The Ducati 1199 Panigale wasn't just a hit with the critics, but also the legion of fans who voted it the "Most Beautiful Bike of Show" at the recently concluded EICMA 69th International Motorcycle Show in Milan, Italy.
Italian motorcycle weekly "Motociclismo" organized the voting, which attracted 13,800 show visitors among the nearly half million that attended the six-day show. The Ducati 1199 Panigale attracted 53.4% of votes, followed by the MV Agusta F3 with 17%, and the Husqvarna Nuda 900R with 3%.
The Panigale in multiple versions was unveiled by Ducati at a Milan theatre on the eve of EICMA, with World Superbike Champion Carlos Checa helping out, along with Italian actress and singer Serena Autieri. The Panigale S in stunning red was the first to show, but the Panigale S Tricolore, in the red, white, and green colors of the Italian flag, was also extremely popular. The Panigale will be available early in 2012.
For the next six days, those two models were the centerpieces of the Ducati display that also featured the rest of the Ducati range, which now includes the Ducati Diavel Cromo and 848 Corse EVO SE, as well as others.
The Panigale features the same monocoque chassis used in this year's Ducati Marlboro Desmosedici, though with an aluminum headstock/airbox, rather than the carbon fiber which was used most of the season, until an aluminum version was unveiled late in the year.
The Superquaddro engine delivers 195 hp from 361.5 lbs. Ducati claims the Panigale has the highest production motorcycle power-to-weight and torque-to-weight ratios in the world.
