quarter-mile in 10.38 seconds at 133.85 mph, which is just a half-second slower than the much more powerful 1199 (174 hp/88 pound-feet). However, on the same racetrack on the same day, the smaller Panigale proved to be every bit a match for the bigger bike, lapping the tight Streets of Willow Springs course 1.4 seconds quicker. Key to the smaller Panigale’s track success was its ability to transition from side to side quickly while also having good mid-corner speed. With the electronics in Race mode and DTC turned down to 2, the 899 is very confidenceinspiring and therefore fun on track. Different settings for engine braking and ABS can also be chosen to suit the rider’s preferences and track conditions.

Don’t think of the 899 as a compromised 1199. Think of it as a well-rounded, highperformance sportbike that stands out on its own just fine.

UPS + Great-handling chassis + Full electronics suite, including DTC and ABS + $4,000 less than 1199 Panigale

DOWNS - Excessive engine heat - Unforgiving seat for longer rides - Owner may need to tweak handlebar angles