Ducati's obsession with weight, power and exclusivity has just hit new heights with the release of the stunning 2017 Superleggera
Ducati’s past form in selling specials has given the Bolognian firm a new impetus to create the almost impossible, knowing that the wellheeled Ducatisti will fall over themselves in an attempt to own one, no matter the price. The original Superleggera (which translates, unsurprisingly, to super light) sold out in seconds, and before the cover had even been pulled from the svelte body of the new machine at a fancy shindig ahead of the Eicma show in Milan, Ducati had done all that it needed to selling the 500 units to those targeted in a special email campaign. That’s £36m worth of business done in the blink of an eye–what other manufacturer can deliver results like these in the modern age? And there we were thinking that the £54,000 original ‘Leggy was well specced. For a mere £72,000 investment (we can say ‘mere’ when the Honda RC213V-S costs £138,000nearly double the price of the Ducati) the 2017 version offersamachine dripping in exquisite components, boasting the use of magnificent materials and delivering jaw dropping performance – even in Euro4 guise.
The big news is that the Superleggera is now even more Leggera. Thanks to the extensive use of carbon fibre, 10kg has been dropped from the bike, now hitting the scales at 156kg (wet, without fuel). Though the Panigale’s principles means that it doesn’t have much of a frame in the first place, Ducati has swapped the use of aluminium to that of carbon fibre for the structural elements of the front and rear subframes and the swingarm (all three units weighing 7.6kg – two kilos lighter than a Moto3 bike!). Though the firm’s MotoGP team abandoned the use of carbon frames eight years ago after some pioneering work on the GP9 Desmosedici, the advantages of the material away from the heat of competition are obvious–especially
Technical Specifications:-
ENGINE | |
Type | 1,285cc L-twin, 8v, L/C Desmo’ Superquadro |
|---|---|
Bore x Stroke | 116.0 x 60.8mm |
Compression | 13.0:1 |
Fuelling | Mitsubishi EFI, elliptical throttle bodies |
Tested Power | 215bhp @ 11,000rpm |
Tested Torque | 146.5Nm @ 9,000rpm |
ELECTRONICS | |
RBW/Riding Modes | YES |
Traction Control | YES |
ABS | YES |
Quickshifter | YES |
Wheelie Control | YES |
Launch Control | YES |
CHASSIS | |
Frame | Carbon fibre monocoque |
Front Suspension | 43mm USD Öhlins FL936, fully adj |
Rear Suspension | Öhlins TTX36 with titanium sprint |
Front Brakes | Brembo Evo M50 calipers, 330mm discs |
Rear Brakes | Two piston caliper, 245mm disc |
DIMENSIONS | |
Wheelbase | 1,456mm |
Seat Height | 830mm |
Dry Weight | 156kg |
Fuel Capacity | 17 litres |
Price @ |
