Ducati unveiled its 1299 Panigale R Final Edition over the weekend at Laguna Seca.
The most important specs first: the Final Edition will put out 209 hp and 104 ft-lb of torque, and has a 179 kg dry weight. Production of the Final Edition will run as long as buyers want them, to offer an alternative to the new V4 platform that’s about to debut (read some details on that new bike at Asphalt & Rubber).
How long will that interest in the L-twin remain? It’s hard to say, but since this latest version of the Panigale R is Euro4-compliant, Ducati should be able to keep it in the lineup for a few more years, anyway.
The fact that the Final Edition is Euro4-compliant is a hint that the bike doesn’t use the exact same engine as other versions of the Panigale. It’s close, but add in a few tweaks like steel cylinder liners, die cast cases, lighter crank, revised cam, titanium connecting rods and valvetrain and other updates, and the engine is still updated slightly. There’s also a model-specific titanium Akrapovic exhaust. As with all modern superbikes, the Final Edition features a ride-by-wire throttle, which in turn allows for a quickshifter that provides both clutchless upshifting and downshifting capability.
The Final Edition has Ohlins mechanical suspension, with fully-adjustable 43 mm NIX30 forks and a TTX36 rear shock. It has a Bosch Inertial Measurement Unit, and all the electronic features that come with it: cornering ABS, wheelie control, traction control, engine brake control, and riding modes (Race Sport and Wet modes). Supposedly, Ducati used its MotoGP experience to fine-tune these settings.
You can see the Panigale R Final Edition on the Canadian Ducati page (find more details of the electronics packages and other features there, along with more photos), but the MSRP seems to be well-hidden. Expect a price tag over $50k, in any case.
