Ducati Panigale and RSV4 Factory quick test ride/write up

On the recent trip, i got to thrash (in a relative context) both of these bikes... bit of a report below.

Panigale.
Well, i'm not sure i really know where to begin with this bike.. it's just a mind blowing explosion on the senses from the second you get on it, to the time you get off.
The bike ROARS into life and you know instantly this is not a road bike, not a gentle ride but a bike that will SCREAM at you.
Pulling away you notice the smoothest gearbox i've ridden, and just explosive power... explosive isn't quite enough of a word.. it just destroys you.
The brakes are astounding.... soft at first but then come on like hitting a concrete wall when you pull harder.
It's hard to ride.. very hard... fuelling is dubious... very much like the KTM's but worse LOL. Handling is exquisite... but harsh. You look at a corner and it goes round... but then you open it up and it just fires itself away.... simply mind blowing.

All of that said.. i really don't like it.. it's not a bike to ride to the shops, to work or just out for a nice ride... .it's a weapon, simple as that.

The RSV4.
This is more spacious than the Panigale, feeling softer on the bouncy bits. The whole bike is 'nice'... Power is sweet, smooth, silky smooth. Brakes are great, although you don't really use them as you use the slipper clutch more to settle it into corners than comfort braking. It's an easy bike to ride and rewarding with it. But that said, it does have a certain amount of 'soul' to it i admit. You ride it like an IL4, but with abit more grunt.. If i were contemplating lobbing £10,000 at a sportsbike this would be high up the list. Beautifully put together

Thanks for that.
It's not always true that what the press write about a bike is born out by your own experience but what you wrote is like a condensed version of Bike's write up this month.
Question is: do you think you'll buy an RSV4?

i tend to agree with you. im sure with time youd re adjust but whats the point really... sport bike ergos are really meant for the track.
these days i find the riding position of the SD just perfect for almost everything. i love the fact the the leg room is great without touching parts down, they just got it right and i felt at home on it on my first ride.
i do in fact like both the Tuono and the RSV4, fantastic engine but just dont want to feel that uncomfortable anymore. i seem to recall the leg position on the Tuono pretty cramped, it was a trilling ride though.

for me the first time i rode a Supermoto i just never took to a sportsbike again, never did ride my Ducati again just put it in my living room.
rode my LC4 for about 7 years and absolutely loved it till the SD came out, and ive been riding that since...

Funny reading your post.

I had an LC4 for five years after a decade on Ducati's. then onto a Superduke and never looked back. The guy next to me here in the pits at BranDs Hatch today is on an LC4. His last bike was a Ducati 849 or whatever they are called and he's a bit underwhelmed by the top speed of the LC4 so is looking at my SD with a glint in his eye.

I guess there might be the start of a pattern here.

yep that was my only issue with the LC4 the lack of power, and really it was always entertaining. i had a blast on that machine. pretty funny...

I hired a Panigal 1199 at Almeria in January, for 3 days (SD base gasket weeping after first day)

It was as quick as most of the IL4 and thats on a 900m back straight, nothing left it by much.....brakes are off the scale fantastic and seemed to be way better than anything out there ...and this is not my strong point by any means....handles great felt at home quickly

But it did not feel like a 1200cc V Twin.... pulls really well and takes off at 8,000 all revs but no real GRUNT...I switched to race mode which all but switches of traction control and no nasty moments...they claim 195hp ...but they must be small horses ....seat of the pants would say about 150hp at the rear wheel, makes a great track bike.......but.....remembering that at the back of my mind I was on 17k worth of bike did play on the mind a bit, in the end I beat my best lap time by over 3 sec and I know I could have gone faster (running D211 treaded tyres as FE did not have single sided paddock stand...and so I could not use my tyre warmers and so could not use slicks)