During visiting Woods in Abergele on Monday to see the Panigale, i got offered a test ride. Unfortunately, i could't take it out on that day, as time was short and had to be back to pick the kids up. So, i scheduled a test ride for today. It would be rude not to. They only had the £20k Panigale S to test ride, with active suspension, quick shifter and all the Ohlins kit. Bummer, but i sucked in air through my teeth and buckled up. It had pirelli Corsa tyres on, and Dave from Woods put it in sport mode. 192bhp. There are 3 modes: wet, sport and race. You can change modes on the fly using the indicator cancel button, but i didn't bother. 192bhp with traction control on, via sport mode will do very nicely sir, thank you. After signing a waiver to say i was 3rd party only, and agreeing i was responsible for any damage if i stoved it, i was ready to take the beauty out. First of all, i personally think it looks stunning. It's slimmer than the Blade for starters, and feels lighter (prob to do with it being a twin, and the weight low down). A very slightly higher seat height it has too, maybe a cm or 2. I didn't measure but i could tell. The bars felt more wider apart, but angled lower down, and the seat didn't have the same amount of fore and aft roominess, and is far slimmer, and harder. The dash is superb. Very easy to read, and it's colour! I like that .But, the caveat is that the cockpit is bland really, a bit of space around the dash, where the Blade is more compact. Not a bad thing, and horses for courses. After starting it up, i sat there for a minute warming the engine. It sounds beautiful. Considering it has a wet clutch apparently, it still rattles like a tractor, but it sounds stunning on tick over, And loud...very loud. I can't see this passing noise tests for track days as it's louder than my Yoshi without the baffle, and the Panigale was on its standard system. After warming it up, i took to the A55 to warm the tyres up, before peeling off for betws y coed. It's about 8 miles of A road (dual carriageway), before i hit the twisties. On the A55, it felt smooth, albeit a bit agricultural. Like a lot of twins i think, especially Ducati. It wasn't as happy doing 80 in 6th as the Blade is, and stuttered a bit compared to the electric turbine feel of the Blade. Knocking it down to 4th was much better, and as the Panigale revs to 12k, still had plenty to go. It's very deceptive, as 80 feels like 40, much like the litre sport bikes of today, but more so.The screen (standard too) is better, and made a better job of diverting wind over your head and shoulders, although the bar position makes you crouch more, so this probably had an effect too. The rear sets (again standard) are slightly higher up, and a touch further back...not a great deal different, but is noticeable. Then peeling off the A55, i took to the twisties, probably 30 miles or so of nice windy roads. Before the good roads, however, i went through a village. It's 30 mph, and was very busy with traffic. Lorries, cars and buses. This showed the Panigale is definitely nowhere near the Blade as far as slow moving traffic goes. The Blade is happy in 3rd gear at 30, even 4th. The Panigale hates it. It rattles, shakes and the fuelling is all over the gaff in 3rd, and even 2nd. I had to knock it down to 1st to get it to be smooth. (The Blade seems to have, and does have far more torque and drivability at the lower end). Even then, The Panigale bucks and stutters as it purely isn't suited to town riding..even in 1st at 20 mph. Also, it's weightier on the wrists...not uncomfortably so, but again, noticeable. I suppose you would get used it though by using the legs and torso more to keep the weight off. On the upside however, the burble and the sound echoing off the walls and buildings was making me shiver, and i was grinning my tits off. People definitely stared, probably due to the sound of it... It really is sex personified in the aural regions. After leaving the village, i am greeted by miles of twisties. I overtook all the traffic and filtered to the front of lights, and opened it up. By Christ, it don't half handle, and the qickshifter is superb...seamless and addictive. This thing handles like nothing I've ever ridden. Just point it in, and it goes, and it has so much drive. It feels slower than the blade, as it revs lower for a given speed, but look down and i'm into triple figures.Very deceptive. It's smooth, linear and tractable. The weight difference of the bike is clearly noticeable in the way it darts from one apex to another, and is superb. The engine is more like a triple in its delivery. Not as diesel like as say a RSV (rev wise) and not as revvy as a four... i guess it's like a bigger version of the Triumph 675, engine wise...definitely not like the twins of the RSV Mille or the Suzuki twins. After pulling up after around 15 miles for a smoke, i took this video, sorry about the quality, it was from my phone: I wanted you to see the quality of the build. For £20k, i think its woeful. There are gaps everywhere in the bodywork, and is loose in some parts...and feels cheap. If i got one, i would look into changing some bits for better quality, especially the plastic infills, under the rear tail and the little side panels in front of the rear sets. Also, some of the bolts on show, holding on the rear seat and the front tank are in my eyes, untidy. A nice colour coded cap would be better to disguise them, as even though the bike had only 3k on it, they where discolouring and looked tatty. My year old Blade has 12k on it and still looks brand new. The same can be said of the standard rear sets, they look cheap. The quality of the carbon isn't great either, and is dull in finish, and had a few marks...this will not wear well. I have far better aftermarket carbon on the Blade which is better finished and lacquered again UV, and looks far better finished. Anyway, after the smoke, i took it back..again hitting the twisty bits. This thing is immense in the way it handles and goes like stink. It doesn't feel any faster than the Blade, and in some ways, especially lower down the Blade pulls harder. But, for a point A to point B bike using twisties as your chosen poison the Panigale has the edge. The Blade however, is definitely and inequitably the better all round package. It's the better tourer ( i would get pissed off with the fuelling and sputtery ness in traffic of the Panigale at low speeds for long times in the saddle) it's fuels better and is built better. I may sound i didn't like the Panigale. That's not true, i absolutely loved it and i want one. Now! But, i wouldn't have it if i had just the Panigale... i want the Blade too as it is the better bike for the normal roads. The Blade is different as much as the Panigale is, each for different uses. You will laugh your tits off riding the panigale most of the time, especially on the decent twisty roads, and high speeds. With the blade, i do it ALL of the time... that's the difference. Also, the Panigale will never stand up to the harsh weather that we in UK have. I ride all year round, and would never do that on the Duc looking at the quality of the fasteners and rear sets etc... And £20k is a lot of money for a bike. But as i said i want one... and hopefully will put an order in next year for the base model, and change a few bits.... if i sell a kidney. It's bloody fantastic!
So, after i got home i treated the Blade to an oil change to make it feel as though it's still wanted....poor thing.
Great review Si, kinda know were your coming from there as last year i had an RSV4 for 3 days while mine had its 16k biggy. And the conclusion was similar in context, a fantastic handling machine that hated low revs and spluttered and jerked at town pace, drank fuel like an alchohlic on a bottle of frosty jack, give you back and arm/wrist ache after any great length of time in the saddle. BUT get it on the track and it comes alive, this is the stomping ground for these hyper race race bikes and were you can do them justice, exploit all the electronic trickery and put all that chassis design and top drawer suspension to test. Yes i agree i would give my left nut one but it would live in the garage to be used as a track weapon. The Blade is the one i'd get on every day and enjoy every day, all day long.
To be fair though Lee, the Blade is a fantastic handling bike too... It is a cornering weapon no doubt, and is as flickable as a 600... the Panigale is just "more" in this way, as the steering is quicker, but not that much in it to be honest. As an all rounder, the blade does it all, track (although i never have ...yet), road riding slow and super quick and tour, and is great on fuel too. A fantastic package. It will take a lot to be better all round i feel. But, the Panigale has that something that eludes the blade... the sound for definite and the handling...and is loaded with trick bits. And that Brand... These are all super bikes, and far too much for the road, but are great to have. One thing though, a quick shifter is getting ordered for the Blade once i get back from Portugal and i save a few quids. They are fantastic bits of kit!
Great write up Si thanks I picked the blade over the RSV4 and still don't regret it, fantastic bike but just not the all rounder the blade is, just like the 1199
Great review, i was going to test ride my mates one today.................... but that is not going to happen as he hit an old granny coming out of a side street who did not see him and he has slung it down the road!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He was gutted but is ok but the Pani is badly damaged, ohhh what a shame.
It's odd, the things you say about the 1199 around the village mirrors my own experiences of my old Duc despite there being 16 years and over 18k between them. In the 20mph zone through my village, it would snarl, fart, chunter and bully me into shifting. Up made it worse, down made it anti social and eventually 20 mph in 1st....well, it just gets on your tits. Must be a Ducati thing. Quite often I'd knock it into neutral and see how far I could coast. It made me grin though, scaring the old folk on this bright red, angry noisy, rattley monster. I know just how you feel about the comparison with the 'Blade though. In truth it's doing the same speeds in the same places, cornering as sharp and pulling as hard, but it feels and projects that it's doing...more. Sharper turning, torquier exits, higher speeds, but it's just...not. It's like in Spinal Tap. "Why not just make 10 louder?" "'cos this one goes to 11".
It was a bit disappointing to be honest... for 20k i would expect perfection. Maybe i ask too much??? One thing i will add though, if it is 192 true at the crank, how do they do it with a twin?? Fantastic really.
As said at 20k i would want the bike perfect without all of those big gaps..... noticed there a 5 of them for sale on ebay ....maybe the new owners thought the same ...very good write and it explains why the blade is still the best selling 1000 cc and that Honda knows what it is doing
Thanks for the write up Si it was most interesting ,First of all did you like the Woods of Abergele store and staff ?i did when i bought a 675 about 3 years ago staff where very helpful and a good clean shop. I suppose the conclusion is right as this is a 20k machine against the blade which you may get for 11k. As reported yesterday i was talking to a couple who had Dukes and the want factor will always kick in hence your trip twice to Woods, it makes you think that the blade o/a package is too cheap for what you get, Like the GSXR 1000 the blade is due a fairing update to keep it crisp The GSXR is a great machine but who would buy a new one when it looks like the 2001 model so come on Honda' New make over 'and more power (but no electronics) to keep us all away from straying to the red side.
The staff where great... Very friendly. In fact, the best I've been to, no pressure at all. Also, considering the 1199 is the newest superbike, the blade is better. More mid, better lower down by a fair bit, and feels more torquey, not to mention long days in the saddle. And the build quality is far superior.Yes, the trickbits like the quick shifter are ace, active ohlins etc, as are the brakes, but I'm going to fit the hm plus quick shifter for definite, and maybe a brembo mc. It's going to take a hell of a bike to better the 2008-2012 blade, and I think the one that will do it, may wear a Honda badge. I also think the blade is still one ofthe best looking litre bike, second to the Panigale... I bought it over the other litre bikes in 2011 on looks alone...
That video made me laugh when you pulled the plastic cover off. Great write up and you have convinced me. if its for them sunny days when your just going out for a blast it has to be an rs250. Then i will save 17k and probably have more fun
I was sweating a bit fez, as I thought the lugs had snapped...I didnt try hard, and it just pinged off lol.
Great write ups fellas! I marvel at your talent to see the wood through the trees. I personally don't have that talent to notice the smallest things. It either is or isnt... Fair play, enjoy Si, my bet is you buy one this year.
