Ducati Panigale 1299 reaches 152kW for the 2015

Ducati test rider, Alessandro Valia riding the 2015 Ducati 1299 Panigale S at Mugello circuit.

The Superbike game is heating up with more bikes passing the 200hp (149kW) mark in the pursuit of more speed. The lastest manufacturer to hit the milestone is Ducati with the 2015 Panigale 1299.

For Ducati, 2015 opens with the new Panigale, a superbike characterized by top-level components, electrifying performance, and iconic design.

"With the new Panigale I expected an increase in performance, but the final result has surpassed those expectations. This is not just a sensation, but a concrete result." Said Alessandro Valia - Ducati's official test rider.

"During my first test of the 1299 Panigale S on the Mugello circuit, in fact, I managed to obtain a best lap that shocked me: 1'55"3! A really incredible time for a production bike - with lights, turn signals, and mirrors - made possible thanks in part to powerful thrust from the new 1285 cc Superquadro engine with 205 hp and monumental torque".

With a bore of 116 mm and a stroke of 60.8 mm, the 1285 cc Superquadro of the new Panigale has a bore/stroke ratio of 1.91, unique in the world. In the new Superquadro (so named for this exaggerated bore/stroke ratio), thanks to a new exhaust system, power has been increased to 152kW at 10,500 rpm, a reference number for a production twin-cylinder, while torque has been increased to 144.6 Nm at 8,750 rpm.

Other improvements to the 2015 1299 Panigale are to the bike's frame. The new steering head angle and other changes to geometry has produced tangible benefits especially for large-radius curves, making the front end more stable, precise, and effective in finishing turns.

On the new Panigale swingarm the pivot point has been changed to optimize the rear tyre's grip, and the steering head angle has been reduced by a half degree to give a better steering character and more agile cornering.

With a new Öhlins Smart EC suspension system, including an electronic steering damper, the 1299 is able to move seamlessly from maximum track performance to comfortable road use easily.

The 1299 Panigale S is equipped with an exclusive semi-active Öhlins Smart EC suspension, which interfaces with the Bosch inertial platform to dynamically respond to how the bike is ridden. Its event-based mode adapts the suspension in real-time to adaot to various riding events. One benefit of the system is while under braking it stiffens the front fork's damping, then softens it as the bike accelerates, helping make the already quick 1299 even quicker. We can't wait for a ride ourselves.