Ducati had the official 959 Panigale test launch today in Valencia. Since it's unveiling at the Ducati Live event on 16th November there has been mixed reactions around the look of the bike. The obvious difference is the addition of the Euro 4 exhausts that were required in order to meet the new emissions targets in the EU. So how have the press reacted to the bike? Here's a snippet from first review that we can find online from Marc Potter, posted on Bike Social. "Since the Ducati 959 Panigale was unveiled last week at the Milan Show there has been controversy online around the twin exhaust silencers. Looking more like a couple of bolt-on cans rather than the sleek under belly pan exhaust that copies the 1299 and the 899. My theory is that Ducati even parked it on stage in Milan last week so the pipes were pointing away from the audience. But Ducati had no choice but to meet the new rules, and this is how they got round it. It works much better when you see it than in pics. Trust me on that, or go and see it at the NEC for Motorcycle Live on the Ducati stand next week. A Ducati spokesman told us that they could have easily kept the 899 in the line for a year or two more but Euro 4 forced their hand and they chose to go over and rework the whole bike along with Ducati’s ethos of improving the breed." World first review: Ducati 959 Panigale on track | Bike Social
Sorry none of that rings true. The emission laws in California are the strictest in the world but the US get under body exhausts. Go figure. Andy
Can't believe people are pratlling on about the aesthetics of the bloody exhaust ffs... Change em if you don't like em! Seems OK but is that article for real? I mean comparing it to a 916 ffs? How about a 999R from 10+ years ago that produces roughly the same BHP for only a few more CC? A 999S with good map and cam timing would be in the ballpark too? And are we really expected to believe that a 955cc bike is gonna produce 115ft-lb??? Eh? More than an 1198? I doubt that. Yeah it's lighter than 10 years ago out of the showroom but still way heavier than a sorted old bike. A tricked up 999/1x98 could be up to 20Kg lighter for at least the same output and less dosh. Bah humbug etc.
Sorry but got to call u on this! If our emissions laws were stricter they would just sell our one over in the US without complicating the production line. Plus they have all the Evap canister stuff we don't have and as others have said noise was part of it. I am fairly sure Euro4 is much stricter than us where as Euro 3 was more relaxed so we had leap frogged them
Call me a sceptic but this is just the same regurgitated twaddle that Journo's turn out year after year, to keep themselves in a job and punters buying new bikes! Jeez, I could write a review for any of next years bikes now :- "it's gonna be 3kgs lighter, with a stiffer frame and make 4bhp more, so your current model will feel like a wheelbarrow by comparison"....( it won't!! ) Only next years bikes will be like the 959 and be 7kgs heavier due to Euro 4 exhausts etc! I can't see the 959 feeling a lot better than the 899, in fact it might be worse?? ....yes it makes an extra 7bhp, but it also weighs 7kgs more and has taller gearing which will blunt the acceleration!! So the shotgun exhausts will be quieter and the extra ribbing on the cylinder head casting will also make it quieter, ...well, I'm sorry but one of the reasons I bought a Ducati was for the noise, not only the exhaust noise but also the engine noise, so to my mind all this is a negative as well. Could it be we are seeing the end of the "Golden era" of motorcycle's as regards power to weight ratio, light weight and svelte handling and all we have to look forward to now is more emission regulations, bigger exhausts, heavier bikes and nanny state enforced controls....I'm sticking with what I've got for now! Poucher
You wouldn't hit a bloke with glasses ................ damn I forgot, I don't wear them now . I have time on my hands so will do a comparison. Andy
Okay, having been (nicely) challenged, I have checked. A simple comparison of summary tables highlights that the Euro 4 emission regulations are significantly tighter than the US for a motorcycle. Please accept my apologies, I got it wrong. Andy PS - noise in the UK is governed by the construction and use section of the road traffic act and can vary from European state to state. The US don't appear to have a regulation for noise. A
jounos say any bullshit the manufactures want to hear otherwise they don't get their bikes to play on, the first year the gsxr came out it was superbike of the year , the next year nowt changed and it was 4th place, they get their race time payed for so their not gonna slag them,
