Ducati 1199 Superleggera Officially Revealed

Updated: Tuesday, October 22, 2013, 18:19 [IST]

Ducati 1199 Superleggera can be termed as the god among motorcycles. Officially revealed by Ducati on October 22, the Superleggera in the name means super light and that's exactly what this bike is all about.

Based on the 2013 Ducati 1199 Panigale R, which was the sportiest version of the road going Panigale until now, the Superleggera sheds several kilos. So much so that if it were any lower the bike could virtually fly off the track.

Ducati 1199 Superleggera is made some the lightest and the strongest materials possible and for added measure the engine has been tweaked to produce even more power than the Panigale R.

The first and foremost thing you should know is that the 1199 Panigale Superleggera is a limited edition model of which only 500 will be made.

This means, unlike the Panigale R, the Superleggera will not be homologated for racing. Its only meant for private track day use.

The Panigale R, on which it is based, weights a good 189kg with its tank full, which is already considered light. With the Superleggera Ducati has managed to limit it to a dry weight of 155 kg. With the tank 90 percent full the weight goes up to 177 kg.

The Superquadro 1,198cc v-twin engine has been tweaked and rebuilt from different materials so that it now generates more than 200 HP. We can say it is at least 10 HP more than the Panigale R.

Engine components are made from titanium and other materials to promote weight reduction and reduce internal friction.The engine tuning on the Superleggera is akin to WSBK spec, with improved compression ratio.

The monocoque frame and the sub-frame have been developed from magnesium, while the entire body is crafted from carbon fiber, instead of plastic.

Several other parts such as the entire exhaust system and even bolts and fasteners are made from titanium.

For the front forks lightweight Ohlins FL916 units have been used, with aluminium fork bottoms.

The rear monoshock is Ohlins TTX36, with titanium spring.

The wheels are from Marchesini, crafted from magnesium. They carry Brembo M50 monobloc calipers.

The handlebars feature racing spec brake master cylinder and remote adjuster.

Top speed has not been mentioned, but it will definitely cross the 300 km/h mark if someone is brave enough to do so.

Then there are all the latest, most advanced version of Ducati electronics coming straight from MotoGP. Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC), Ducati Traction Control (DTC), Engine Brake Control (EBC) with automatic calibration based on the bike's tyres and transmission and Ducati Data Analysis+ (DDA+).

If all these were not enough, Ducati will also provide the Superleggera with a race kit that will add "Akrapovic racing exhaust, racing windscreen, front and rear paddock stands, machined mirror fill-caps, removal kits for the registration plate holder, and sidestand." The race kit will further drop the weight of the bike by 2.5 kg and add a further 5 HP.

The limited edition Ducati 1199 Superleggera is priced at $65,000 in the U.S. But you may not be able to purchase the bike even if you have the money because the Superleggera will be sold on a preferential basis, starting with the owners of Desmosedici RR, followed by Panigale R, and lastly Panigale S Tricolore owners.