Panigale Tricolore First Ride

I've just collected my Panigale Tricolore from Ducati Dubai having shipped it from the UK (I bought it from the good people at P&H) and I've just had my first ride. I know, you're asking why live in Dubai and buy it from the UK ? Well, most things here are cheaper than in the UK but Ducati bikes are exactly the same price. As I am non-domicile for UK tax (only spending seven days or so a year in the UK and as I work for a UAE company) I bought the bike as a VAT free export.

What can I say ? To the people who have said "it's not a proper Ducati" all I can say is I totally disagree. It sounds like a Ducati, despite the obvious visual differences from previous models, it looks like a Ducati. Most importantly, it rides like a Ducati. It turns much quicker than models of old, it revs a hell of a lot quicker than models of old (it's amazing how little time it takes to wind the engine up to the 6,000 rpm run in limit), the foot rests are still high and placed well back, but the bars are much wider and there's nowhere near as much pain on the wrists as the older models. It is a very comfortable bike to ride. The clutch is light and accurate, there's a bit of a throw from first to second but the gearbox is very precise. The steering is as quick and more accurate than my old RSV4 Factory. Mid corner stability is typically Ducati.


As I only had time for a relatively short ride, I haven't tried to tweak the suspension. However, the roads here a billiard table smooth and my first impression is that it's not too far away from a perfect setting. I like to feel what the bike is doing so I prefer quite hard suspension settings. I think it would rattle your fillings on British roads.

Fit and finish are exemplary. The bike is tiny. I mean it looks small in the dealership, but standing next to it in the car park it really looks smaller than a 400.

I can't wait to take it on a proper blast. The daytime temperatures here are about 28 deg at the moment and it's perfect riding weather. Plus, Dubai Motor City is 5 minutes away with a great track and Yas Marina is 50 minutes ride away. Jebel Hafeet https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=j...Q&biw=1024&bih=645#biv=i|16;d|-D--qLQO5W0W9M: is less than an hour away.

I'll post more when I have had the chance for a longer ride. First impressions are very favourable.

keep it sunny side up.

 

Sorry guys, just trying to spread a little happiness.

 

Thanks, 50 deg heat in the summer and I'd be broiled alive. However, winter...............,.,,

 

The summer heat is unbelievable. The first summer is the worst and then you start to get used to it. One thing I'll never get used to is the standard of driving (or lack of it). If you've never experienced driving in the Gulf, you'd never believe it. Friday and Saturday mornings at 05:00AM is the golden time to go riding. There are no locals in Toyota Land Cruisers tailgating you in the outside lane, no Indian guys in Nissan Sunny's driving at 60kph in the 5th lane to swerve around, no trucks pulling out in front of you, no one driving on the hard shoulder (inner and outer) to avoid queues and no one driving at 200kph in fog so thick you can't see 20 meters ahead. Anytime there is fog there are multiple pile ups and I mean ​EVERY TIME !

The winter weather is perfect but most roads here are death traps for the unwary. There are no standards. Al Ain is okay, Oman is certain death, Abu Dhabi is tolerable, Dubai sucks.

 

I have just returned from my second ride on the Panigale, a nice 100 mile blast, and I thought I'd share a few thoughts with you.


Actually, my plan was to go out yesterday after finishing work at 08:00AM as Friday mornings here are an ideal time to ride as the roads are so quiet. However, we had torrential rain and thunderstorms all day yesterday. It was the first time it's has rained here (except for the odd 30 seconds of drizzle) for almost two years and many roads were flooded - just my luck.


Saturdays are the second best day to ride so I set my 1985 Braun voice memo and voice activated alarm clock for 06:00AM (why don't they make things like this any more) ? Right on que, it woke me to sound of my wife saying, "wake up you lazy devil, come on, wake up". After a few choice expletives, the alarm clock stopped and I pulled the covers over for another five minutes sleep. It was then I realised this wasn't an alarm to wake me up to go to work, it was an alarm to remind me it's time to ride my Panigale. I jumped out of bed and opened the curtains to find it had rained overnight again. My inital reaction was one of despondency. But wait, the roads looked damp but appeared to be drying quickly, the decision was made, I'd be with my Panigale for a couple of stolen hours of pleasure.


A quick shower, leathers donned and I was ready. My wife was at the door along with my 17 year old cat when I fired the beast into life. The bike has a full Termignoni system fitted and it is loud. My wife mouthed the words "what about the neighbours" ? I mouthed back "fu£@ em" My wife shock her head in disgust and my cat had, by this point, skulked upstairs to hide under the bed. This bike makes old people shake their heads and tut and small children run for cover. Porsche drivers seem to look on wistfully. This machine does not hide it's light under a bushel. It's loud, brash and in yer face.


Off I rode, and there are two things that immediately come to mind. Firstly, that this bike is a Ducati. The dry clutch might have gone, along with the trellis frame, but it sounds like a Ducati, the unmistakeable narrowness of the bike is still there and the family resemblance is obviously apparent. The fit and finish are pure Ducati and is a testament to how hard they have worked on this in recent years. The second thing I noticed is how similar it is to an Aprilia RSV4. The power delivery is certainly more Aprilia than Ducati. The immediate torque that I was used on to the 1198S and 1098R isn't as brutal. However, the bike is none the worse for it. Although I am still running it in, the motor spins up remarkably quickly. I mean a quick twist of the throttle and the bike is passing the six grand mark with the amazing TFT dash instantly reminding me to behave by changing to amber. On one occasion I decided to ignore it's admonition and continued towards 8,000 rpm. All I can say is that I can't wait to get some more miles on this machine and get her "run in". What awaits me after that time is tantalising. However, the amber tachometer continues to remind me to be patient and I back off.


The bike is a real paradox, it's a Ducati but not as we know it. If a blind man were able to ride and rode this back to back with an 1198S, he'd have no problem in identifying it as coming from the same stable. But it is also different, largely in power delivery. That's not a bad thing though, where the Ducati's of old were just a wall of torque, the engine wasn't actually that flexible and required a skilled and disciplined right hand. Once mastered, they were amazing and very rewarding to ride but the Panigale has moved the game on. The new motor is a delight to ride in traffic, there's no need to slip the clutch to get away or pull the clutch in at low revs. Just vary the opening of the throttle and she'll oblige by giving you a smooth and effortless ride in any conditions. Look at it this way, with the Panigale you're getting two for the price of one. A bike that's outrageously fast when you're going for it and civilised and easy when you're mixing it with towns, tin and tyres.


I don't have many comments to make about the handling, it's a Ducati and it handles like one. It does turn amazingly quickly and on more than one occasion I found myself turning into a corner too early and having to "thrupenny bit it". Once in a turn the bike is rock steady. The handling is totally neutral and, where the 1198S required a bit of effort to get her over into a turn, the Panigale has almost telepathic handling. Just think about where you want to go and the bike is there with just the lightest touch to get her into the corner.


As the rain was so heavy yesterday, it had washed sand onto the road so I couldn't push as hard as I would have liked to. On the corners that were free from detritus (and flooding) and where I could push on a bit harder, the bike was rock steady and very neutral. It truly handles beautifully. I have not changed any of the settings in Sport Mode. The roads here are perfect, completely free from ripple, banding, poor repairs, bumps, "road dressing" - also known as a bodged repair because councils say they can't afford to do anything else.


If you're thinking about part-exchanging an 1198S/R for the Panigale and money is no object, have a good test ride and keep an open mind. Think about what you're gaining, not about what you are losing. If you'd like to have a Panigale but funds/wife/partner/kids put it out of your reach. Relax, you are still on a Ducati.


There have been lots of negative comments about the Panigale and some from people who haven't even ridden one. I think a great deal of them are unfair, this bike is a Ducati but with a different power delivery, less weight on the wrist, a lighter clutch and quicker steering.


Too many of us are quick to criticise and slow to thank, myself included. But I'd like to say thanks to Marcus, Mark, Lloyd and Will at P&H Motorcycles in Crawley for supplying and preparing the bike to perfection and for dealing with all the paperwork for tax free export. To Seaspace International Shippers for shipping the bike to Dubai in a custom built crate and for it arriving in perfect and blemish free condition. Finally, thanks to Ducati Dubai for registering it, preparing it and generally treating me like a valued customer even though I didn't buy the bike from them.


Safe riding and keep it sunny side up.