Handle Bar
DUCATI has bared the 1299 Panigale R Final Edition, which pays tribute to the brand’s legendary twin-cylinder engine that has won in World Superbike (SBK) Championship since its debut in 1988.
Propelling to victory the Ducati 851 ridden by Marco Luchinelli in World SBK in 1988, the bike maker’s Testrastretta V-twin with four valves (Desmoquattro) and Desmodromic timing has since seen duty on a number of Ducati Super Sport race models, the latest among which is on the 2017 Panigale R of Chaz Davies and Marco Melandri. Between the three decades that spanned the 851 and Panigale R, the V-twin won more than 330 World SBK races, powering Ducati’s 888, 916, 996, 998, 999, 1098, 1198 and 1199 models.
The 1299 Panigale R Final Edition, available in a numbered (but not limited) series, is a Euro4-compliant road bike that combines the high performance of the V-twin engine with a racing-derived chassis setup, Ducati said. An offshoot of the 1299 Superleggera engine, the unit within the Final Edition’s frame puts out 209hp at 11,000 rpm and 14.5 kgm of torque at 9,000 rpm The bike’s chassis, meanwhile, is identically configured to that in the Panigale R, packing an Ohlins mechanical suspension and a 24-degree rake.
Ducati said the Final Edition does not lack in the electronics department, too; it is fitted with Bosch’s inertial measurement unit and ABS cornering, as well as Ducati’s wheelie control EVO, traction control EVO and engine brake control. All the systems are set according to which riding mode (Race, Sport and Wet) is selected, and can be personalized, too.
Of course, performance and heritage are one thing, styling is another. To which pursuit Ducati has rendered the 1299 Panigale R Final Edition in a new red, white and green color scheme that is further brightened up by red wheels — all a proper tribute to a legendary engine.
