You like the Ducati 1199 Panigale, but putting over 1000cc between your legs just doesn’t fill you with much confidence. Don’t worry, we won’t tell your buddies. We’re guessing you can still front like a badass speed freak with something a little more accessible and the Ducati 899 Panigale looks fit for the deed.
Billed as a “Supermid” version of the flagship 1199, the vehicle pairs the thrill of a serious superbike with the more refined performance of an everyday street ride. That way, you can still impress the ladies with your wild biker persona, without having to grow Evel Knievel levels of appetite for danger.
The Ducati 899 Panigale runs on a Superquadro two-cylinder engine with a revised bore and stroke (100mm x 57.2mm), which puts out 148 horsepower and 73 pound-feet of torque. Similar to the 1199, the engine is laid out as a fully-stressed member of the bike’s aluminum monocoque frame, giving the ride its outstanding power-to-weight ratio of 2.9 pounds per horsepower. It features a good load of electronic aides, such as such as triple-stage anti-lock brakes, electronic throttle control, Ride-by-Wire, Ducati Quick Shift (DQS), Ducati Traction Control (DTC) and Engine Brake Control (EBC).
Since it’s meant for accessibility, the bike gets more accommodating usability features, like shorter final drive gearing, increased seat cushioning, and a more conventional dual-sided swingarm. Other details include twin headlamps with LED positioning lights, Brembo brakes, adjustable big piston forks, adjustable Sachs rear shocks, ten-spoke wheels (17 x 3.5 inches front, 17 x 5.5 inches rear), Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa tires, and a new compact instrumentation panel with a black and white LCD screen.
No word on yet on exact availability dates or pricing.