Ducati Panigale V4
In some ways the stunning Panigale V4 is all about the engine: how could that not be the case, given that it is powered by Ducati’s first mass-produced V4, an 1103cc desmo unit that ends decades of V-twin tradition and whose output of 211bhp at 13,000rpm sets new standards of high-revving power and excitement. Yet what makes this new-generation Panigale even more remarkable is that a first racetrack encounter is likely to prove most memorable not for the V4’s ferocious straight-line speed but for the extraordinary composure of its MotoGP-derived chassis. At least, that was the case on the bike’s launch at the Valencia circuit. Sure, the Panigale accelerated out of turns and thundered down straights at an exhilarating rate.
But it was though the infield’s relatively slow, second-gear turns that the Ducati shone most of all, with a blend of light yet accurate steering, mid-bend balance, feedback and controllability that made it both fast and hugely rewarding to ride. This was no coincidence; rather, a result of the fact that the V4 has been designed using expertise gained during Ducati’s many seasons in MotoGP racing with the Desmosedici. Competing at the highest level demands a bike that is controllable as well as powerful, making MotoGP an ideal proving ground for this latest in the Panigale family. That Desmosedici influence is clear from the architecture of the quad-cam, 16v engine, which shares the racebike’s 90-degree cylinder angle, 81mm bore, combustion chamber design and irregular firing order.