Ducati’s Panigale is 1 of the most desirable sportbikes on the road today. Even the smallest Panigale, the new 959, is sexy and rapidly, and there’s a lot a lot more where that comes from in the forms of the monstrously powered 1299 and wickedly exotic 1199R. But what do you do when those levels of attractive and rapidly and exotic just ain’t sufficient anymore?
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There’s just 1 step up to make and it is a steep a single. Presenting the Panigale Superleggera, a moto moon shot that stretches the bounds of what’s achievable from a production sportbike. Its name is Italian for super light, and Ducati has employed every achievable weight-saving tactic to generate a 1200cc motorcycle claimed to scale in at a barely believable 342 pounds dry. Combined with a hot-rodded version of the already-exotic 1199R engine, the Superleggera has the highest energy-to-weight ratio of any street-legal motorcycle.
Exploring Lightweight Components On Motorcycles
As noted in the write-up linked above, lightweight components – especially structural ones – often price more than heavier ones. From iron to steel to aluminum to magnesium and titanium and carbon fiber, lighter stuff simply fees a lot more. In the case of the Superleggera, the expense is a rather exorbitant $ 65,000 if you can discover 1. Just 500 Superleggeras had been constructed, and we understand there’s much less than a handful remaining at North American dealers.
2013 Ducati 1199 Panigale R Evaluation + Video
Carbon fiber is prominently featured on the Superleggera, noticed right here in heat shielding for the rear cylinder and its header, footrest heelguard and fairing panels. The carbon rear subframe supports the seat and tail structure whilst weighing just two lbs.
Ducati has extended been a purveyor of lightweight components on its high-finish models, but the SL requires this to a loftier level. The standard Panigale’s aluminum frame member supporting the steering head of the monocoque chassis has been traded for an pricey and lighter magnesium unit scaling in at just six.6 lbs – a motorcycle chassis with a frame member weighing significantly less than 7 pounds! Lightweight forged-aluminum wheels are swapped for lighter forged-magnesium hoops for a substantial 2.two-lb reduction in unsprung weight. A carbon-fiber subframe replaces an aluminum 1, decreasing weight by more than half. A lot of dozens of titanium fasteners replace humble steel bolts for much more grams pared.
The 1198cc V-Twin from the 1199R superbike homologation special also receives the Weight Watchers treatment, even although the R-spec Panigale currently boasts pricey titanium rods and intake valves. The SL adds ti exhaust valves and a crankshaft lightened by a full pound, plus lighter pistons that squeeze tougher (from 12.5:1 to 13.two:1). The redline of the freer-spinning engine jumps 500 revs to a soaring 12,500 rpm.
Ducati claims “>200” crankshaft horsepower from this engine, which seemed entirely believable when twisting its throttle at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway. The Superleggera we tested was borrowed from our great buddy Kaming Ko, so we didn’t get a chance to dyno it, but an SL with the incorporated Race Kit consisting of Akrapovic titanium exhaust (cutting an additional two.5 lbs) and optimized fuel map produced a walloping 188 hp and 92 lb-ft of torque when dyno tested by EDR Efficiency.
Plenty of lightweight moto jewelry abounds. Öhlins suspension is de rigueur on higher-finish Ducatis, but the Superleggera’s is super particular. The completely adjustable FL916 fork with billet-aluminum bottoms and anti-stiction titanium-nitride coating is mentioned to be 3 lbs(!) lighter than the R’s. Out back, the Öhlins TTX36 shock is fitted with a titanium spring to further shave weight. Wheels are forged from ultra-light magnesium. Brembo M50 calipers offer you unrivaled strength and feedback.
The acceleration forces are sensational, amplified by the scarcity of weight to drag around – about 393 lbs complete of fluids, such as the stuff poured into its four.5-gallon aluminum fuel tank. That is a stunning 27-lb reduction from the already-feathery 1199R. The Superleggera was the first Ducati with a dedicated wheelie-control system when it was released in 2014, and it performs overtime here – wheelies occur with zero provocation and astounding frequency.
The wheelie-manage system can be adjusted amongst eight settings, and its lower levels enable modest wheelies without having muting acceleration as well badly. Chuckwalla’s powerful crosswinds threatened to blow the SL off course when its front wheel was in the air, so employing WC had the net effect of lowering lap occasions. Thumb/finger levers on the left clip-on can adjust WC on the fly when in Race mode. One more good feature bred on racetracks is the adjuster on the left clip-on that permits altering the front brakes lever span although riding.
Chuckwalla is too tightly wound to completely explore wide-open throttle from a 200-horse motorcycle, but its compact layout of 17 turns in 2.7 miles gives ample chance to test handling. The lesser Panigales, specially the S and R models, were already quick to steer, but the Superleggera sets a lofty new normal of agility for a 1200cc sportbike.
The responsiveness of the Superleggera is off the charts, with ample feedback from the tires and chassis helping a rider explore its overall performance envelope.
With our testing of the Superleggera limited to sessions inside the confines of Chuckwalla, exactly where speeds barely topped 130 mph, the ultimate Duc’s ultimate speed wasn’t approached. Even so, we found an fascinating video on Youtube in which Autocar compared a Superleggera in acceleration against two of the fastest supercars ever constructed: a McLaren P1 and Porsche 918. Even even though the P1 fees $ 1.1 million and is packed with 903 hp, and the Porsche retails for $ 845k and has 887 hp, the Superleggera got to the finish of a mile-long dragrace the quickest.
| Ducati | McLaren | Porsche | |
| -60 | three.14 | 3.24 | two.95 |
| -100 | five.69 | five.78 | 5.70 |
| -150 | ten.15 | 11.18 | 11.43 |
| -200 | NA | 23.29 | 29.70 |
| Mile ET | 25.44 | 25.49 | 25.82 |
| Mile Speed | 191.45 | 204.7 | 194.64 |
The Porsche’s all-wheel drive saw it sprint quickest to 60 mph, followed by the wheelie-prone Duc then the McLaren. But as soon as previous 60, the motorbike embarrassed the mega-pricey automobiles, jetting to 150 mph a lot more than a single second faster than the vehicles. It is only at the extreme prime finish exactly where a motorcycle’s fairly unaerodynamic drag coefficient puts up an invisible hand to slow it down. The Superleggera maxed out at 191 mph, whilst each vehicles sooner or later topped 200 mph.
The Superleggera’s cost involves this Akra exhaust, race ECU, a taller windscreen, bike cover and paddock stands. Standard gear contains lovely foot controls that could be worn as jewelry.
So, the Superleggera’s $ 65k cost tag may appear otherworldly to us riders, but it is less than ten% of the cost of a supercar which cannot outrun the bike in a mile. (And which a single do you suppose does better wheelies?) Put one more way, it’s half the cost and has twice the horsepower of a Honda RC213V-S. Virtually a bargain…
2016 Honda RC213V-S 1st Ride Assessment
The Superleggera is indeed an exceedingly specific motorcycle, and we’re grateful our buddy Kaming gave us a likelihood to sample this rare and exotic machine. Whilst it’s tough to envision the Superleggera is scads more quickly about a racetrack than an 1199R or even a 1299S, there is no query which Ducati we’d most like to ride again on a racetrack.
I brake for 1199Rs…
Ducati Panigale Superleggera Swift-Ride Review + Video
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