It is a stunning bike, just not my cup of tea. The exhaust note is beautiful, really deep and throaty even at tickover - I couldn’t hear my engine at all when we started up and had to check the tacho to see if the engine was running. It is too single purpose for my liking - my mate reckons that mine (Moto Guzzi V85) is more a pair grand-dad’s slippers.
Jealous? Moi? Yes, a little. We were parked up and a couple of Ducatis rolled by us and both riders gave the Panigale second long looks - it was either that or they were looking at the V85.
One surprising thing was the lack of range that the bike had - we weren’t running at a blistering pace ad the bike till struggled to do 100 miles / 160 km. I knew it has a small tank but I didn’t realise it was that small.
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You will have to do without pocket handkerchiefs, and a great many other things, before we reach our journey's end, Bilbo Baggins. You were born to the rolling hills and little rivers of the Shire, but home is now behind you. The world is ahead.
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