Rubbish , I picked my new one up from Snell Performance and was on top of the Alps by the weekend. I did 4000miles around Europe in two weeks without a single fault
I have both an HP4 and an 1199. Which is easier to ride and more accessible; the HP4 Which is the more exciting to ride; without doubt the Pani I love them both and they are very different. Try both and make up your own mind. The BMW is just a lump of (every effective) technology but it doesn't stir the soul like the Ducati.
'ow about an RSV4? (thought id throw that in there) - love mine...wouldn't get rid of it...(unless you gave me loads of money of course)
I'm you sure you'll hear lots of different advice from everyone you speak to. However, the decision is yours and yours alone. Don't be swayed by what anyone else says. Get out and test ride them and make your decision accordingly. Personally, I had years of riding Japanese IL4's and enjoyed my time on them but they lacked something. 5 minutes of riding a Ducati made me realise what it was, the bike felt alive, like a real living beast and wasn't sanitised like the CBR1000 Fireblade I owned at the time. I've had Ducati's for the last six years (I have three now and a fourth on the way). I've loved every minute I've had riding them and have never had a single fault with any of them (I've toured Europe and currently live in Abu Dhabi where it's as hot and as humid as hell). I could probably jump on an HP4 and ride it quicker than my Panigale but I personally don't feel it would be rewarding (plus for me, the riding experience is the main thing but pride of ownership is also important and the Beemer just doesn't look great and the quality of finish isn't up to Ducati standard). The Panigale isn't difficult to ride but requires mores rider input (hence the involvement). I had a little stray sideways and bought an RSV4 Factory in addition to my 1098R. It's a great bike but every time I was on it I wished I was on my Ducati and sold it to buy my Panigale. The above is what I feel and you shouldn't let it colour your decision. Go and ride the 1199 & 899 and see what you think, you might hate them but I have a sneaking suspicion you won't.
Probably get tarred and feathered by the end of this post but ive never thought the ducati engine ever lent it self to racing...low sound, low revs etc etc whereas the RSV4 is snappy, higher pitched and IMO just wants to go...ive got an 1100evo hyper which is great, but that's what I feel the engine lends itself to - its kinda of like a high powered tractor... I would say I feel the same way about my RSV - the sound is intoxicating to the point that even when you don't want to go fast, you do, just to hear the engine. However, I will say that ive never actually had a go on anything ducati that resembles a race bike so I might change my tune if I had a go on one but right now, if I had to sell my RSV4 - id get another one with aprc. I cant see anything else out there that matches it. It does also depend on the rider - im not tall (5'10) but I love the fact that its 600 sized - a big bloke might have more problems, dunno. I did sit on one at riders a few months back...felt like the bars were higher than mine and a little lighter (rsv4's are quite top heavy)
Just to add on the reliability front mines been great, its never not started (hanging on to this large wooden desk infront of me - its been totally reliable) I had to do the upgrade on the rocker covers and pay for it (the previous owner didn't do the recall) - apart from the usual bits and pieces its been great and mines one of the older factory versions which were quite bad so I hear...
Fuck - someone agrees with me! say it aint so! I thought there would be a sniper posted on the roof of my workplace ready to take the shot...
I think you need to get yourself on a Panigale Comfysofa There's definately nothing low reved about it. The engine screams through the high revs much faster than my R1 and previous CBR. I've been toying with the idea of both an RSV4 and a Hypermotard so we could do a rideout one day for comparisons if you're interested in trying my 1199s!
Ooohhhh - id definitely argue that....ducati and scream aren't in the same sentence! ducati and low pitched drone, yes....that's what they do...Whereabouts in the country are you - im in Bristol....
There was a couple of RSV4's at Donny a weeks back, both were fitted with AR stubby pipes. I thought it was a f'ing bombing raid! :Woot:
Yeah - that's what ive got.....although last year we went to Poole bike night and I got knicked for the strip plate and the baffle out....even I had to admit it was too loud....
I agree with what Istanbulian says I also have a 2012 S1000rr and a Panigale R My experience is as follows (Most of my riding is on the track):- Around town and on the road I would say that the BMW is easier to ride and live with but mostly down to the IL 4 versus the V Twin. The BMW engine is much stronger than the Panigale, on my local track I lose a lot of time because I need to close back the throttle on the Panigale it's 100% open more of the time. On the track a lap with the BMW is always a bit of an adventure where on the Panigale it's physically less demanding. The Panigale feels slow compared to the BMW however on a well sorted BMW and a stock Panigale my laptimes are virtually the same. The speed along the straight is the same, taken from datalogging not speedo. The BMW is committed to track only but to be honest I kinda long for the Ducati to be my full time bike but due to the spend on the BMW it will not be the case for some time. Ducati will be occasional track days and road miles for a while yet. Just confirms for me that the BMW is a lump but the Ducati has something special about it. Both bikes have been reliable, without any faults worth mentioning. Each to their own but for me their isn't that much in it, were I starting from scratch.......I'd choose the Duc. Regards Davy
Mate sold his S1000RR and bought an RSV4 so what they above said. The thing is a freaking missile. Even when compared to the BMW. I'd consider ditching the 1198 for one, but I love my torque and I prefer the sound of the V2 to the V4 personally. But it does make a nice noise. In a fight the RSV4 would kick the shit out of an 1199.
I tagged onto a couple of guys with one on an RSV4 yesterday afternoon and that and the Panigale roaring about Boxhill was pretty epic. I'm in west London, but generally game for a ride out if I'm free, as is the lady on her GSX-R600.
Thats a surprise after what I have read about the BMW and my own Panigale. I would have expected the BMW to be much less demanding than the Panigale?
Bit far away from me. However to refocus a little if I had to choose between the s1000 and Panigale it would be the Duc without a doubt (engine noise aside...) This is a bit of an admission: I had a hyper 1100s a couple of years back - absolutely beautiful...my first duc (say it like it was my first born) I sold it after about 6 months as I hated the noise - sounded like a wet fart IMO. The only time I would say It sounded nice was over at the TT, flat out over the mountain section chasing my mate on his tuono, I did a few times get the low "Ducati drone". It sounded at ticker like it was going to blow up any minute and it was too un-nerving so I got rid of it ironically to get the RSV4 - the deal came up so I took it - didn't know anything about RSV4's so it was a leap of faith. Zoom forward to last year, smashed up my mate's R6, lost my KTM660supermoto to finance the damage - looking for something else the Hyper came up (the one I have now) and looking back at the time I couldn't see anything that fitted the bill, also a conversation with Rich at Louigi I think turned me he knew me as he'd at the time recently serviced the RSV4 and I phoned him about the hyper, his reply was, "fucking bulletproof mate" if you blow that up I want to know what you did....got the second hyper - different pipe set up but not only have I come round to liking the noise but to a point where if I got rid of the hyper id have to have something else ducati powered - if I could afford it a 1098 streetfighter s would be nice!!
