Heed 505

Greetings all, I just got done spending about an hour’s worth of time at the controls of the 2012 Ducati 1199 Panigale Superbike at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, UAE. So obviously the big question is how good is the bike? Well first off, this is the machine Ducati should have built four years ago. I know this is going to piss off die-hard Duc enthusiasts but the biggest thing about the bike is just how ‘Japanese’ it feels. Engineers have done a nice job mellowing out some of the classic but quirky Italian traits equating to a more versatile machine that is less demanding to ride. Yet it still retains that lovable V-Twin feel and charisma. The powerband is much more mid-to-top biased than ever before. It doesn't feel like the quickest machine in its class but since its so light (without question it is the lightest bike in the Superbike segment) and delivers a high level or rear end traction you’ll be surprised by how fast the thing goes. I also appreciated how much quicker it steers not to mention the borderline insane stopping performance courtesy of its updated Brembo set-up. In terms of electronics I’m still not sold on Ducati’s traction control and the quick-shifter could be faster too. The new ride-by-wire throttle control system however is calibrated extremely well which makes dialing in the throttle fast and easy. The engine braking functionality also surprised me as it helped make the chassis more stable during corner entry. Overall I’m pretty pumped on the new bike and think it might have something for the competition come shootout time. Make sure to visit us on Monday for the full report.