After first seeing the Panigale at the NEC show I had made up my mind that this would be my next track/race bike, having put a sizable deposit down in March the bike has still not turned up and not likely to until end of July. So after boring mates one offered a ride at Pembrey onhis new ZX10R, got to admit I was very impressed. Well I was able to get a test ride on a Panigale S from Ducati Cardiff on Friday. I couldnt wait, after riding the ZX10 it had made me think twice about going through with the purchase of the Ducati. I followed the sales guy from the dealership who was mounted on a new BMW and after fueling up we headed out of town onto the back roads, a stretch of road no doubt he rides every week ashe didnt hold back, now its been about 4 years since Ive ridden on the road but we were soon up to speeds around 70mph, at least it was testing the bike I suppose. It soon became clear that it wasnt the bike I was expecting, I was hoping to be blown away after it is almost twice the cost of its competitors. The bike felt nervous with a vague feel to the front end, it certainly to me didnt inspire confidence in pushing hard. And the way the motor made the power was so different to what Im used to. We stopped off at the side of the road and once I took my lid off I think my expression said it all, had a quick chat with the sales guy and headed back. Setting off along a section of straight road he must of pinned the BMW up to 70mph as I wound the Ducati to the stop but the BM just pulled lengths out. When I got back to the dealers I handed over the keys with a heavy heart not because I had to give the bike up but because it wasnt the bike I wanted it to be. I truly am gutted as I wanted something a bit differentand a bit special for the track, no doubt it would be one hell of a track toolbut its a £20’000+ gamble on whether I would gel with it like I would a ZX10.So I suppose if there is a question what would you do in my shoes?
Go with what your heart tells you. That is what I would do if I was gladly in your position. Sadly Ducati as a brand became more usual and normal in comparison to other brands quite a while back so the exclusivity does not apply any more. Hence a much higher price tag has no justification.
Its my heart that says go with the Ducati, my head along with my wallet, experiance and friends all say kawasaki.
A good suspension set up would make a world of difference. However like you say £20k for a track bike is a lot of money for a track bike and an expensive gamble if you cant get on with it on track.
Thing is who will be riding the bike you or your mates, your or your wallet (if anything Ducati will ride your wallet ). If you honestly love the bike then you will be fine with it as is or in back of your head you will already know what changes to make to match your needs. The hype around this bike is not helping it as people set sky high expectations and at the end it is only a bike! Even worse if you are coming from another Ducati you are basing your expectation on the hype and your current bike and this one is so much not like other Ducati's of old.
[/QUOTE]We stopped off at the side of the road and once I took my lid off I think my expression said it all, had a quick chat with the sales guy and headed back. Setting off along a section of straight road he must of pinned the BMW as I wound the Ducati to the stop but the BM just pulled lengths out. When I got back to the dealers I handed over the keys with a heavy heart not because I had to give the bike up but because it wasnt the bike I wanted it to be. I truly am gutted as I wanted something a bit differentand a bit special for the track, no doubt it would be one hell of a track toolbut its a £20’000+ gamble on whether I would gel with it like I would a ZX10.So I suppose if there is a question what would you do in my shoes?[/QUOTE] Perhaps if you want a track bike you should make him an offer for the BMW!
when I rode my 848 the first time it wasnt 100% what I thought it would be like but I knew the ride I really wanted was hiding in there. A suspension set up and a change of tyres later and the bike was running the way I first expected it to.Do you know anyone with one already that you could get a run on? they must be good enough for the money, seen loads of them at the nw200 races the other weekend....all english reg.
[/QUOTE] Perhaps if you want a track bike you should make him an offer for the BMW![/QUOTE] BMW feels to big Id love to have a spin on a Panigale around a track tohelp make the decision, carnt see there being many offers of anyone letting medo that
Perhaps if you want a track bike you should make him an offer for the BMW![/QUOTE] BMW feels to big Id love to have a spin on a Panigale around a track tohelp make the decision, carnt see there being many offers of anyone letting medo that [/QUOTE] I guess if you have time and cash another good excuse for WDW 2012. Also is there not a track day that Ducati organises in UK? Finally call MotoRapido as they race them maybe they will be able to help out with their demo on one of test days or something.
I would go with the Pani. Having said that I could not consider buying another Jap bike again? I rode the pani a few weeks back, whilst waiting for our turn we went down to Fowlers, as I wanted a new pair of riding trou's? Upstairs, lots of new bikes/trade-in's! We wandered through them, my mate commented "They all look the same?" "Yep" I agreed, "Take the stickers off them and you wouldnt tell them apart!" True enough, all the Jap 600's & 1000's share the same look and tech, Generic Plastic Missiles one and all - I would personally lean towards something with a bit of SOUL and character & go for the Doocat.
470four thing is Kawasaki has the scream back and they even started using that in their adds it is so addictive and distinctive.
Try the RSV4, different, reliability has been fine on mine, despite what you hear, but hey they said that about the 1098 too. Build and finish quality is very good and it's not an IL4 or a revvy twin.
Can't see the point of paying top dollar for a bike that disappoints you. I don't think any bike is going to make a god out of a rider on track. So it's far better to take a cheaper option and spend squillions on goodies to make it how you like it. You pay over the odds for a Ducati, performancewise. That only makes any kind of sense if it has an emotional appeal. If it is already disappointing, then it seems not. Mind you, back in 1985, when I took my first Ducati, a Pantah, for a test ride, although I loved it, I still asked myself it it was worth getting into debt for. The answer 25 years later (and even a lot earlier) was "yes".
I think you may also want to consider a standard panigale and then spend the extra £5k on ohlins set up for you and maybe some BST's as ultimately the onlins you get with the panigale isn't the best available and your paying for bells n whistles of electrically adjustable (what's the point when track riding). There's also the noise as from what I've read even the standard can will probably stop you doing any track days unless No Limits, I may be wrong but it's worth checking some posts on here as our UK tracks are getting more n more diligent on noise. Alternatively even though I've not ridden the Panigale I have to agree with Royem about at least trying the RSV4. For £15k you can get the APRC which has one of the most accomplished TC systems fitted to a road bike and being a V4 is still a quality but of exotica. In a few back to back tests I've read even the love struck doughy eyed jurnos who love the panigale still can't part it with the APRC Aprilia, some even saying the aprilia still has it on the feel and agility side of things. For £20k I'd want to be blown away, your clearly not so if I was you I'd try everything else, then go back n try it again before making up your mind.
No need to pay £15K for an RSV4, I wouldn't waste on the Factory unless you are a set up god. The standard APRC can be had for around £11k brand new with the electronics package, no Ohlins, but most everything else. Unless you really want to move the position of the engine or the pivot point of the swinging arm why go for the Factory? Aprilia RSV4 APRC | eBay You could then spend the £9K saved on another bike?
So just to clarify, the sales guy at Ducati Cardiff takes out a punter on the public road, who he doesnt know and who hasnt ridden on the road for four years, on a £20000+ new bike that doesnt belong to either of them, at speeds up to 150 mph.................... i dont think so, or if he did i bet he appreciates the post......:redface: might be worth toning it down a little...
+1 andyb. Four years off the road & u jump straight on an unfamiliar bike for a tt lap of the Vale... And u did these speeds on open public roads on a bike whose front end felt vague and nervous and whose suspension settings u doubtless hadn't checked (were the tyre pressures ok? Lol) Given that U give your mates zx10 the full beans round Pembrey u obviously sound like U know what you doing, maybe you ought to consider changing career & getting sponsorship for the island; could save u 20k get a team to buy the bike for you? Would u post stuff like this if the salesman was a personal friend? That guy got a boss and a mortgage; wouldn't be hard to figure out who you or the salesman are given all your posted details. Most of the Riders guys (certainly the dealer principal in Cardiff) read this as they did the older "other" forum. Do your credibility and his reputation a favour....
