Ducati World Premiere: Finally unveiling the Panigale V4

Ducati World Premiere Panigale V4 – After a long wait, the new Panigale V2017 was finally presented, on the occasion of the Ducati World Premiere which anticipates the start of EICMA 4, the first motorcycle from the Bolognese company (with the exception of the Desmosedici RR), equipped with a 4 cylinders.

A motorbike, the V4, born from the great heritage of research and development resulting from 13 years in MotoGP and the great work carried out in recent years by the engineer. Gigi dall'Igna (General Director of Ducati Corse).

The engine, already presented at the San Marino MotoGP Grand Prix, is based on the one installed on the bike that races in the premier class. In particular, several aspects are common to the two engines and are almost identical: such as the bore, the firing order and the counter-rotating shaft. Everything has been designed to guarantee maximum performance and reliability. Despite being a Euro 4 it develops an impressive 214 HP.

The frame is an evolution of the Panigale, it is small and elongated at the rear, it guarantees high torsional rigidity and at the same time excellent traction and acceleration in the center of corners. The short frame was designed to lighten the bike as much as possible, 174 kilos dry, only 5 kg more than the V2. The engine inside the frame has the same angle of inclination as that mounted on the Ducati Desmosedici GP15 (which was fitted with the first engine with a counter-rotating shaft, like this V4). The brake calipers are completely new, in fact they were developed specifically by Brembo for this model, as was the rear tyre, developed by Pirelli, with the same dimensions as the one used in SBK. Suspensions and rims have been further developed compared to previous versions and have been significantly lightened.

Managing so much power is not easy, which is why the Panigale V4 is equipped with interesting safety systems such as: a special cornering ABS, which allows braking without blocking only the bent front wheel, leaving the rear free to slide, the Dynamic slide or slide control, which controls the rear slide automatically, and the Traction Control EVO, which not only controls the wheelie but also controls the yaw. Furthermore, the gearbox can vary its downshifting behavior if it is on a straight line or in a bend.

At the end of the presentation, a real monster was revealed, the Panigale V4 Speciale.

The Limited edition of the super sports car was brought to the stage by Casey Stoner, two-time World Champion, Ducati ambassador and MotoGP tester, it will be produced in a limited series and represents a tribute to the company itself.

The "monster" is equipped with the same safety systems as the "standard" version, but thanks to the Akrapovic exhaust, delivered together with the bike, it can develop an impressive 226 HP at the crank. There are many details that differentiate it from the normal version, above all a weight reduction of around 10 kg, which translates into an incredible weight-to-power ratio.