First Look: 2018 Ducati 959 Panigale Corse

This one should go some way in comforting the bereaved mourning the passing of the Panigale 1299. Though this L-Twin is but a measly 955cc, the 2018 Ducati 959 Panigale Corse comes in rated at 150 hp at 10,500 rpm and 75 pound-feet of torque at 9,000 rpm. Which is really quite a bit more than enough for most people, in a package Ducati says weighs 435 pounds (with a 90% fuel load).

This special Corse model also gets suspension by Öhlins, street-legal Ducati Performance Akrapovič silencers in titanium, a lithium-ion battery, and a MotoGP-inspired paint scheme. Ducati says the 959 Panigale Corse is ready to race. (I thought that’s what KTM says?) The valve clearances need to be checked only every 24,000 km (15,000 miles).

The die-cast aluminum monocoque “frame” uses the Superquadro engine as a structural element, attaching itself directly to the cylinder heads, and containing the steering head bearings. The monocoque also acts as an air-box, with air filter, throttle bodies and the whole fuel system sealed off by the bottom of the aluminum fuel tank.

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https://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/ducati/first-look-2018-ducati-959-panigale-corse.html