Ducati 959 Panigale review, test ride

As the entry-level motorcycle in Ducati’s superbike family, the 959 Panigale has a tough task – it has to play the role of a good streetbike and an admirable track machine too. We flew down to Thailand to experience the racy side of the new baby Panigale at the fantastic and intricate Chang circuit.

It’s a case of what works best, wins; to explain that we must give you a bit of background. The 959’s predecessor, the 899, was launched after the bigger 1199 Panigale. However, the sharper geometry of the 899’s chassis turned out to be so good, that it was used for the 1199’s replacement, the 1299 Panigale! Get it? So, no surprises, one of the defining aspects of the 959 has been carried over pretty much unchanged from the 899, except for one small tweak. The only change has been to drop the swingarm pivot by 4mm, and as this is a monocoque frame, it meant an altered engine casing.

The engine again, is based on the motor of the outgoing 899 Panigale, but has been heavily revised to help it meet Euro 4 emission regulations. The increase in displacement is thanks to a longer stroke, the same as the 1299 Panigale. The revisions have helped meet emissions and also increased peak horsepower to 157hp (earlier, 148hp) and torque to 107.4Nm (99Nm). To make the best use of the extra grunt the 959 retains the same gearbox as the 899, but has an added tooth on the rear wheel sprocket to make the overall gearing taller.

Hopping onto the saddle of the 959 in the pitlane, the first thought that hits you is that it is an incredibly compact motorcycle. It feels slim and tightly packaged. The seat, tips you forward onto the slim clip-on handlebars, but the ergonomics aren’t overly aggressive. Again, the rider triangle is identical to the larger Panigale. Turn the ignition key on and the LCD screen comes to life, and reminds you that costs have been kept in check as the colour TFT screen has been given a miss here.