PANIGALISSIMA

Ducati Panigale 1299 S combines business with pleasure, and why not! Thanks to my friendship with Dario Marchetti and thanks to the wonderful initiative created by Ducati, and probably having some good RauR credentials or actually I, Babila, was invited to test this “very hip” bike. Ducati has made the latest super sports born at Borgo Panigale available to test. The name of this motorbike perfectly traces the whole history of the brand and the emphasis of a performance typical of a Superbike motorcycle! The event took place on Sunday 28 June at the “Tazio Nuvolari” racetrack in Cervesina (province of Pavia); the time to organise a weekend-based motorbike was just perfect, not to mention relaxation and good food! I left on Friday afternoon to reach the countryside of the Pavese area, where there was an elegant and traditional farmstead surrounded by paddy fields, relax and risotto dish dinner (one of those dishes that should never be lacking in a fine table of these areas), awaiting for me! However, back to us and the real reason for my weekend. Sunday I arrived at the test racetrack Cervesina at eight in the morning, very early. I could see the final arrangements for the welcome of Rosso Corse, and attend the completion of the details on the motorbikes with the running new tyres… Everything was ready, including me. The day started to be very hot and the atmosphere of the event was just perfect, following Dario Marchetti’s briefing. His speech was a precise and accurate description of the motorbike and its performance; he explained very well what we were going to experience inside the Tazio Nuvolari racetrack and he gave us recommendations, for this bike has very exaggerated features! But there was not great opportunity to be exaggerated because during the track sections there was also the supervision of two instructors of the DRE Ducati, Riccardo Ricci and Simone Suzzi who as expected were very good at spreading fun but with care! It is time to get on the saddle and enter the track! I was very excited! Just on the saddle, the very first thing I noticed was the comfort of the saddle itself and the perfect geometry and measures, at least for me, between the saddle and handlebar and footrests. Ready to go; had perfect feeling just after the first few hundred meters, and after only a couple of laps all my emotional tensions were gone! Hidden by my helmet and the dark visor, inside of me was a huge smile, and in my head I was already certain that I was driving a great motorcycle! Ducati Panigale 1299 S: a name you can trust. The rhythms on the track were very austere, but the bike having this concentration of technology and electronics allowed me to ride it with the certainty of having very high performances thanks to its new two-cylinder L-shaped over-square engine with Desmodromic timing with four valves for each cylinder and 205-horse power. A power that you can easily cope with because there are many technological solutions chosen for the bike: IMU inertial platform, Riding Modes, Power Modes, Cornering ABS, DTC, DQS up/down, DWC, EBC, fully RbW, and semi electronically controlled active suspension, steering damper, 6-speed gearbox with DQS Ducati Quick Shift up/down. How many things all together! Are they frightening? No, not really! They gave me a great help in terms of riding performances and I found this Panigale easier to use comparing to many other motorbikes! The more the laps the more it could allow me to go faster, it’s light and very manoeuvrable, anyway, in order not to overdo it I tried to give a quick look at the instrument panel that was easy to read at high speeds! It’s fantastic to pull the bike at 240 km/h and feeling in perfect harmony with the bike! Great praise to all the engineers and all the men of Ducati because once again they exceeded in quality! The motorbike goes very fast and most of all, it’s very beautiful! What an elegant style it has! Nothing goes unnoticed about it: full led lights, exhaust under chassis, and excellent braking system with grippers and radial pumps, in short, a tremendous amount of research and development applied with great synergy to Panigale! Although the price is justified to me, it’s not possible to say that it’s an expensive one after having ridden on it. The day was very intense between the sections of the test and the post-test considerations, in which we were trying to find some negative details too! I believe that the only possible weakness is just to be too perfect, for I believe that only an experienced rider can perhaps find some limitations with this bike! To me it was a great satisfaction riding the Ducati Panigale 1299 S, and having received compliments for my predisposition to riding on track from Dario, Riccardo and Simone. What do I think of the 1299? I just love it! A beautiful day spent together with very nice people, with passion for motorcycles just like me. As you have probably noticed, in this tremendous test, I was wearing a wonderful helmet “X-lite X-802R Ultracarbon”, and I must tell you that, as well as being extremely light its ergonomics and its fit was perfect. You almost forget you are wearing it, but it certainly does not go unnoticed by its beauty and that is why I chose it! Therefore, my thoughts and special thanks go to Isabel and all the staff of Nolangroup for their technical support and especially for the kindness they have always shown to me. The clothing – my suit, gloves and boots – is another essential part of my races on track and on this very fast day I completely dressed “SPIDI”, excellent quality suit and especially very feminine. I couldn’t do otherwise if not gratefully accepting the compliments from the boys! Nicoletta and her staff once again were able to meet my specific needs. Thank you so much! Thanks to Lorenzo of PHOTOHOUSE, who, in a very professional manner and despite the very hot day, had dedicated himself to the photographic job. A special thanks goes to Ducati for what is capable to do and create. Moreover, the brilliant organisers succeeded in the triumph of the event! A hug and special thanks to Dario Marchetti, because once again he proved to be simply great! To Albi, “my love”, a huge kiss, for it is mainly thanks to him if I am having these wonderful experiences, the ones we share in our daily life which are simply passion! See you soon,

Babila.