MCN Fleet: The Panigale by numbers

So far the most miles travelled in a day is 275. With its roomy seating and electronically controlled ride, the Ducati Panigale 1299 S is proving not half bad at being a normal bike. The only blot is an instantaneous 20°C temperature rise the moment you slow down or, worse, stop. Heat engulfs your legs.

The dash, so clever it would be my phone-a-friend, says the 1299 is averaging 42mpg. I disagree and say 36mpg with a low of 25mpg recorded at Ducati’s recent Donington Park trackday (next one, July 28, Silverstone). Typical to-warning-light tank range is just 108 miles.

DQS, that’s the quickshifter with downshift autoblipper, and DWC, the wheelie prefect, are turned to 0 for now because I’m worried that my 80 years of accumulated riding skill will wither and die if I let the bike control everything. I’ve raised the rear ride height by one turn of the adjuster nut to get more stability on track, and tightened the hard-working chain twice. If you have a C-spanner and a 10mm allen key there’s no easier task. I’ve topped up the engine with 200cc of oil once.

The engine warning light has come on twice – switching on then off got rid of it – and one swingarm pivot sleeve was displaced by 20mm or so, now sorted. The 1299 has failed one track noise test. The limit was 98dB: the man with meter said to use 75% revs so I used 50% and he just shook his head and let me on track anyway.

There’s one dog, a Labradoodle, that hits the ground, its four legs splayed outwards, when the 1299 clatters past it each morning.  And most importantly, the onboard leanometer has to date maxed out at 61 degrees. Or did I dream that?

Overall marks out of 10 so far: 8.

For more on my Panigale click here.