Just checked out motociclismo mag & there it is an 899 Panigale with double sided swinging arm. Go & have a look at 5 pictures of the bike.
Speaking to a few guys when I dropped my bike off today confirmed that I'm glad I didn't wait for one. It may resemble a 1199 but the spec will be basic with none of the touches that set the 1199 apart. Plus that double sided swing arm looks shite. One of the things that attracted me to Ducatis was the single sided arm and under seat exhausts. I expect no TFT dash, led lights, basic suspension and quite a few cheaper components. No doubt a lot will be available in the accessories catalog though! By the time you've added a few you may as well bought a 1199
May be Spondon or Carbon Tek will/can do a single sided joby for it if enough owners cry out & shell out (for it)?! A good friend of mine back in the day had a Gixer 750 that had a Spondon SSS on with a fat 3 spoke Marvic on it and a Minolta Endurance blue/white paint job. That looked mint. :tongue:
Im not generalising so please nobody take offence, but I'm not entirely convinced that ALL panigale riders need half of the components fitted or can even push them to the point they become required. obviously that can't be said for all panigale owners as im sure there are plenty who can utilise what they have, but I can at least tell you for certain ive met a total of 4 on trackdays so far this year. 2 of which wobbled around in the novice group, which may i add I see nothing wrong with but it does conjur questions about rider vs bike ability. 1 was well and truely beaten by a fair amount of 10 year old bikes including my own 2002 R1 (no tech on that I assure you) and he was trying ever so hard as I watched him slam it up the inside in to every corner trying to straight line power out. And 1 was going like the clappers and I couldn't catch him for shit as I ran out of steam before his 1199 and he was bloody fast The point being 'some' people like the brand name and the shape/looks. Its not, for alot of people, simply down to components as they cant make the use out of them anyway. If it was to be based on technology or ability alone I doubt many would buy the panigale as there are widely regarded 'better bikes' out there (HP4/RSV4 factory etc). But people still buy them because they like the sounds/looks/brand/bike or all of the above. im pretty certain that a few of the upcoming 899 riders could well run rings round 'some' of the 1199 owners, no amount of components will change that I'm afraid. Therefore why not an 899? Ok so no single sided swingarm, but the 999 didn't have one and they did ok didn't they?
but this argument just doesn't wash..........there will always be someone on a 125 that flys past to someone on a 1200cc R spec singing and dancing that shouldnt even be out on track.....but who said anyone is competing, and who cares, as long as the individual is having fun ..... although you can never have enough power....................:wink:
If someone can afford to buy the bike of their dreams and gets a lot of enjoyment from it, its surely irrelevant how quick a rider they are. No one can make use of all of the power of probably 75% of bikes on the road without either getting killed, seriously hurt or losing their licence.
Agreed, and im all up for fun on track days. But what I meant why there's no point in down playing a bike such as the 899 just because it doesn't have all the 'fandango gubbins' that the 1199 has. The bike looks the same (give or take) and is a ducati, so by saying its no good because it doesn't have 'this or that' is pointless because as I said I bet a lot of the current owners can't utilise those 'gubbins' anyway so what good are they doing? A leisurely cruise on a favourite B road and stand outside the pub showing everybody your super dooper quadra doodad with ohlins thingamajigs is lovely if that's what you want out of the bike, im sure everybody will be impressed. But if your buying the 'tool' to ride it even half way as intended then being realistic a lot of those owners may as well not of bothered. having ohlins is great if you need it, if you can't outride more basic suspension then doesn't that say something about the need for a lower entry bike which is A: More affordable for the not so lucky few B: Just as good looking in the pub car park to most of joe public I think there's obviously a place for better equipped bikes, but equally there's also a place for bikes equipped to a suitable level which will still do exactly the same job unless put in the hands of somebody capable of telling the difference. Still, different strokes for different folks and all that eh
Right you are, that's exactly what the 899 will be to many, the affordable bike of their dreams, all be it with lower price components
I'm not trying to dumb down the bike, more trying to highlight that if someone is expecting a mini 1199, it will only be that in looks. There is no doubt the bike will perform, its a ducati after all. I love quite a few features of the 1199, but know that the bike will be wasted on me so I haven't bought one.
Until we know what the detail of the engine design is, we can only really surmise how close it will be to a Panigale.
it will be a watered down version that people will spend money on replacing the lack lustre parts to get it back up to spec.....
Ducati is the new Harley. It would be interesting to find out how many of you truly disagree with that statement. But look at the facts. There are more Ducatis than Harleys in London these days - hardly the marque's natural stomping ground. And it has recently been made law that you cannot ride a Ducati unless you are wearing at least £500-worth of Ducati branded clothing. Don't blame me, blame the fashion police. Rumours of Dainese dealers fitting bathchairs in their fitting rooms, however, have yet to be substantiated. Anyone who bases their motorcycle buying decisions on a crap spy shot of a sodding swingarm is a very very sad individual indeed. Ride the fucking thing, then make the decision, it ain't rocket science.
For me I like the smaller bikes when they're built for a reason, Ie supersport racing etc and even more so when they're special little things. This just sits in no mans land. It dilutes the brand, well whats left of it.
Unless someone doesn't like the look of it then it doesn't matter what it rides like, most still wouldn't buy it.
So you'd base your choice of bike on whether or not you like the look of a swingarm on a test mule..?
Has there ever been a case for a single sided swingarm being better than a ds? I'm just curious if its had any benefit other than aesthetics or possibly quicker wheel changes? Handling wise its not beneficial is it?
It's quite clearly just a style thing. But I had no idea people would totally ignore a potentially great bike just because of the look of a swingarm. I find it quite baffling.
