Here I was , every morning for ten days straight , wheeling the Panigale out of my garage and heading for Mother Putty ’ s cruel and twisty brilliance . On days when I felt unfulfilled upon my return home , I ’ d wheel it out again in the afternoon and head back . I ’ m sure serial killers feel like this when they ’ re packing their kit-bags for a night out . “ You ’ re not right in the head ,” my wife said to me on Day Five . “ That is hardly news to either of us ,” I replied , pulling on my helmet as the Panigale warmed its greasy war-blood up – and you do have to warm it up – and prepared itself for battle . “ It ’ s that special , huh ?”
“ Yeah ,” I nodded . “ It ’ s that special .” And it really is . And you ’ d expect it to be . And you would not be disappointed .
JUST PAY THE MONEY This is a $ 44,045 motorcycle . And it is worth every cent of the asking price . There is a $ 34,155 version ( the Not S Panigale ). For the extra money , the S comes with the brilliant Öhlins Smart EC 2.0 system that controls the suspension and steering damper – and that newly-calibrated suspension is Öhlins NIX-30 forks and an Öhlins TTX36 rear shock . Oh , and forged Marchesini wheels , a Lithium-ion battery , and sports grips . Once you ’ ve set your feet upon the path
52 KIWI RIDER