BOLOGNA: The new 1299 Panigale S Anniversario was previewed at the 2016 World Ducati Week to celebrate Ducati’s 90th anniversary.
Former MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner presented the bike together with Ducati’s CEO Claudio Domenicali at Santamonica stadium in Misano Adriatico.
The limited-edition 1299 Panigale S Anniversario (just 500 bikes will be made) features an all-new colour scheme and technical content.
Inspiration for the 1299 Panigale S Anniversario’s colours was drawn from Ducati race bikes. Its white, black and Ducati Red fairings complement its special gold wheels.
Other distinctive features on the 1299 Panigale S Anniversario include its top triple clamp and steering head inserts, both in machined-from-solid aluminium alloy.
Each top triple clamp is unique in that it has been laser-etched with the bike’s unique production number of 500. The steering head inserts shift the front wheel forward 5 mm, giving the same chassis geometry as the Panigale R. Moreover, a light lithium battery, together with carbon fibre heel guards, rear mudguard and shock absorber cover reduce weight by 2.5 kg.
The electronics on the 1299 Panigale S Anniversario incorporates all-new traction and wheelie control, representing a major evolution of such systems; hence the name Ducati Traction Control (DTC) and Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC) EVO. Both systems maximise performance and active safety on the Italian Superbike.
In addition to the new DTC and DWC EVO, the 1299 Panigale S Anniversario also features Bosch Cornering ABS, which ensures performance and safety whatever the riding conditions, plus Ducati Quick Shift (DQS) for ultra-fast clutchless up and downshifts on both track and road. The twin-cylinder, 1285 cc, 205 hp Superquadro engine features Engine Brake Control (EBC), which optimises vehicle stability under extreme turn-in conditions. The suspension department, instead, offers up Ducati Electronic Suspension (DES) and Öhlins Smart EC; the latter is an event-based control system that processes information about the bike and accordingly uses stepper motors to dynamically adjust the suspension set-up during riding, improving cornering grip, stability, braking, turn-in, handling and riding comfort.
The 1299 Panigale S Anniversario also features TFT (Thin Film Transistor) instrumentation, as well as customizable Ducati Riding Modes (Race, Sport and Wet) that allow the rider to have tailor-made performance.
Like all bikes in the Panigale family, the 1299 Panigale S Anniversario makes excellent use of monocoque frame technology. The compact, enhanced-strength die-cast aluminium monocoque structure features the Superquadro engine as a stressed member of the frame.
To emphasise the sports performance of the 1299 Panigale S Anniversario even further, the bike comes with a racing kit consisting of an Akrapovic Racing exhaust in titanium, billet aluminium mirror blockoff plates, and a cover for the hole created by removing the license-plate holder for track days. Lastly, a battery charger is also provided.
The 1299 Panigale S Anniversario will be available from Ducati dealerships starting in the second half of July (country specific).
Keyword: Ducati previews 1299 Panigale S Anniversario