Ducati always have something special for their World Ducati Week festival, which takes place at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli in Italy every two years, and this year’s event, which is happening this weekend, sees the occasion marked with a new version of their flagship Panigale V4 superbike.
The new machine is a fairly significant update, with the styling certainly looking fresh and a departure from the previous generation machine. Gone is the single sided swingarm, which has been a feature of the Panigale V4 range since its introduction six years ago, while the bodywork gets a revamp with the slippery new fairing said to be 4% more aerodynamic than the one found on the outgoing version. There’s also a negligible power increase, despite now meeting tighter emissions regulations, and a weight reduction. It’s a case of evolution rather than revolution, but considering the potency of the V4 that should be no surprise. Just how do you improve on one of the most technologically advanced production motorcycles ever made?
The new model weighs just 187kg, two less than the previous bike, with the new swingarm largely responsible for that. Although popular for their clean looks, single sided swingarms are heavier and have always had their drawbacks compared to a traditional double sided item, so it’s not too big a surprise to see Ducati make this modification – especially considering the MotoGP machines use a traditional twin spar swingarm.
Ducati’s new unit reduces lateral stiffness by 37%, which should improve traction and feel on corner exit, and the design features two distinctive cutouts, which both optimise stiffness and weight. The rear shock linkage is also new, with the single rod design said to be a development of the technology found on Ducati’s all conquering MotoGP racers. The whole assembly is 2.7kg lighter than the old single sided unit and combine with lightweight five spoke wheels shod with Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP V4 tyres. The front frame has also been modified and is lighter than before, with revised stiffness compared to the previous bike.
The 1103cc V4 motor is claimed to pump out a staggering 216bhp despite being reengineered to meet the more stringent Euro5+ rules. The ‘Desmosedici Stradale’ motor has higher lift camshafts than before and revised intake trumpets among its many modifications. Ducati claim 225bhp when fitted with the track only Akrapovic exhaust system, which also drops the weight by over 6.5kg.
The new fairing features the now expected MotoGP style wings but, overall, it looks less aggressive than before, thanks in no small part to the slimmer headlights. Ergonomics are also tweaked, while the 6.9” TFT dashboard is new and very fancy. It’d be easy to just write a list of all the tech features on the Panigale V4 but, in the end it would be easier to tell you what it doesn’t have – which in itself is a pretty non existent list. The Panigale V4 is absolutely rammed with the latest technology and Ducati’s left nothing back in the locker. The spec of the V4 is as you would expect, with mindblowing electronic aids and top notch components.
As before there are two versions of the Panigale V4, with the upspecced S model benefitting from semi-active Ohlins electronic suspension. There’s no news on a new R version yet though. The R, which has a higher specification but features a 998cc capacity engine to make it eligible for racing, is the base for Ducati’s WorldSBK racers. Considering the importance of the series to the manufacturer it is hard to imagine a new version won’t be on the cards ahead of the 2025 race season.
The price of the base Panigale V4 will be £24,395 when it goes on sale in September, with the S dropping at £29,995.
