2014 Ducati 1199 Panigale R

Basem Wasef — Fri, 03 May 2013 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, First Drives, Motorcycle

When 30 Grand For Two Wheels Isn't Too Much

Surviving long-term motorcycle riding requires a healthy dose of fear and the heightened awareness that accompanies it. Nothing suffers fools quite as ruthlessly as two-wheeled transport, an axiom that has been relentlessly reinforced by YouTube. The exposure of riding is bound to catch up with thrill-seekers hungry for speed, knee dragging, and all the potential disaster that comes with tapping into a sportbike's vast reserves of performance.

That said, few things trigger as many life-preserving neurochemicals for a red-blooded rider as a fleet of 2014 Ducati 1199 Panigale R motorcycles idling in pit lane at the newly minted Circuit of the Americas track in Austin, TX. Something about the blood-red bodywork, the guttural idle from two huge combustion chambers and electric tire-warmers (with their implicit suggestion to strike while the rubber is hot), warns the reptile brain to take it easy and not make today the day to chase imaginary trophies and champagne sprays.

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2014 Ducati 1199 Panigale R originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 May 2013 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ducati debuts three new bikes at EICMA 2012

Zach Bowman — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 16:01:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Europe, Misc. Auto Shows, Motorcycle

The minds at Ducati have been busy lately. The Italian manufacturer pulled back the curtains on three new machines at the 2012 EICMA International Motorcycle Show, including the water-cooled 2013 Hypermotard. Using and 821cc variant of the company's Testastretta 11-degree DS V-twin, the Hypermotard dishes out 110 horsepower and 65.8 pound-feet of torque thanks in part to a smaller bore and longer stroke than the standard 848cc engine. The revised Hypermotard tips the scales at 436.5 lbs fully fueled and boasts Kayaba front forks with 6.7-inches of travel. Out back, a Sachs rear shock serves up 5.9-inches of flex, though the Hypermotard SP delivers more inches in both categories.

By most accounts, the Ducati Diavel is as wicked a cruiser as you're likely to find, but that didn't stop engineers from pouring a few tricks from the Ducati Performance line onto the bike. The result is the 2013 Diavel Strada. Designed to serve up easy miles, the new bike offers up a larger windscreen, slightly higher handlebars with heated grips and a gel seat. There's also a higher capacity generator on board to help power additional electronics via two 12-volt ports.

Then there's 2013 Ducati 1199 Panigale R. A subtly tweaked version of last year's bike, the 2013 model now features a 500 rpm rev boost thanks in part to light-weight titanium connecting rods and a lightened flywheel. There's also a four-point adjustable swing arm for the first time, and a full race exhaust and ECU helps the bike spit out 201 horsepower on the top end. More importantly, Ducati says the Panigale R now generates 15 percent more mid range power. Want one? Better pull a stinking $29,995 from your wallet.

Ducati debuts three new bikes at EICMA 2012 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Nov 2012 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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