If someone who isn’t into motorcycles hears “Ducati,” they’d be totally on track if they pictured a fast and sexy bike. The passionate Bologna-based motorcycle company is the creator of the Panigale, which people who are into bikes know as one of the fastest and sexiest bikes in production. Ducati has been crafting highly sought-after vehicles since its inception. Form and function have always been at the forefront of their mission, from their early puppies (Cucciolo, Italian for puppy, was the name of Ducati’s first models of mopeds) to their Bologna bullets (the nickname of Ducati’s race bikes in the World Superbike championships in the ’90s). And now, the bon vivant, over-achieving manufacturer has outdone itself yet again with their latest creation, the Superleggera 1199.
More full-grown wolf than puppy and more missile than bullet, this 341.7-pound bike (dry weight) is built from what Ducati calls a “precious cocktail of materials such as titanium, magnesium and carbon fiber.” Based off of the original 1199, this cocktail makes the “light as a feather” Superleggera the Panigale’s younger, stronger, hotter sister. Inside the Superleggera’s monocoque frame sits the Superquadro, a 200-horsepower high-compression race engine. Combined with its titanium exhaust valves and two-ring pistons, the Superleggera sets the highest power-to-weight ratio ever seen in a production motorcycle, superseding the Panigale R. And if that wasn’t enough, Ducati offers a race kit along with the bike to enhance its already top-of-the line performance.
Keeping with the visual heritage of Ducati bikes prior, the Superleggera carries Ducati’s signature candy apple red, sleek and delicious curves. But the Superleggera isn’t just a stylish, sexy rocket, it’s an exotic one with only 500 being produced. Each bike comes numbered on the top clamp, and unlike its cousin the Desmosedici RR, the Superleggera isn’t a limited-edition paint scheme but a completely revamped and exclusive production. And if its lofty $65,000 price tag and limited run weren’t enough to make the Superleggera inaccessible to most, most have already been snatched up: Since Ducati’s announcement, many Desmosedici owners have placed their order. So if you desire to own this piece of history, you better move fast.
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