Revolution In Red

Ducati’s original Panigale model remains one of a kind.

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In 2012 we all got very excited indeed. And rightly so. Ducati were about to release an all-new superbike and considering just how impressive the outgoing 1198 was, the newest entry to the Bologna sportsbike stable was certain to be a thoroughbred. And when it arrived the 1199 Panigale certainly didn’t disappoint as Ducati had pushed the boundaries of not only the V-twin engine, but also modern chassis technology and electronic rider assists. A revolution in red was ready to be unleashed…

The 1199 Panigale moved Ducati in a fresh direction in a few aspects of its design. First of all, and most noticeably for Ducati purists, the all-new Superquadro engine lacked Ducati’s traditional cam belts, instead using cam chains. This move helped Ducati not only extend the desmo service intervals to an impressive (and money saving) 15,000-miles, but also allowed the engine to make more power. Thankfully it was still a 90° V-twin (for now) but with a huge 112mm bore and ultra-short 60.8mm stroke, it was knocking on the door of a V-twin motor’s ultimate limits and only had a finite amount of expansion before a radical departure was required. And we all know what happened next.