Ducati Panigale V4

The new Ducati Panigale V4 enters the Indian market with a bang. Moving from an L-twin to V4 powertrain, the Panigale V4 is more powerful, plusher, faster and even more desirable. The sports bike features dual headlamps up front, single-sided swingarm and raised tail section. There is a new five-inch colour TFT screen with two layouts for road and track. The aerodynamic character and lightness of the bike are being considered for the road edition and of course, the learnings have been drawn out from the MotoGP. Under the skin, the new Panigale V4 features a completely new 1,103cc V4 powertrain which makes out a blistering 214hp of max power. There are different riding modes, power modes and a whole new electronic package to take care of the proceedings when the throttle is twisted down. In addition to rider and power modes, the package includes multi-level traction control, electronic engine braking, Bosch cornering ABS, wheelie and slide control. In the Indian market, the Ducati Panigale V4 goes up against the Aprilia RSV4 RR, Suzuki GSX-R1000, Honda CBR1000RR, Yamaha YZF-R1 and BMW S1000RR. The sports bike from Ducati can be purchased by shelling out INR 20.53 Lakh (Ex-showroom, Delhi) from your kitty for the standard variant and INR 25.29 Lakh (Ex-showroom, Delhi) for the Panigale V4 S.

The looks are quite similar to what we have seen in the past, but Ducati has redefined it to shape its character into an elegant yet a muscular machine. It weighs lesser than the race track version which accounts for easy manoeuvring and instant performance- thanks to the Front Frame which has replaced the aluminium perimeter frame. The new frame gives it a tight fairing look and makes it a lot more compact road machine. Upfront, it features an edgy and slimmer dual headlamp setup and larger air ducts for enhanced aerodynamics. The concept of Double Layer fairing has been included where the inner fairing extracts the heat from the radiator while the outer one gives it a cleaner appearance. There is a new five-inch colour TFT screen with two layouts for road and track that displays a host of information in an organized manner. The Ducati’s trademark Diamond tank gives the rider the much-needed assistance when leaning into the extreme corners and in the straights. It also offers lateral grip to the rider’s knees when braking into the corners. The tail section of the bike is a bit raised one. It floats in the air depicting its ‘ready-to-race’ character. The tail light comes with full LED. On the features front, the standard V4 comes with full LED-headlight with DRLs, Ducati Power Launch (DPL), Sachs steering damper, Ducati Quick Shift (DQS) up/down EVO, quick control selection, automatic switch-off turn signals. The Panigale V4 S gets components like aluminium forged rims and lithium-ion battery. The wheelbase of the bike is 1469mm and the seat height is 830mm.

The Ducati Panigale V4 comes with a new twin-cylinder 1103cc engine that makes out 214hp at 13,000rpm and 124Nm of peak torque at 10,000rpm. By adding a racing kit comprising an Akrapovic exhaust and an engine remap, the power output can be bumped up to 226hp- in case of the Panigale V4 Speciale. On the transmission front, it gets chain drive mechanism with hydraulically controlled slipper and wet multi-plate clutch. The V4 layout at 90° has been developed that is the same solution used in the MotoGP Desmosedici engines. The counter-rotating crankshaft is included, which is also borrowed from the MotoGP. It helps to generate more torque and reduce wheelie phenomenon. 

Built on the aluminium Front Frame, the Ducati Panigale V4 is equipped with 43mm fully adjustable Showa Big Piston Fork (BPF) at the front and fully adjustable Sachs mono shock absorbers at the rear. The front gets the Sachs steering damper too. The new Panigale V4 S and Panigale V4 Speciale are equipped with a Öhlins NIX-30 fork, Öhlins TTX36 rear shock absorber and Öhlins steering damper with the event-based control system. The braking duties are taken care of by the brand new Brembo Stylema monobloc callipers. At the front, there is a double 330mm disc with 4-piston callipers while at the rear there is a 245mm single disc with 2-piston callipers that provide outstanding braking power to the bike. The braking mechanism is supported by the Bosch Cornering ABS EVO system. The front 17-inch alloy wraps the new Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP 120/70 tyre while the rear gets a wider Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP 200/60 tyre. 

A plethora of safety features has been included to offer the rider the confidence to get in those deep corners and experience the bike’s highest capability while in the straights. The safety package includes features like Bosch Cornering ABS EVO, Ducati Slide Control (DSC), Ducati Traction Control (DTC) EVO, Engine Brake Control (EBC) EVO, Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC) EVO, Auto tyre calibration and various riding and power modes to keep proceedings in check.