Ducati Panigale 899 Red Edition

Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. is an Italian company which manufactures and designs motorcycles. It was started in 1926 as a manufacturer of condensers, vacuum tubes and radio components and soon globalized them as a big name in motorcycle industry. It has its headquarters in Bologna, Italy and is now owned by Audi through its Italian subsidiary Lamborghini since July 2012. Recently, Ducati presented the 'Supermid' version of its flagship 1199 Panigale by showcasing the new 899 Panigale which will be available in International market soon.

Exterior

Ducati 899 Panigale has some great features which makes it an ultimate winner of its segment. It has its chassis following the Monoscocca structure concept in which monocoque structure in cast aluminium is used, monocoque frame is fixed to the cylinder head directly and two aluminium bushings are inserted with the steering tube bearings at its front. The monocoque also acts an air-box along with a frame by housing the air filter, throttle bodies and fuel circuit with injectors and is covered by the bottom of the steel tank when mounted in place. The forward engine with exhaust system under it and an advanced rider's position gives a weight distribution of 52% at front and 48% at rear without the rider which becomes an optimal 50:50 when the rider occupies its seat to provide better handling.

It has an advanced instrument panel in the form of a multi-functional LCD unit which displays the crucial features at exact moments according to the selected driving mode. There are three riding modes which includes Race, Sport and Wet. It also has an electronic gearbox managing system called Ducati quick Shift which enables the rider to gain some fraction of moments by engaging the gears on acceleration without the use of clutch and with a continuous open throttle. It has 17-inch 10-spoke light alloy wheels with tubeless radial tires. Also it has a DDA+ feature which by integrating a GPS signal, shows throttle opening, speed, rpm, gear engaged, engine temperature, DTC activation and maps. Ducati Traction Control operates on the basis of eight different levels of interaction, each of which has been programmed to respond to a different tolerance to rear slipping, thus helps in controlling the slipping of the rear tire. Also there is an advanced 9MP ABS which is a standard feature and helps in better braking and stability.

Suspension

The front suspension system is a 43mm Showa Big Piston Fork for providing damping under low pressure conditions. The rear suspension is a fully adjustable, laterally mounted Sachs rear monoshock which is connected via progressive linkages for best suspension. It has the perfect ergonomics with a comfortable and grip seat, thin between-the-legs profile and optimised handlebar location.

Dimensions

It has a curb weight of 169kgs, 830mm of seat height, 1426mm of wheelbase, 24 degrees rake angle, 96mm of trail, a fuel tank capacity of 17 litres and front and rear wheel travel of 120mm and 130mm respectively. It also has a wet multi-plate clutch with hydraulic control.

Engine and Gearbox

Ducati 899 Panigale is powered by a 898cc, L-twin cylinder, 4 valve per cylinder, Desmodromic, liquid-cooled, Electronic Fuel Injection System with single injector per cylinder and full ride-by-wire elliptical throttle bodies, Superquadro engine with a maximum power of 148 bhp at 10750 rpm and a maximum torque of 99 Nm at 9000 rpm and has a six speed transmission with DQS.

Verdict

Overall, Ducati 899 Panigale is a perfect blend of style, performance, design, innovation, luxury, comfort, safety and technology.

Infographic

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