Good report, I was told the new version R was way ahead of the previous 1199R looks like it was true. Also the engine was virtually the one used in the Superleggera, apart from the odd bolt, in price terms the R is a bargain in comparison to the Superleggera.
The 2013 1199R was a tart's 1199S. The article is disingenuous in trying to list a whole bunch of things that were standard 1199S features as if they were special to the 1199R. Every R model (other than the 2013 1199R) has a very special engine - and it was here that the 2013 model was nothing more than a marketing pastiche. The 2015 Pani R is a proper and true homologation R, worth of the badge imho.
I remember feeling a tad underwhelmed when reading the 2013 1199R spec sheets. I thought at the time that Ducati were purposefully leaving 'room for improvement' for future marketing reasons. Maybe I was right but who knows. Ducati usually go the extra yard with the engine when they release an R but I didn't get that impression with the 2013 Panigale R. I've heard the new 1299S is the real deal... I know an SL owner who is a very quick rider describe the 1299S, and I quote- as 'Superleggera quick'. Big praise indeed. I'm tempted, its the only bike that's tempted me since getting my 1098R which is now 7 years old but I'm not selling the bugger. Its ace!
Yes, agree on the desirability of the 2015 Pani R as a successor to the 1098R. I ummed and arred about it, and instead pulled the trigger on another homologation Italian to pair up with the R. The 1098R isn't going anywhere!
I'm looking at options just now and very tempted. As mentioned the earlier Panigale didn't seem like it warranted the extra cash whereas this one looks like a full on race bike. I'm riding the 1199s pretty hard now so hopefully will be able to do the R some justice if I did go down that route.
Haha didn't mean it like that, just that last year it would have been a complete waste of money vanity purchase that gets polished in the garage whereas now I can turn a few corners despite falling off on some of them
You can obviously ride at a tidy pace from your lap times. As I said, when talking to Mr. Superleggera recently he was astonished with the performance of the 1299S.... And he's ridden the lot. The new 1199R and 1299 have moved the game on. Great, isn't it? Meanwhile back in camp real world, I'll continue to try and ride my 1098R properly. And without knacking myself :Chicken:
There is a 5 month old one up for £19800 private sale, if ya fancy a drive to Wietmarschen, Germany. Someone got/gonna get a bargain there. Ducati Panigale 1199R als Sportler/Supersportler in Wietmarschen (Duschkabinen, Spritzschutze, Glasabtrennungen, Glastüren, Glasdesign vom Fachmann vor Ort - SR Glasdesign GmbH - Stan Röhl Wietmarschen )
Decent test my Michael Rutter on the 1199R round Mallory in this month's Performance Bikes mag. He likens it very much to a pukka racebike, much more so than the R1M.
