12-13-2011, 10:29 AM #22
Warp12
Senior Member

From: Integrity Street
Joined: Sep 2006

I Race: ZX-12R, ZX-14

Posts: 3,102
Well, I got the bike out again today. All I can say is WOW.

It is THE ONE.

Before I took it out, I talked to Brock about break-in. I usually just ride the bikes normal, with some wot and engine breaking thrown in. But, I had heard that running them hard early-on might be the hot ticket. That seemed to be what Brock had in mind. He also pointed me here:

Street Bike Break-in UPDATE: ZX-14/Busa/ZX-10 etc - Brock's Performance Forum

I read through all the info, and coupled with his advice, I decided I would twist the bikes tail today! I know that some folks do follow factory advice religiously when it comes to break-in. Let your conscious be your guide.

Now, being that this bike makes a lot of speed, I didn't want to break any laws. So, of course I went to a closed-course testing area before I let it loose some. Safety first. Well, let me tell you, when you do it....HOLD ON TO YOUR HAT!!! Another Bikeland member had reported that it pulls strongly to redline....well, that was an understatement! I nearly tagged the limiter, going uphill....IN 4TH GEAR! I caught the shift at about 11300 indicated.

If it seems like I am excited, it is because I am! This bike is just a whole new level of power for a showroom stock machine. As you know, I just traded in a showroom stock 2011 Busa. Best choice I've ever made. The Busa was nice, but felt harmless in comparison!

I also played with the traction control a little. It seemed to me that the level 1 setting did tame the bike down a little in 1st gear. It will still easily lift the front wheel, but you have to get more aggressive to get the same results. Again, that is just my "seat of the pants" impromptu testing. We will probably learn more as time goes on.

A FOLLOW UP NOTE ON LOW-END RESPONSE....

Another area I had mentioned was that the secondary throttle plates seemed to soften the bike down low. Well, don't get me wrong....it stil has strong response. In fact, the front wheel lifts up easily from just a few k rpm. I played around a little with it in my driveway, lol. No room for big wheelies, but I wanted to see how strong the response was from very low rpm, with the bike at perhaps 25 mph?:

So, don't worry too much about those throttle plates for now. The throttle response is still very strong! :) 41 miles showing on the odometer now....
Last edited by Warp12; 12-15-2011 at 01:55 PM.

* Last updated by: bean07 on 12/16/2011 @ 5:58 PM *

Sorry for not responding guys! I've been travelling for a few days to get back to A'stan! Takes about 2 days of flying to get here from the states with the stop that we have to make in Dubai!!! I was at home for Thanksgiving (GREAATT!!) but I didn't get to ride much, as the weather sucked!! But I did go to the Dallas Int'l Moto Show where I go to see the Panigale in person AND the new AMG version of the Diavel! Sweet...

DK - yup still thinking about the Diavel Carbon! Nice ridin' machine - if you get the chance DK get by a Ducati dealership to see if you can get a test ride! Still pondering what to do with the 2010 ZX14, I want ot keep it, but I only have room in the garage for two bikes, so been thinking about trading her in when I get the 14R early next year and then gettin the Diavel later on.

Kruz - nice pics of the Panigale! That's one sweet machine! And you're right most of us mere mortals would have a time with it. If it was made in size XXL, I would love to have one, just because of those beautiful lines! And the price, is - like you said - reasonable for what you get! I've been actuall impressed by Ducati brining their prices into the more competitive range of some of the other makes (Jap bikes) - so that us regular Joes can see owning one!

Yep I'm gna test ride the doodoo out of that bike on tuesday! The duc guys were pretty nice...
Be safe out there. I dunno if you were gna want to put your 14R on a dyno. If you are going to let me know a week in advance and I'll try to make it down there. It'll be nice to have pulls of my bike against the 14R. I know that would make Romans happy. lol

It'll be nice to have pulls of my bike against the 14R

I'd love to see that big guy!

Yep I'm gna test ride the doodoo out of that bike on tuesday! The duc guys were pretty nice...

You gonna get a test ride on a Panigale?

Ducati needs a catchy theme song for the new machine, howzabout:

(Sung to the tune of 'See the USA in your Chevrolet')

Da-da-da-tah-da...you'll go straight to jail on your Pan-a-gale.....

....yea, I know, don't quit my day job!

* Last updated by: Kruz on 12/19/2011 @ 12:21 PM *

Seriously though, I'm going to be very surprised if the Panigale can live up to all of the pre-release hype and match the 14R at 195 HP at the rear wheel. Almost 250 cc down in displacement,short two cylinders and redline is what, maybe a thousand rpm more than the 14R? If they can pull it off, that means serious Brake Mean Effective Pressure, essentially race bike territory. I have to wonder about engine longevity....could have a very short fuse!

* Last updated by: Kruz on 12/19/2011 @ 12:23 PM *

From a performance/dollar ratio this is going to be the bike to own for 2012. It's going to plaster all of the other literbikes...again...as BMW has stepped up their game. The Teutonic beast gives no quarter and shows no mercy, it is in a word....dominant! After reading Cycle Worlds review, I doubt if the Panibagle is going to have a chance to unseat this monster and I just found a new 2012 for $15,545 on Cycle Trader. That's about $7000 less than the comparable Panibagle S. Oh I am so fickle....LOL!

http://www.cycleworld.com/2011/10/22/2012-bmw-s1000rr-first-ride/

* Last updated by: Kruz on 12/19/2011 @ 1:01 PM *

You gonna get a test ride on a Panigale?

That beamer woud make an excellent track bike. After winning best bike of 2011 they still improved the 2012 version. That's why I was mad at kaw!

The S1000RR is the bike I want after reading that review on Cycle World. The older model would outrun the Hayabusa and ZX-14 in the quarter mile and I got a funny feeling the new one is going to do the same with the 14R, put it right back on the trailer. With the yen/dollar rato what it is, the BMW is right there price wise with teh Jap offerings but way ahead on performance. Should have held off buying my '11 10R and bought the Beemer.

Well, I'm not an avid drag racer but from the surfing I've done, sometimes it wins.

Usually it don't

To say the 1000RR beats all bikes in the quarter, maybe with a pro willing to burn a clutch up after maybe i day of runs isn't a comparison stock for stock. Look at the dyno charts these liters only excel at above 12k rpms. That means over 80 mph or so stop light racing they will be easily be beaten I'm sure.

Yep I'm gna test ride the doodoo out of that bike on tuesday! The duc guys were pretty nice...
Be safe out there. I dunno if you were gna want to put your 14R on a dyno. If you are going to let me know a week in advance and I'll try to make it down there. It'll be nice to have pulls of my bike against the 14R. I know that would make Romans happy. lol

Good idea DK! Will do!

Yeah, the Duc guys are real nice about lettin' you ride away on their stuff...

* Last updated by: bigwilliezx on 12/20/2011 @ 2:52 AM *

Well, I'm not an avid drag racer but from the surfing I've done, sometimes it wins.
Usually it don't

Hmmm, sorry but what's the point of that film? A bunch of idiots doing high speed wheelies inches from the crowd and gibbering in Arabic? Looks like Bike Night in Lebanon, what does this have to do with the BMW or Panigale?

* Last updated by: Kruz on 12/20/2011 @ 8:08 AM *

Oh wait... just realized DK - that you weren't talking to me!!!!

@bigw: the part you highlighted was meant for u... mainly.there should be plenty of good tuners in dallas.

Hmmm, sorry but what's the point of that film? A bunch of idiots doing high speed wheelies inches from the crowd and gibbering in Arabic? Looks like Bike Night in Lebanon, what does this have to do with the BMW or Panigale?

The bimmer takes an arse whoopin' from the old bus.

Have another look. Right in the first ten seconds

sometimes it wins.

Usually it don't

busa takes it by 3 bike lengths. Yeah, no reason to go out and buy a busa bike...but just sayin' no BIG reason yu have to go out and buy a s1000 either. Anything in the last ten years is gonna be plenty fast.

* Last updated by: Rook on 12/21/2011 @ 11:13 AM *

Nowadays all the major bike manufacturers are so close that the difference is going to be the rider. There is no way we could compare skills on a video and know which riders has more skills. That's in part why dyno are selling bikes nowadays... People just go for the hypothetical numbers.
I trust those guys :
Your text to link here...
I usually get the MCN mag but I must have missed that 1

Forget about the BMW Kruz... I went to the Ducati dealer today. Didn't have time to test ride the diavel but they are sure nice people out there. No pressure. They let you look and answer your questions. I fell in love with the Desmosedici over there! Get the Panigale... You have 5 bikes now!? Number 6 got to be an exception. You can feel the italian passion and finesse in the desmo and I know the panigale would not be too far behind. You need a bike you take every now and then. Work on your skills on the 10r and 6 and the day you feel like truly inspired bring out the panigale. Just look at it.
Your text to link here...

* Last updated by: dragking on 12/21/2011 @ 6:40 PM *

DragKingMeister is right on, the Panigale is all about passion, about inspiration, about truly being on fire. The BMW is about cold, hard Germanic efficiency. Cool vid for sure, this is a bike you would bring out only on special occasions, the rest of the time displayed proudly inside a plexiglass cube in your living room.

I think most of the guys this machine is targeted for can afford to drop it although most would never ride it that hard.

* Last updated by: Kruz on 12/21/2011 @ 5:46 PM *

Green, if you have to ask the price of admission, as the saying goes, you probably can't afford it. With the Panigale, you don't own it as much as it owns you!

Thank u for answering that ? for me Kruz. it's like comparing a scapel to a butcher's knife. when u look at the components and technology ducati can justify his prices better than kaw.The 14R is a kinda do it all bike, which means it's not the greatest at 1 particular thing. The panigale was designed to excel at only one thing... the track... right outta crate. Even for drag racing you'd have to do some basic mods on the 14

That run down the front straight showed it's speed....as in it's got plenty. Yes, this machine is as focused as they come, no jack of all trades here. The BMW bludgeons the track into submission while the Panigale is going to finesse it.

No, the 14r has just proven it is great at the strip which is what its bred to do...Ricky Gadson just got in the 8's on a stock 14r with cans pulled. It ran a consistant 9.10 with cans on so the bike does one thing great; the quarter . I am agreement that I'm ready to a have something different in the stable; 14r could be it but the Diavel keeps callin me too....

I thought he did that with brock's exhausts and that the bike was lowered. in any case, you're right... I apologize, the bike is king of the quarter.
the diavel is nice though isn't it? Functions wise all I need is a diavel and a track bike.

* Last updated by: dragking on 12/21/2011 @ 10:17 PM *

There's still different opinions out on the most recent post Ricky Gadson video...