Ducati 1299 Panigale S Anniversario – only 500 units

Recently concluded over the weekend, World Ducati Week (WDW) 2016 saw the unveiling of two new models for Ducati. The first of these was the limited-edition Ducati 1299 Panigale S Anniversario – “anniversary” in Italian – to celebrate Ducati’s 90th anniversary.

To be built in a production run of just 500 examples worldwide, the Ducati 1299 Panigale S Anniversario uses the Superquadro V-twin displacing 1,285 cc and produces a claimed 205 hp. A host of advanced electronics, including the Ducati Traction Control (DTC) EVO and Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC) EVO, make the 1299 Panigale S Anniversario Ducati’s most high-tech road-going superbike to date.

These rider aids are coupled with Bosch cornering ABS, the Ducati Quick Shifter (DQS) Engine Brake Control (EBC) – all of which we tested on the Ducati 959 Panigale previously – and the Ohlins Smart EC semi-active suspension. A Bosch Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) ties everything together to give smoother engine response.

The Ducati 1299 Panigale S Anniversario comes with a red, white, black colour scheme that closely resembles its WSBK bikes from a few seasons back. Gold-painted forged alloy Marchesini wheels accentuate the look of the Anniversario edition, and carry-on the tradition of limited-edition Ducatis over the decades having gold wheels.

Naturally, carbon-fibre is found everywhere on the machine, including the heel-guards, rear-hugger and the Akrapovic exhaust all combine to reduce the Anniversario edition’s weight by 2.5 kg under the standard Panigale S, which weighs 166.5 kg dry. The bike also cames with a race kit that includes a titanium Akrapovic racing exhaust and blockoff plates for the mirrors and rear numberplate holder.

Each Ducati 1299 Panigale S Anniversario comes with its edition number etched on the upper triple clamp. The price for the Anniversario is said to be 23,995 pounds sterling (RM127,488) when it arrives in dealers in mid-July, depending on country.

The second revelation during WDW 2016 was the unveiling of the 2017 Ducati Supersport. Held in a closed room, with the audience limited to invited guests, few details were forthcoming about the 2017 Supersport, save that it “enters a new market segment which is currently missing in the Ducati range.”

What is known is that the 2017 Ducati Supersport will carry a 937 cc four-valve engine, and it is designed to be an easy riding bike that is accessible to newbies. A leaked picture has been circulating on the internet, with its veracity unknown, but from the looks, it seems that this full-fairing bike with slightly raised bars is looking to bring some competition to bikes like the Yamaha Fazer series and Kawasaki 1000 SX.

This ninth edition of WDW saw Ducatisti coming from all five continents, with 157 Ducati Owner’s Clubs from 35 countries being represented. Four riders – Yan Chuang, Yang Tao, Zhao Yuewei and Li Yubin – travelled 14,000 km from China on their Ducati Multistrada 1200s to attend the event at the “Marco Simoncelli” Misano World Circuit.

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