Potential new owner - coming from a Panigale

[kwack]

Hi,

To cut a very long story short I am close to setting fire to my Panigale, the list of warranty work, breakdowns etc etc has just about done me in.

So I am on the lookout for something exciting, fast, has electronic gubbins and think this bike just might do it for me.

I have been riding for 18 years and have had following bikes

1) Kawasaki ZX6r
2) Fireblade 929rry
3) GSXR1000 k4
4) ZX10R - 05 model - top bike
5) KTM RC8r
6) Ducati Panigale

Now dont get me wrong the Panigale is a great bike when it works but my list of garage visits, complaining to Ducati etc is just not worth the hassle

I do around 6k miles per year so need a bike that is reliable, will start each time and wont crap its guts at 4k and need a new engine. A motorbike for me is a tool and is to be ridden not polished, polished and talking incessantly about CNC parts and creaming themselves over a latte about some new footpeg from Italy

Interested to hear from owners on reliability and what ownership is like

Also is there any guide on model changes etc

Cheers
Kwack

 

[alex]

I think the S1000RR has its share of issues too but they seem to be limited to switchgear that packs up and sumps that corrode...and that's it. So overall no worse than any other big bike and a whole heap better than a lot.

I personally believe that the 2012+ model (mid-life minor facelift and other tweaks) is the one to get of the standard bike, but if I could have afforded a Panigale I'd have been going for an HP4, but in your case not the Carbon version, if you're going to stick a lot of miles on it.

Comfort is probably high on your list of requirements and since the last 2 bikes have been VTwins you might struggle with the current fireblade as it's so wide round the tank, but the S1000RR design is nicely narrowed like a 600.

 

[cally1066]

9000 miles on my bike and no problem with switches or sump

 

[kwack]

Cool - was probably looking at 2012 onwards anyway - some of the red and white ones look pretty cool. At that end of the market your options do start to limit a bit. I dont really want to go back to Japanese as I have done that and they all feel the same once the blindfold is on, hence the reason moving to a v twin

I looked at a RSV4 but I reckon that is just gonna be a donkey as well in terms of reliability.

And the Europeans seem to have the edge other than the ZX10r. Gonna go and visit my nearest dealer which I think is Hertford and get a demo ride. I see new ones have some incentive worth ?1500 at moment so I might even stretch to that

 

[neilma]

Yup, when I bought mine a couple of weeks ago they were offering a Spanish trackday, ?1500 of accessories, something else I cant remember or 0% finance. The guy that sold me mine said they were trying to clear all stock in preparation for the incoming 2015 model. Mine ended up being shipped down from Scotland and as it was the only one they could find in Motorsport colours and with the heated grips, the one they found also had the alarm which they gave me for free.

 

[soofsayer]

Hi,

To cut a very long story short I am close to setting fire to my Panigale, the list of warranty work, breakdowns etc etc has just about done me in.

So I am on the lookout for something exciting, fast, has electronic gubbins and think this bike just might do it for me.

I have been riding for 18 years and have had following bikes

1) Kawasaki ZX6r
2) Fireblade 929rry
3) GSXR1000 k4
4) ZX10R - 05 model - top bike
5) KTM RC8r
6) Ducati Panigale

Now dont get me wrong the Panigale is a great bike when it works but my list of garage visits, complaining to Ducati etc is just not worth the hassle

I do around 6k miles per year so need a bike that is reliable, will start each time and wont crap its guts at 4k and need a new engine. A motorbike for me is a tool and is to be ridden not polished, polished and talking incessantly about CNC parts and creaming themselves over a latte about some new footpeg from Italy

Interested to hear from owners on reliability and what ownership is like

Also is there any guide on model changes etc

Cheers
Kwack

I do smile when I see a panigale parked up. In my mind it's either broken down, or the owner is admiring it from afar wondering if it will get him back home without the RAC.

I have owned an HP4 from new since July 2013 and covered 4300 miles, 3 track days, and it has been very reliable. Had a small issue with the alarm on day 1 which was quickly sorted. I have another BMW bike which I have owned for 5 and a half years from new also and my overall satisfaction with the brand and dealer experience is very high. Anecdotal information from 'tinterweb suggests that some dealers are better than others when it comes to customer service....

The 2015 s1000rr is all but revealed and it will be an improvement on the outgoing model. Nothing wrong with the existing model, but if you have the budget from the duc I'd be waiting for the 2015 bike with ddc option. Winter is not far off now.

 

[DangerousB]

I bought my 2013 RR in April, I've done 10500 miles and not had a problem yet- New tyres, front pads and a 1/4 litre of oil. I can't knock the reliability or usability. Fast road ride-outs & touring, haven't had this one on track yet.

 

[kwack]

Thats reassuring to hear user views. I am going to demo one over weekend and see what trade in I will get on mine. My Heart says keep but my head says ding

There seems to be some good deals on 2014 models but dealer reckoned they are hard to come by as stock is short.

Is the 2015 model really worth the wait?

 

[Gray5208]

My dealer said stock was short, he had one red un coming in in 6 weeks, but they had a HP4 in the showroom , so hey ho ...had to be done

 

[fatbob]

Ddc is worth the wait
Managed 18 k and no real mechanical stuff went wrong

 

[Maplesyrup]

I ride mine on average 4 days out of 5, ride about 6000 miles a year, leave it outside work in all weather and have had no problems other than a warranty replacement sump..... Happy

 

[divingdelboy]

My head is minced now... reading this thread when I'm thinking of trading in my 2010 S1k for a 1199 panigale S !! Sacrilege yes I know!!
I've covered 11000 miles in 2 years with no issues, however 'I tried a friends Panigale and absolutely loved the riding position its really comfortable. Do we know what the changes are for 2015 S1000rr ?? Think I should wait? hopefully it'll have the DDC like the HP4.

 

[Niven770]

Both bikes are great bikes and I would argue that each is as reliable as the other but they are not without their problems (I have had more issues with the BMW than the Panigale but hardly and issues at all), as are all bikes.

I have an S1k (2012) and a Panigale (R) both I ride mostly on the track but the Panigale sometimes on the road. Totally different experience on each bike but both deliver the same lap times. I cannot decide which is best for me.
The Panigale feels gutless compared to the BMW, yet it's speed along the straight is the same as the BMW as are the lap times. The Panigale feels much lighter and changes direction better and in my opinion looks 100 times better. At 6ft, the Panigale is a good fit but so is the BMW. A lap on the Panigale feels less stressed (mentally) than on the BMW, it's fairly effortless on the Panigale but always an adventure on the BMW.

One mans meat is anothers poison so it's a very personal choice, one I'm finding difficult to make. They are both great bikes.

Davy

 

[babarr46]

Having done nearly 36 thousand miles on my 2010 model reliable isn't a word I would associate with the s1000RR, but thank goodness my local dealer is a good one!

 

[Fino]

30k on 2011 machine from new.

No breakdowns apart from self-inflicted battery issue. Used everyday in all weathers.

Warranty paid for new exhaust, rear damper, 1 sump plug, 1 indicator switch.

What delights awaits for the next 6k miles?