Ducati 899 Panigale – Sexy Got A Little Sexier

The latest models of the Ducati sports bike lineup (1199, 848 etc) are some of the sexiest bikes I’ve ever seen.  In 2011 Ducati showcased the 1199 Panigale, and now they’ve done the Panigale treatment to the smaller bike in the lineup, the 899 Panigale; this bike will be replacing the 848 EVO.  The 2014 Ducati 899 Panigale was revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, which was preceded by the Carole Nash Great Scottish Bike Show in May, and will be available at dealerships in October.

Styling on the Ducati 899 Panigale is similar to its bigger brother, except the 899 comes with a double-sided swingarm.  The 899 has the same twin-LED headlights and underbody exhaust tips as the 1199 Panigale.

The 899 Panigale is powered by a newly designed 898 cc Superquadro engine that produces 148 horsepower at 10,750 rpm and 72.3 pound-feet (98 Nm) of torque at 9,000 rpm.  Power is sent to the rear wheel via a 6-speed sequential gearbox with a wet clutch.  The bike features a monocoque chassis, and the whole package has a dry weight of 372.5 pounds.

This powerful bike also comes with some advanced electronics to help keep the rider safe.  The bike comes with three riding modes: Wet Riding Mode, Sport Riding Mode, and Race Riding Mode.  These modes are pretty self-explanatory, with the wet mode taking full advantage of all the electronic aids described below; this mode also reduces the HP to 110.  There are 8 levels of the DTC (Ducati Traction Control), DQS (Ducati Quick Shift), EBC (Engine Brake Control), and RbW (Ride by Wire) control.

The Ducati 899 Panigale rides on 43 mm Showa forks up front and at the back is a fully adjustable Sachs suspension.  For braking, the 899 Panigale uses Bosh Brembo brakes with 3-level ABS; at the front is a set of 320 mm discs with four-piston calipers, and at the rear is a 245 mm disc.  The bike is equipped with 17 x 3.5 front and 17 x 5.5 10-spoke wheels with Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa tires.

No word on prices but we expect these bikes to be priced around the $14,000 US mark.  Via: Ducati

2014 Ducati 899 Panigale Picture Gallery