The 2016 World Ducati Week was celebrated with much fanfare as it coincided with Ducati's 90th anniversary. And what better way to celebrate its anniversary than revealing a limited anniversary edition of its flagship motorcycle, the 1299 Panigale S. The crowd at the WDW was privy to a special preview of the 1299 Panigale S Anniversario edition by none other than Casey Stoner, former MotoGP world champion along with Ducati CEO, Claudio Domenicali. Only 500 models of the 1299 Panigale S Anniversario Edition will be manufactured. It features a new colour scheme of red, white, black and golden wheels, which draws inspiration from Ducati racing motorcycles. The distinctive features on this limited edition motorcycle are the top triple clamp and the steering head inserts, both of which are machined from an aluminium alloy. The triple clamp has the production number for the motorcycle etched on it with Laser while the inserts for the steering head move the front wheel ahead by 5mm. Ducati has been able to reduce the overall weight of the motorcycle by 2.5kgs by incorporating a lightweight lithium-ion battery, carbon fibre heel guards, rear mudguard and a cover for the shock absorber as well.
(Ducati 1299 Panigale S Anniversario Edition being ridden by Casey Stoner)As is the case with all Ducati motorcycles, there are a host of electronics which make the bike safe and manageable such as the Ducati Traction Control and the Ducati Wheelie Control EVO. The 'EVO' refers to the evolution of all the electronics since they were first incorporated into its motorcycles. The other electronic nannies include the cornering ABS, Ducati Quick Shift, Engine Braking Control, Ducati Electronic Suspension and the Ohlins Smart EC as well.
The instrumentation panel is a TFT screen which not only displays information but can also be used to switch between different riding modes. The Anniversario edition Panigale S makes use of a die-cast aluminium monocoque structure, which uses the engine as a stressed member of the frame. Speaking of the engine, it's a 1,285cc, twin-cylinder Superquadro engine that belts out 205bhp. Further emphasising the sporty performance is an Akrapovic racing exhaust made out of titanium and a billet aluminium mirror block-off plates.
The 1299 Panigale S Anniversario will be available from Ducati Dealerships starting in the second half of this month, internationally of course.
