Ducati 1198 Panigale R Superleggera: As good as it sounds!

Ducati is the Ferrari of motorbikes. They make the most beautiful, yet feisty machines. They may not have the raw power of the Japs and the roar of their inline fours, but they do have unparalleled beauty and that sweet L twin. If the Hayabusa is Hulk, the 1198 is Black Widow.

Ducati 1198 is the flagship superbike of the Italian company, which now is under Audi’s management. It is already a super quick bike in stock form, but comes in an S and R variant as well for the connoisseurs of speed. Add the Superleggera to the name tag, and you get an even more insane package. Remember the Lamborghini Murcielago and then the Murcielago Superleggera? Yeah, Superleggera is Italian for “bat shit crazy”.

The good news for people who can’t afford this bike is that it will be only sold to existing Ducati owners, that too through invitation only. As expected, it is going to cost twice that of the highest spec 1198, the R version. Magnesium frame, magnesium wheels, titanium exhaust and a carbon sub-frame help this bike weigh around 166kgs only, with the 1.2L L twin engine belting out more than 200hp, giving it a power to weight ratio that can put most supercars to shame.

Image source: MotorBeam.com