2012 Ducati 1199 Panigale

The 2011 EICMA 69th International Motorcycle Show in Milan, Italy, last week was passion-filled for Ducati.

Not only did the Italian manufacturer unveil its new superbike, the 1199 Panigale, to almost a half-million spectators throughout the six-day show, it also received much merit for the new design, especially in the aesthetics department.

With a vote of 53.4 percent, the Ducati 1199 Panigale won "Most Beautiful Bike of Show" at EICMA 2011. The 1199 was followed by the MV Agusta F3 with 17 percent of the vote, and the Husqvarna Nuda 900 R with three percent.

The 1199 received the award on the final day of the show before Pierfrancesco Caliari, General Secretary of Confindustria ANCMA/EICMA, Piero Bacchetti, President of Edisport Editoriale, and Gianandrea Fabbro, Senior Designer from the Ducati Design Center responsible for the incredible new machine.

Ducati says: "The highly coveted "Most Beautiful Bike of Show" title is just reward for Ducati's constant and innovative product development and coincides with the iconic Italian manufacturer's announcement that 2011 will close with the best financial results in the company's history.

"Designed and built in Borgo Panigale, Bologna, theaward-winning motorcycle combines the most high-tech, most powerful twin-cylinder production engine on the planet with an innovative monocoque chassis concept to deliver an astonishing 195hp from 164kg (361.5lb) of futuristic Italian thoroughbred. The highest production motorcycle power-to-weight and torque-to-weight ratios in the world are fitting trophies for the incredible results that Ducati have achieved and now set an extreme benchmark for the category."

The Ducati 1199 Panigale is loaded with electronics, including ABS system, DucatiTraction Control (DTC), Ducati Electronic Suspension (DES), Ducati Quick-Shift (DQS), Ducati's new race-derived Engine Brake Control (EBC) and Ride-by-Wire (RbW). Ducati says these electronics are all programmed into seamless, electronic rider assistance. Even the full color Thin Film Transistor (TFT) display changes to suit the rider's environment.

Ducati says: "The EICMA show event marked the official introduction of the ground breaking 1199 Panigale, 1199 Panigale S and flagship 1199 Panigale S Tricolore. The "Tricolore" model proudly wears the red, white and green of the Italian flag, underlining the title "Made in Italy" and coinciding with the celebrations of the country's 150th anniversary of unification. All three models will be available from early 2012."