BMW’s S1000RR has, since it became available in 2009, remained largely unchallenged in its supremacy in the world of superbikes. But Ducati appears to have raised the bar once again, with the advent of the Panigale 1199, which was designed specifically with a view to beating its German rival.
There are a whole host of reasons why many commentators are saying the new Panigale is an improvement on the already-amazing S1000RR – too many for the scope of this blog – but here are a few of the key points…
One of the main differences is the body, which instead of the previous steel trellis frame, is a small aluminium monocoque on the front of the engine. Other key points about the most talked about bike of the year are its huge 112mm pistons – the largest of any production bike or car – and a 60.8mm stroke. But it’s perhaps the electronics that will draw most attention, arguably putting BMW’s and Honda’s attempts in the area somewhat in the shade. It is also 37.5lb lighter than the S1000RR. And with 192bhp, there’s little that doesn’t impress about this machine.
With a build quality that is as good as anything built by Ducati in the past (as would be expected from a bike costing 20 thousand pounds), anyone lucky enough to buy one should not need to make use of their motorbike breakdown cover on a regular basis. As always, however, safety is preferable to regret!
Breakdown Cover from 
