Ducati’s 959 Panigale is hardly shabby, so spending an additional £40,000 should make this matte yellow beauty pretty bloody special.

WORDS: FAGAN IMAGES: GARY ‘ LULU ’ CHAPMAN

SPECIAL

DUCATI 959 SPECIAL

“Ithink we’re talking north of £40k,” said the owner of this stunning matte yellow, self-proclaimed ‘959 Panigale R,’ just as I was about to spin some laps for my first session at Silverstone. It was love at first sight: I didn’t know whether to ride it or make sweet love to any one of its many orifices, and not even those atrocious California Superbike stickers walloped on the front could change that. And judging by the attention it drew at Silverstone – bearing in mind this was a Ducati UK trackday besieged with sexy Italians – the feeling throughout the Ducatisti was mutual. Ducatis shouldn’t be yellow? Yawn…

Among a feast of big-bore techno queens (including its bigger brother), the 959 Panigale is often overlooked by the willy-waving brigade in today’s lustful climate. As well as being devastatingly sexy, the baby Pornigale conjures up the perfect blend of power and handling for the Queen’s highways, bolstering superbike sales with respectable numbers and continuing the popularity trend the 899 started. But what about a bona fide track weapon?

The owner, Tim Watts, wanted a track bike and was deliberating an 899 just before the 959 broke cover. “I rang Rick Hackett at JHP Racing/Ducati Coventry and it went from there. The engine is still standard at the moment but we’ll probably look at that in the winter – Rick will no doubt try and get some more money out of me!” The engine may be standard but the chassis is anything but. Just look at it. I could for days. Every smidgen of this bike, every nut and bolt has been carefully considered, and there’s a sublime mix of function and fashion.

We love a full blown swinger!

Nobody builds sexier Ducatis than JHP Racing in Coventry. Having taken a step away from top-flight racing in recent years, Rick Hackett (John’s son) has been busy building a veritable feast of super-trick Desmos for customers across the globe, including numerous race-winning 899/959 Panigales for the Ducati Cup. And just as an FYI, Rick’s nickname is ‘Subway’ – and it’s not the 6in Italian herb variety either.