Ducati may now be owned by Audi – via its subsidiary Lamborghini – but with the launch of the new 899 Panigale you’d suspect nothing has changed at the venerable Italian manufacturer. That’s because they’re still pursuing the tried and tested Ducati formula of following up an utterly mind-blowing full-size superbike (the 1199 Panigale) with a scaled-down, more-affordable version.
This where the similarities end, however because the 899 is like no other previously trimmed down Ducati. Look back at the 748 of the late 1990s, the 749 of the early part of the last decade or even the 848 of the later part and you will see that each one was racier than its larger capacity sibling. As illogical as that may seem, the reason was that their smaller engines were so revvy, they ended up being too frenetic for anything but track use.
The 899 Panigale, on the other hand, is the Audi R8 of motorbikes. In exactly the same way that Ingolstadt was able to extract the best bits from the rather hairy Lamborghini Gallardo and refine them into a usable everyday supercar, the 899 is the more comfortable, friendlier version of a truly spine-tingling superbike.
“The 899 is the start of a new era for Ducati superbikes," CEO Claudio Domenicali, said at the bike’s launch, “It is intended to provide a new way to access that exclusive world.” And in an apparent acknowledgement of the fact that it sits in a new segment between typical supersports and superbikes, Domenicali even came up with a new classification. “It’s a 'supermid' version of the award-winning 1199 Panigale, designed to provide the thrill of the new generation flagship, with the refined character of a street bike."
Yes, but what exactly does ‘super-mid’ mean? Is the 899 then a neutered 1199? Absolutely not. It may have lost the 1199’s sheer brunt, its visceral connection and lavish use of exotic materials but the 899 has still got more than enough aces up its sleeve to beat the hell out of almost anything else on the road. This is a Panigale, after all.
I must admit – even if I had mustered the courage – I was not able to spend sufficient time with the 899 to test its limits but what was immediately obvious was that it is light, nimble and quick. The radical Superquadro V-twin engine is as meaty as you like and it sounds fantastic. Throttle response is excellent – picking up speed without the need to keep the revs spinning wildly – handling is pleasingly precise and gear changes are astonishingly quick and effortless. As much as average riders will be able to exploit the 899’s virtues they’ll also be able to do so in significantly more comfort than they might have expected. That is thanks to a less sporty ride position, a thicker seat and softer suspension.
One thing was absolutely clear - the 899 Panigale is far from a compromise. It rides like a dream and in either of its guises, traditional Ducati red with black wheels or, my personal favourite, Arctic white with red wheels – it also looks divine. If you’ve ever thought of buying a sportsbike but were deterred by issue of impracticality, get yourself one of these beauties. The 899 is arguably the best and most complete motorcycle Ducati has ever made.
Model Ducati 899 Panigale
Engine 898cc four-stroke V-twin engine
Power 148 bhp
Torque 99 Nm
Weight 169 kg
Transmission six speed
Price 15,000 USD
