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215hp and 165kg gives MotoGP performance on the street

Ducati 1299 Superleggera

Written by Ben Purvis , Date 7:02 PM
1299 Superleggera

Even Ducati’s own Claudio Domenicali described the power-to-weight ratio of the new 1299 Superleggera as ‘insane’ when presenting the bike just moments ago in Milan.

Why? Because it makes a full 215bhp in fully road legal, Euro 4 emissions-compliant form and weighs just 165kg in American spec or 167kg in European form. Add the optional race kit for use on track, and the numbers get madder still. Power goes up to 220bhp and weight drops to just 162kg. Until now, only MotoGP riders have had the opportunity to ride bikes with figures like that.

How are those number achieved? Well, the weight loss comes from a fully carbon fibre structure. The airbox, which doubles as the frame on all Panigales, is made of carbon instead of aluminium and weighs just 2.6kg as a result, 40% less than the normal version. The swingarm, also carbon, is just 4.1kg, which is 900g lighter than the alloy one of the stock bike.

The wheels, also carbon, come in at just 4kg in total and the new carbon fibre subframe, despite being able to support the rider’s weight, is just 900g.

The power comes from a 1285cc engine that’s not far from being race-spec, including ultra-short-skirted, 2-ring pistons. The race kit, which adds 5bhp and slices 3kg from the bike’s weight, is largely made up of a titanium Akrapovic exhaust that weighs under 4kg.

Even in road going form the bike’s power is higher than any rival, with 215bhp at 11,000rpm. Torque is similarly impressive at 108lbft at 9000rpm. The European version weighs 2kg more than the American model thanks to a different exhaust system, needed to meet Euro 4 emissions and noise regulations. Not that anyone is likely to be able to notice the difference in use.

Suspension comes from Ohlins, of course, with a TTX36 shock and FL936 forks, while the brakes are the best that Brembo can offer. But the bike’s party piece is its electronic trickery. The firm claims that the traction control is similar in spec to last year’s MotoGP machines, with dual EMUs and the ability to separately control slide and wheelspin. It’s actually more advanced than this year’s MotoGP machines, which are lumbered with the ‘spec’ system that’s applied across the field.

And unlike race bikes, the 1299 Superleggera also gets advanced cornering ABS to give a similar level of control under braking.

The bike, which has been developed under the ‘Project 1408’ name, is being offered only to Ducati’s most loyal customers. If you’ve already got a Desmosedici RR and 1199 Superleggera, you’ve probably already been invited to buy the 1299 Superleggera. And if you haven’t been invited, you’ll probably have to wait until one turns up on the secondhand market.

Prices haven’t been confirmed yet, but are likely to be in the region of £70,000, (€80,000 or $85,000). Only 500 of the machines will be made, and it’s likely to be the swansong for the Panigale line.

 

 

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