Ducati's 1299 Superleggera Is The Most Powerful Twin-Cylinder Production Bike It's Ever Produced

The evolution of Ducati's superbike continues with the official release of the new 1299 Superleggera. Complete with carbon fiber frame, wheels, and fairings, Ducati claims that this is the most technologically advanced production superbike, ever. And they're right.

Unlike the Panigale R that was introduced last year for World Superbike homologation and was based off of the 1198cc Superleggera that came before it, the 1299 Superleggera uses Ducati’s more oversquare 1285cc Superquadro engine, with 116 x 60.8mm bore and stroke.

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As was the case with the move from 1199 Panigale to Superleggera/1199 Panigale R, the main focus on the 1299 Superleggera was lighter weight and better peak power. For this reason, Ducati has reshaped the piston crowns and bumped the compression ratio from 12.6:1 to 13.0:1, plus enlarged the valves (all titanium), reworked the camshafts for increased lift, and updated the cylinder head with reshaped intake and exhaust ports.

As it did with 1199 Panigale R, Ducati has also outfitted the 1299 Superleggera with a lighter, tungsten-balanced crankshaft, titanium con rods, and a lighter flywheel. Ducati has also returned to aluminum cylinder liners instead of steel, an interesting move considering the 1199's liners were aluminum, but Ducati moved over to steel on the 1299 so that it wouldn't have to update the fluid chamber around the cylinder barrel. Those steel liners were about twice the weight, so the assumption is that the 1299 Superleggera's engine has saved some weight there.

Speaking of weight, Ducati says that the engine is 4.6 lbs. lighter than the 1299 Panigale engine, and that it produces a seriously impressive 215 hp at 11,000 rpm—10 more than the standard 1299 engine.

Smaller updates that help contribute here are an updated intake system with new, Superbike-derived air filter, reshaped (more aerodynamic) throttle body opening, and intake trumpets that vary in terms of length (each Trumpet on the 1299 Panigale is the same length).

Mated to that engine is a carbon fiber monocoque frame and swingarm, which have 7075 aluminum inserts co-laminated into the structures. Each piece contributes to pretty significant overall weight savings, the frame cutting a claimed 3.7 lbs. , and the swingarm an additional 2 lbs.

Carbon fiber wheels save another 3.1 lbs. and offer less rolling resistance (26% less up front, and 44% less out back), while the updated Ohlins suspension drops another 4.1 lbs. (3 lbs. from the FL936 fork and 1.1 lbs. from the TTX36 shock with titanium spring). Claimed wet weight is just 368.2 lbs.

As with the 1199 Superleggera, the 1299 Superleggera has a carbon fiber subframe as well.

Still with us? Cool, because there are just as many electronic rider aid updates, including new traction control functions, plus Ducati Slide Control, and Ducati Wheelie Control EVO, most of which are an evolution of the systems first introduced on the 1299 Panigale S Anniversario unveiled earlier this year.

All of this works off of a 1299-culled six-axis Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), but also some updated operating algorithms that ensure faster, more precise intervention.

As is the case with the Panigale S Anniversario, DTC EVO uses lean angle from the IMU (the standard 1299 did not, instead relying primarily on wheel speed sensors to figure out what was going on). Adding on that, it now allows for more wheelspin in levels 1 and 2. When the system does step in, it can either reduce throttle body valve opening, or manipulate spark and injection, the latter two only when the slide is oh-my-God big.

The three-level DSC system acts the same, but works to limit slide angle rather than just tire spin. DWC EVO is an evolution of the wheelie control feature on the 1299 Anniversario, and the Superleggera’s Cornering ABS has been re-calibrated, too. Other electronic systems include Ducati Power Launch (launch control), EBC (engine brake control), and a quick shifter that works in both directions.

I would say that all this is more than an average consumer could ever want or need. But I would have said that about the first Panigale R or Superleggera too. And yet I’ve seen more on the road than I could count. Which leads me to believe people are going to willingly plop down the necessary funds for this Superleggera, too.

I have to imagine they’re going to be pretty happy with that decision too. Sportbikes don’t get much more advanced than this.