2016 Ducati 1299 Panigale R

2016 Ducati 1299 Panigale R

Born to race, the new Panigale R brings a thrill to the track. 205 hp react instantly to a twist of the throttle thanks to ultralight engine components. Track-optimised geometry and racing suspension ensure responsive racetrack behaviour. Electronics are tuned to deliver maximum performance. A lithium-ion battery and a titanium Ducati Performance by Akrapovic exhaust will take you and 357 lbs of racing technology straight to the checkered flag.

The Panigale R has one goal - simply to dominate the track. Every feature is oriented in that direction; no compromises are made. For dedicated enthusiasts who seek the purest experience on track, the Panigale R delivers a shot of racing adrenaline directly to the heart.

The beauty of speed translated into design. Pure racing spirit is channelled to the rider with a grasp of the 1299 Panigale's handlebars. Large, aggressive air intakes feed the new Superquadro engine and signal no holds-barred competition.

The 1299 Panigale and Panigale R feature an advanced headlight with LED positioning lights, while the 1299 Panigale S uses a full LED headlight for the ultimate statement of technical cool. In the rear all models use a full LED taillight which accents the all-new split tail, while a perfectly integrated under-belly exhaust keeps the lines clean and pure. An award-winning integration of engineering and design, the Panigale gets the adrenaline flowing from the first glance.Power, agility, and sophistication, wrapped in the very best Italian style.

The clutch cover, cylinder head covers, and oil pan are all cast in a golden-color magnesium alloy to ensure the engine's strength with the absolute lowest possible weight.

During development of the first Superquadro engine, Ducati engineers took their design freedom to the limit by increasing the distance between centres of the six-speed gearbox shafts and allowing the use of gears with an increased diameter and superior strength for the transmission of power. The oil bath clutch, similar in design to that used on other Ducati models, is a progressive system which allows the load on its plates to be increased without increasing the effort required by the rider to pull the lever and disengage the clutch. This optimally satisfies the need for a high torque transmission which still provides optimum usability for the rider. In sport riding conditions with abrupt downshifting heavy engine braking, the same mechanism reduces the pressure on clutch plates and allows them to slip as in a racing system, preventing a loss of stability in the rear end and offering excellent modulability during hard braking into corners.

The crankcases, produced through a vacuum casting technology called Vacural®, ensure high strength at low weight along with a uniform wall thickness, and are designed to incorporate water jackets around the cylinder barrels. The engine uses wet barrels coated in Nicasil, which are inserted into the holes of the engine block's housing during the initial stages of assembly. This design allows the head to be fastened directly onto the crankcase, combining the need for rigidity of the engine's structure with a significant advantage in terms of compactness. Due to their thin structure, the cylinder barrels efficiently transfer heat to the coolant running along their walls. In addition to these barrels, the Superquadro's crankcase stands out for the use of plain main bearings, previously utilised on the Ducati Desmosedici RR engine. These bearings allow the use of large-diameter crankshaft journals, which maximise rigidity and mechanical strength to optimise the internal rotating structure to the extreme power of the Superquadro.