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959 Price vs other 1000's

14508 Views 18 Replies 12 Participants Last post by  Kevin.H
the 959 is a 1000cc bike, lets be serious here. So how does it compare cost and kit wise with ther 1000's?

For one, the Fireblade.

959 Panigale
Price: £13,295 (£13,025 in red)
Engine: 955cc L-twin
Bore and stroke: 100 x 60.8mm
Power: [email protected],500rpm
Torque: [email protected]
Kerb weight: 200kg (176kg dry)
Electronics: Traction, wheelie and launch control, quickshifter, riding modes, ABS

Honda Fireblade ABS
Price: £12,799
Engine: 999.8cc
Bore and stroke: 76 x 55.1mm
Power: [email protected],250rpm
Torque: [email protected],000rpm
Kerb weight: 200kg
Electronics: ABS

So for a marginal increase over the fireblade you can have a Ducati?

Honda YOU IN SO MUCH TROUBLEEEEEEEE
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Less thank 1k difference and you get a Ducati with a few more electronic goodies. Why Fireblade when you can Panigale?
Less thank 1k difference and you get a Ducati with a few more electronic goodies. Why Fireblade when you can Panigale?
Panigale maintenance intervals may scare people away. they're frequent and their expensive...
Worth the cost and it's no more frequent than servicing your car once a year.
Worth the cost and it's no more frequent than servicing your car once a year.
Depends how much you ride, there are guys who have valve adjustments come up twice a season they ride so often.
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Coming from relying on a car a lot of times and going to a bike for commutes can go to justify the valve adjustment costs since everyday you're saving a good amount from not having to drive, which depending on what you own... can be pricey.
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the 959 is a 1000cc bike, lets be serious here. So how does it compare cost and kit wise with ther 1000's?

For one, the Fireblade.

959 Panigale
Price: £13,295 (£13,025 in red)
Engine: 955cc L-twin
Bore and stroke: 100 x 60.8mm
Power: [email protected],500rpm
Torque: [email protected]
Kerb weight: 200kg (176kg dry)
Electronics: Traction, wheelie and launch control, quickshifter, riding modes, ABS

Honda Fireblade ABS
Price: £12,799
Engine: 999.8cc
Bore and stroke: 76 x 55.1mm
Power: [email protected],250rpm
Torque: [email protected],000rpm
Kerb weight: 200kg
Electronics: ABS

So for a marginal increase over the fireblade you can have a Ducati?

Honda YOU IN SO MUCH TROUBLEEEEEEEE
Isn't the CBR in another category, together with the 1299 Pani, ZX-10R, R1, MV's F4, etc.? Plus, the CBR hasn't received big updates since... was it 2013?

Now the 600cc category limitnis a bit diluted, Ducati trying to reinvent itself and be at the foremost of the industry... That's what I think :)
Isn't the CBR in another category, together with the 1299 Pani, ZX-10R, R1, MV's F4, etc.? Plus, the CBR hasn't received big updates since... was it 2013?

Now the 600cc category limitnis a bit diluted, Ducati trying to reinvent itself and be at the foremost of the industry... That's what I think :)
Technically yes, but in reality, no. The 959 is no longer a middle weight, its a full blown liter bike...
Everyone says the 959 may be closer to the cc of a your "typical" liter bike but it does not have the power delivery of a "liter bike". Its has been stated but the testers/reviewers that it is closer to a gsxr750 more than anything. They also say it still very much feel like a 899 but just a bit better. If thats true, then only the "cc" is close to a liter bike, the 959 is not a "liter bike". Its a pretty confusing concept to grasp but i think when ppl label something "liter bike" they are saying how strong and relentless the power delivery is and these new generations of "supermids" don't pull like the traditional "liter bikes" but are very close to the engine size. So basically engine cc does not equal to power delivery.

I think the whole sportbike scene need to define "liter bike" more clearly in the coming years - or they will just treat the 959 as an exception to the rule of "liter bikes".

Its only 14hp difference than the fireblade so i can't see why all the reviewers are saying its not a full blown liter bike.
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Everyone says the 959 may be closer to the cc of a your "typical" liter bike but it does not have the power delivery of a "liter bike". Its has been stated but the testers/reviewers that it is closer to a gsxr750 more than anything. They also say it still very much feel like a 899 but just a bit better. If thats true, then only the "cc" is close to a liter bike, the 959 is not a "liter bike". Its a pretty confusing concept to grasp but i think when ppl label something "liter bike" they are saying how strong and relentless the power delivery is and these new generations of "supermids" don't pull like the traditional "liter bikes" but are very close to the engine size. So basically engine cc does not equal to power delivery.

I think the whole sportbike scene need to define "liter bike" more clearly in the coming years - or they will just treat the 959 as an exception to the rule of "liter bikes".

Its only 14hp difference than the fireblade so i can't see why all the reviewers are saying its not a full blown liter bike.
Yea but that could also be the difference in how the motors make power.

Even the 1299 feels a big strange when you compare it to the rev to the moon inline 4's.

V-Twins are just stump busters, they've never been the surging screamers like the others have...
Speaking with the service manager in Brisbane Australia it doesn't seem that bad.

1000k service $280

1 year/ 15,000 km $380

2 year / 30,000 km $750

Just serviced my 14 Audi S3 15,000 km service and was $760. Ducati seems pretty reasonable in comparison
Plus, the CBR hasn't received big updates since... was it 2013?
Try 2008...


I've owned a Fireblade and as far as street i4 liter bikes go of that era, it was among the best with regard to reliability, performance, and $.

Today it is in serious need of a ground up makeover.

I wouldn't compare it to a 959 , 1199, or 1299...

Like comparing a Kia Sorrento with a Land Rover. Sure, both are "full size SUVs but that's the only similarity.


That said, if one must compare a blade to a Pani, the 959 is going to be its nearest competitor, by a lot.
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Technically yes, but in reality, no. The 959 is no longer a middle weight, its a full blown liter bike...
I don't see it that way. The 959 has only 157hp. The liter bike competitors are all pushing 200HP. The 959 is a super mid if there is such a thing. You go head out with your R1 friends and let me know how your full blown liter bike performs.


Ducati has a liter bike performer. It's the 1299.
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Agree wholeheartedly, but he picked the weakest most dated liter bike to compare it to lol
Out of interest I did a little test on the way to work on my 959 a couple of days ago. When I had my CBR1000RR I wanted to see what speed I could get up to on stretch of uphill road where it is safe and unpopulated. The best I did on the CBR was 170kph/105 mph. The 959 (still being run in so not going too silly) was 175kph/108mph. So going to redline after its run in would be much quicker. I think the quickshifter makes a difference. The speeds would be higher but there is a sharp corner at the end of the road in question.
Out of interest I did a little test on the way to work on my 959 a couple of days ago. When I had my CBR1000RR I wanted to see what speed I could get up to on stretch of uphill road where it is safe and unpopulated. The best I did on the CBR was 170kph/105 mph. The 959 (still being run in so not going too silly) was 175kph/108mph. So going to redline after its run in would be much quicker. I think the quickshifter makes a difference. The speeds would be higher but there is a sharp corner at the end of the road in question.
Good info. How did the cbr compare for weight (both of the bike wet and tires)?
I would think differences in gearing would play a significant role in a test like that. Honda doesn't have a middleweight bike and Duc doesn't view the 959 as a liter bike.

Also, what generation was your blade?
My Honda was a 2014 model. Weight I am not sure the difference but the Honda felt heavier. Pushing the bikes inside over a very small step the Panigale is easier. Also it is narrower so easier to manoeuvre.
Wheelbase and rake most directly effect maneuverability in that sense, no?
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