Panigale Superbike (specifically 2014) but generically – Superbike 1199 Panigale all years.
Heel it over then pour in the power, and at first you’ll be taken aback at just how much grip the new chassis has as the bike charges out on to the next straight with ferocious muscle. When eventually you get brave enough for the traction control to intervene, it does so with subtlety and panache, keeping the bike steady even as the rear tyre scrubs a black line into the road.
All the time you’re doing this the bellow of the engine is sending shivers down your spine, a dimension only Aprilia’s RSV4 can come close to with its bubbling growl.
So, as a superbike the Panigale 1199 is supreme, and I’m sure will be faster around a track than an S1000RR and as good on the road as a Fireblade thanks to the ease with which you can adapt its character electronically. And as an object of desire nothing even comes close.
Ducati’s staff can relax – and give themselves a well-deserved pat on the back.