On 44 teeth.com: Base 1299 vs R1

"They don’t come much meaner (or redder) than this pairing. Our pick of 2015 – Ducati’s 1299 Panigale and the all-new Yamaha R1 – have been engrossed in a 44T style head-to-head skirmish over the past few weeks and the results stunned us. I never thought I’d say this, ever, but Ducati has built a better sportsbike for the road than Yamaha. On an everyday vibe, the 1299 marmalises the R1: everything from throttle response, power delivery, electronics relevance and stability are all superior on the roads."

"Ducati’s throttle blipper is an ingenuously joyous addition, making light work of road duties. It’s not as easy/soft on the toe as, say, the BMW system but it’s also more clinical. At least it’s got one. The 1299’s corner entry is also superior when it comes to braking, with powerful Brembo goodies as opposed to the R1’s Tokico set-up, which faded even on the road."

"Meanwhile, over in the 1299’s corner, there are no such complaints. Stretching the imaginary cable at the launch at Portimao, the engine upgrades were palpable but not as transparent as the recent road-based sorties. Despite bragging two gargantuan, abnormally oversized pistons throbbing beneath your gusset, you can exploit the lower echelons of revs without chain clatter or a stuttering delivery. How can a 1299 Panigale feel lethargic? It does after jumping off the R1, but only because of the luscious spread of power available which distorts speed sensation – it’s almost a return to archetypal v-twin etiquette. Whereas the Yamaha’s rush of blood occurs within a small parameter of revs, the 1299 has an abundance of useable grunt on tap and any point in the range invites throttle abuse, subsequently ensuring the Ducati is much easier to ride in a wider range of environments. It fuels beautifully and there are no ride-by-wire foibles or nasty surprises."

"Whereas the R1 inspires hooliganism, the 1299 inspires confidence. Its slender physique is more greyhound than the R1’s bulldog stance, although the wheels feel more firmly planted. There’s no doubt it steers quicker and more precise than the 1199 (and more conventionally), and the monocoque chassis doesn’t throw up any idiosyncrasies – "