The Ducati Panigale V4 has not been on the market for all that long, but somehow managed, like most motorcycles made by the Italian house, to immediately ignite the imagination of riders. Introduced in 2018, the motorcycle has been constantly improved each year, but Ducati promises what we’re going to get on the 2022 version is the “most significant evolutionary step since its presentation.”
What that means is that this time the Italians have tweaked every aspect of the two-wheeler, from aerodynamics to chassis and from engine to ergonomics. All the changes, we're warned, will make for a faster, yet more intuitive machine.
And the faster bit is not just marketing talk. Ducati says it pitted a 2021 version of the V4 S against the new one on the Vallelunga track with two testers riding each, trying to improve on their own times. And guess what, the fresher version emerged victorious by 0.9 and 1.2 seconds, respectively.
Now, you might be inclined to believe the reduction in lap times comes as a result of an increase in power for the 1,103 cm Desmosedici Stradale engine. Sure, we have that, but it’s rather tiny in the overall scheme of things, and not necessarily (and on its own) responsible for the faster runs.
The powerplant sitting in the frame was gifted with dedicated mapping, and the result of that is a tiny jolt of 1.5 horsepower compared to the previous version, to a total of 215.5 hp at 13,000 rpm.
The engine now comes with revised configuration settings – there are four of them, Full, High, Medium, and Low. It can also breathe through a new titanium exhaust system made with Akrapovic, and if this is fitted, an extra 12.5 hp can be squeezed out of the Desmosedici.
Although every ounce of extra push can help in this industry, the tiny troop increase might not have amounted to much if it weren’t for the other changes, like the fitting of a new gearbox, and the redesign of the fairing.
That important body part comes with thinner double-profile design wings that, according to Ducati, provide a vertical load on the bike of 37 kg at 300 kph (82 pounds at 186 mph). The fairing also allows now for more air to flow over to the engine to help with cooling.
You can have a more comprehensive and technical look at all the changes made to the motorcycle in the press release section attached below. Ducati says the 2022 Panigale V4 and V4 S will hit dealership floors in December 2021. Pricing was not announced.
Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies. Full profile
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