Hubster, I definitely was not looking to add another sportbike to the collection but this one popped up on the radar screen just down the road from me and it's a bike I have always been intrigued with, the 2016 Ducati Panigale 1299...so I can't resist looking.

As you may recall,I was conflicted way back in 2016 between buying the 959 Panigale and big brother,the full fat 1299 Panigale and at that time made the decision, mostly out of financial considerations and went with the less expensive 959.

The 1299 represents the last of the big bore L-Twin Super Quadro engined bikes from Ducati, they changed to the V4 configuration in 2018. The 1299 as you probably know has an ultra short stroke and large diameter bore and was a technical Tour de Force for Ducati. As Ducati's flagship machine that year it got all the goodies, ultra lightweight components, state of the art traction control, single sided swingarm, TFT screen etc. It is known for it's brutal midrange torque, a relatively high rev limit for a twin of 11,500 rpm, ultra agility and great suspension.

It's also remembered as a machine a bit difficult to reign in due to low weight and hard hitting power coupled with a very stiff monocoque, frameless chassis that makes for a lively ride. With 205 BHP and about 430 lbs stock, it's still very competitive and a unique and collectable bike.

My question: It's a 2016 with only 1582 miles and I have no knowledge of the maintenance performed, oil changes, storage details, regular runups etc. over the past 8 years.

Am I buying a potential problem child here? What should I ask the owner and what should I look for?

He is asking $15,000, which considering the low miles, seems reasonable and let's face it, they will never build a bike like this again. Should I pull the trigger or pass?

* Last updated by: Kruz on 8/28/2024 @ 3:16 PM *

Hub??????

I'm sort of sitting back and watching the stupid problems with these bikes, in general. It's like a good/bad off the assembly line. Some come away with zero problems, some come away with trans/tuning problems.

You have a dual shim type valve setting. A belt(s) change every few years. A TPS problem with some. Other little problems that can be solved.

Maybe 12k is more worth the price. They are coming out with a limited addition twin for next year and shutting down the twin series, if I recall.

I sat on one when I was looking for a duc. Kind of cramped for a street bike. More like a turnkey track/race bike. But your other one is about the same profile of race. If it's a garage queen for years to come, you're running out of time, life wise.

Pretty much looks stock and that's a good thing. Go on Ducati.ms. I'm on there still. Ducati.org is another one but not as busy or tech savvy as .ms. Probably if you just ride it and not add all the bling, it might not give you any problems.

Tune wise, they have the redo's for the twitchy throttle, but don't remember if this model is a drive-ability problem. Go check out .ms and the 1099 series. Other than that, the sound of the twin is a unique one.

Thanks Hub, I'll look it over very carefully and shop the pricing, I could only find the 1299 S models on Motohunt, the S model has forged wheels and Ohlins Active Electronic suspension and they are all listed around $16K to $18K with an average of about 7000 miles.

The one I am looking at is a 1299 base model with fixed Sachs suspension (preferred) and cast alloy wheels, otherwise same bike and has only 1582 miles.

Rook says buy it, he wanted that machine back in the day!

My concern is 8 years old and only 1582 miles, I'll check inside the fuel tank for rust, look the machine over carefully for any corrosion, run it up and check the maintenance records for timely oil and filter changes.

Old fuel can gum up injectors and cause lean running. The owner is a friend of a good buddy of mine, same buddy who sold me my pristine '20 BMW S1000RR and he says the owner is a maintenance nut, ex-roadracer and meticulous but doesn't get to ride much as he's an International Airline Captain. Shopping the owner here which is important on an older, low mileage machine.

Present owner purchased the bike from a Ducati dealer a few years ago and had full oil/filter service and new tires installed.

Prior owner is a mystery and he put most of the miles on it.

John

If you're not chomping at the bit to have this thing (which obviously you're not) check into it carefully. Have a cetified mech look at it. If it looks fine, buy it. There's going to be better bikes in the next 5-10 years but there's not going to be as good of a bike as this was in it's time. ...and when it all washes out, the new bikes in the next 5 - 10 years aren't going to be all that much better anyway. They won't be much better than the bikes right now. Buy what you love if you can afford it. They're all faster than you for like the last 30 years.

I will view the bike on Friday morning and look at the maintenance record, interview the owner and run up the engine. If I have a good feeling about it, I'll probably pull the trigger on it and trailer it home. You are correct Rook, this was the top dog 8 years ago and loaded with character that the newer bikes can't come close too. Is it as good as an RSV4 or Ducati V4S? Probably not but that's not the point, it will be very close though and should be an experience that is unmatched.

Hubster, I bought the 2016 Ducati 1299 Panigale this morning, immaculate machine with 1581 miles and a clear title. My buddy Vincent (blond California surfer dude from San Diego) ended up buying the 2022 BMW S1000RR with 3 miles and one year left under warranty. We had an anxious moment as the BMW didn't want to run, bad gas most likely from sitting for two years but finally cleared up and smoothed out. My 1299 started right up but then the battery crapped out and it would not restart. Had to stop into the Ducati dealer and buy a new Yuasa battery for it.

* Last updated by: Kruz on 9/6/2024 @ 10:35 PM *

Cool. So this makes it two 4v duc's? How's the health BTW?

The 1299 is possibly my best sportbike ever Hub, near perfect and on new track oriented rubber might just challenge the S1000RR for 1st place.

"Ever"???? Man, it must be some sort of gold on two wheels. How could a bike be so good? Guess I'll take a ride on one. I have a dealer pretty far away, but they have models to test ride. I'm sure the 14 still walks the duc speed wise/torque wise.

I guess it all depends on what you're looking for in a sport bike. My guess would be that old 1299 is about the best to come across the table for road racing style sport riding and likely to hold onto that title long after we're all gone. The hp/tq are similar to the 14R packed into a bike the weight of a 600. I can't see anything other than slicks on that new Ducati you got Kruz. I don't think it would offer you anything more on the road than some sporty DOT Pirellis but it just looks so badass! Do some research and find slicks rated for cold tracks a/o use without tire warmers, They'll be good for the street as long as you don't ride on wet or dusty roads. I've never had a problem with slicks up north riding only in warmest days of summer. No cold tears even after 50 heat cycles. I don't remember what tire pressure I was using but it was 25 psi at most. I found pirellis to handle just fine with pressure a lot lower than that but too many "what ifs" on the road to go to those extremes. Slicks might even cost less than similar tires with DOT approval made by the same manufacturer. Give it a try.

"Ever"???? Man, it must be some sort of gold on two wheels. How could a bike be so good? Guess I'll take a ride on one. I have a dealer pretty far away, but they have models to test ride. I'm sure the 14 still walks the duc speed wise/torque wise.

You will need to ride one Hub, a 1285cc L-Twin Super Quadro motor with 4 1/2" diameter pistons, a ton of torque and it revs out for a twin cylinder to 11,500 rpm.

Like Rook said, this is a 600 size package about 125 lbs lighter than my ZX-14, similar displacement and has about 10 more HP at the back tire so it's quick.

But that's just the beginning, the M50 Brembo Monoblocs are stellar brakes and the electronics are still some of the best 8 years on.

The auto blipper downshifts are like butter and the upshifts are slick as long as you have the revs up. The TC is seamless, you never feel the traction control or wheelie control working in the background, they just keep you moving forward with minimum fuss.

I wanted this bike because it is the last of the pure racing large displacement V-twins, I don't think you could build this engine today and meet Euro 5, it's the last of the breed, killed off by emission regulations before it's time.

It was down to this or a '24 V4 Panigale and I chose to go V2, the V4 has a slight advantage in peak HP but is heavier and not as clean a design to my eye and costs about twice what I paid.

This bike just flat works and I feel like I've been riding it all of my life.

John

You are correct Rook, this machine deserves Pirelli slicks!

Ain't she beautiful...and the girl's not too bad either!

* Last updated by: Kruz on 9/21/2024 @ 7:46 PM *

That bike is super classy and that's the main reason I'd love to own one. I can't think of much I'd do to improve the appearance. I'd ditch the mirrors, passenger pegs and license plate holder. I'd paint the foot peg assemblies matte black and probably the clutch cover too. Maybe matte black on the front fender. I'd be looking into deleting that toilet seat above the hugger too. I've gotten used to seeing that but it sure lacks any kind of aesthetic consideration. I'd much rather see the pipe with a black ceramic coating and an aluminum heat shield to protect the rider's leg if that's necessary.

* Last updated by: Rook on 9/21/2024 @ 10:59 PM *

and when I look at that bike, I'm just saying, I think I have to touch myself tonight.

How is Jeff Spicoli liking his new bimmer ?

Kruz, get one more bike. Just go out and grab anything that runs and ride that the way it was meant to be ridden. There'e way too much to lose riding the bikes you have. You get yourself an old beotch that's been down more than a two dollar whore, that's going to be your fastest bike because you just don't GAF. That's what I'd do and I'd do it on a track too.

That bike is super classy and that's the main reason I'd love to own one. I can't think of much I'd do to improve the appearance. I'd ditch the mirrors, passenger pegs and license plate holder. I'd paint the foot peg assemblies matte black and probably the clutch cover too. Maybe matte black on the front fender. I'd be looking into deleting that toilet seat above the hugger too. I've gotten used to seeing that but it sure lacks any kind of aesthetic consideration. I'd much rather see the pipe with a black ceramic coating and an aluminum heat shield to protect the rider's leg if that's necessary.

Rook, because of the bike's collector status, I might just leave this one alone, it's awesome just the way it is. I tried the passenger peg delete last weekend but in typical Ducati fashion it turned out to be way bigger of a job than anticipated, not a simple matter of removing 4 bolts. Ducati designers in their infinite wisdom, put a non-removal bushing in the heat shield that traps the pegs. To get clearance, the tank and seat have to come off, subframe bolts removed and the tail of the bike lifted up to gain enough clearance between the subframe and heat shield to get the pegs off the bushing, it was aggravating and I ended up putting the bike back together.

and when I look at that bike, I'm just saying, I think I have to touch myself tonight.

* Last updated by: Kruz on 9/22/2024 @ 7:58 AM *

How is Jeff Spicoli liking his new bimmer ?

He absolutely HATES IT and is considering putting it up for sale. He says the bike wiggles midcorner and never really settles down. I rode the bike hard, well at least as hard as you can ride it with the defacto 8100 RPM limit restriction imposed by BMW until reaching 1000 kilometers for break in. I thought it handled fine despite having to deal with the abrupt limiter cut out and GP shift on his bike that I am not used to. I suggested completing break in, having the restriction lifted by the local BMW dealer and have the bike flashed by Bren Tune, then retest. He has it in Race Pro Mode now and locking in stiffer suspension settings for this morning's ride, we'll see how it does for him.

Kruz, get one more bike. Just go out and grab anything that runs and ride that the way it was meant to be ridden. There'e way too much to lose riding the bikes you have. You get yourself an old beotch that's been down more than a two dollar whore, that's going to be your fastest bike because you just don't GAF. That's what I'd do and I'd do it on a track too.

No room left in the garage Rook, obvious choice for track is the old ZX-6R but Jeff Spicoli blew the generator system when I let him ride it, over revved and smoked the voltage regulator and stator coils, over $1000 so far including a tow truck back to my house. That is the last time anyone ever rides one of my bikes....

Rook behave, that lovely young lady is only 23....

You can't go wrong with that response in the West. Look to places throughout Asia and everyone accepts that old people still admire the young the same as they did when they were that age. Get to know one online. If it's good, get a marriage visa for her. If she dumps you, guess what, an old bag from the US might dump you too but she probably won't even go out on one date with you in the first place. I'd rather get dumped by a sweet young thing from the provinces. You want to be sitting across the table from that ultra hot cheerleader you wished you could in high school? That's how to do it. Hey man, I'm willing to date US women my age even though it's unheard of to find one that's single and attractive. If you do find one that's very attractive at 50 and single....you can almost bet she's got a resume as long as your arm. More probable she's married and has a stable enough life to make keeping her appearance up a priority. Very few unmarried women have this life at 50 or else they wouldn't be single. Sorry, I know it all sounds very misogynistic but it's the friggin truth and I see it all around me. I'm entitled to be very prejudiced when it comes to my love life, right? Everyone should be or else you just take up with anyone. I've never been like that. I think I'm making adequate allowances for expectations considering the age but it still isn't working. I've been looking for a 50+ year old girl in my town who has a great personality and I'll give her a shot as long as I love her company. Only problem is they don't want to date. I've been turned down by old ladies left and right for the last 2 years. The 26 year old I asked out to dinner, she actually considered it! WTH do old single women want? Apparently they have it. I'm looking at a Filipina. I might go with one that's in her thirties or forties but if I want a 20 year old that hasn't even been on a date yet, that is very possible. I'll let you know if it's any more fruitful than trying to date old ladies from the US. If it's not, well...there's always this bike obsession. BTW, show some more pics of this 1299. Girl or no girl, I'm drooling.

* Last updated by: Rook on 9/23/2024 @ 6:46 AM *

Well Rook, I have to agree with you on this one, I prefer the company of a younger women any day to an older one, they're just way more fun to hang out with! On the 1299, when I have a chance I'll post more pics. Rode the RSV4 yesterday and had forgotten how brutally fast that bike is, the 1299, like the BMW, is easy peasy to ride fast. I just can't wrap my head around why the RSV4 pulls like a freekin bull, my ZX-14 is very tame in comparison.