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Old 16-Jun-2012, 13:48
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Stealth Stealth is offline
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GTL
Bikes: 998R, Panigale S
 
Posts: 443
Join Date: Jul 2001
Quote:
Originally Posted by virtualtwit
MMmmmmmm - Very nice,
It's just a shame to get her dirty ?
BUT it has to be done - with a bit of luck, Her sister should arrive week Monday,
I never knew a week could be soooo long !

Not taking it out in the rain unless I need to (although have a 300 mile run planned late Sunday & Monday - so possibly will get rained on).

I have to say, that you will not be disappointed when you get your bike. If you follow earlier posts of mine, I was in two minds about the Pani. I had ridden the RSV4 and really loved the engine and could live with its looks. I was less convinced by the Pani's looks and even after two test rides the only bit I still hadn't gotten to like was the looks.
Well now I've got it I am really pleased that I chose the Ducati. The looks grow on you and when you see all the design innovation and detail, you can see why this bike is a real game changer.

If I think back some 13/14 years when I got my first 996 I experienced a similar uncertainty about its looks until I " got it". I think the same is true of the Pani. In fact, with the Pani sat next to my 998R, the geometry and style of the 998 looks really dated (classic and don't get wrong, I still love it - but what a difference).

Because of all the electronic gadgetry on the Pani, it is easy to think that is all that is new and revolutionary. But when you think that this bike is essentially just a huge powerful V twin with seat, tank and running gear just bolted on, you realise this is a huge step forward in minimalist design.

With the free-er exhaust system, the sound and feel of the engine takes on its full character. The bottom end torque that is more controlled with the standard exhaust, is now much more apparent and begins to come close to the 1098 feeling.

For those that miss the mechanical sounds of the 916 to 1198, there are new sounds of the valve gear and chain drive that don't sound to me like any other cam chain driven bike I've ridden before. In short, this is still a Ducati. Its ultra modern, yet there is no mistaking that this is Italian idiosyncratic performance engineering at its best.

So, having obviously fallen in love with it - let's hope it doesn't strand me on the hard shoulder when I'm out tomorrow :-)
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