Reviews

Gone Riding: Ducati Panigale V4 S

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The Asphalt & Rubber traveling circus doesn’t stop, and after spending less than 12hrs at home after the Honda Gold Wing launch, I’m back at it…this time in Valencia, Spain for the Ducati Panigale V4 international press launch.

Arguably the most anticipated motorcycle to debut for the 2018 model year, the Panigale V4 is a huge step for Ducati, mostly because of the Italian company’s radical departure from its iconic v-twin power plant configuration, in favor of the 90° V4 engine configuration.

Now with four-cylinders of fury, this 1,103cc, 214hp, V4 machine is set to tackle the superbike market, but will it live up to the hype? Well, that’s what we’re going to find out.

To do so, Ducati has us riding at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo, which is just outside of Valencia and home to the final round of the MotoGP Championship. A fun and flowing track with a little bit of everything, Valencia should be a good spot to see how the Panigale V4 truly handles.

We will have five track sessions, four of which will be on the Ducati Panigale V4 S, and of which will be on the 226hp Ducati Panigale V4 Speciale.

With a bevy of electronic upgrades and plenty of features, we will need all the time that we can get to in order to play around with Ducati’s flagship model, and see how it goes.

Per our new review format, we will be giving you a live assessment of the new Ducati Panigale V4 S right here in this article (down in the comments section), and there we will try to answer any questions you might have.

So, here is your chance to learn what it’s like to ride the Ducati Panigale V4, before even my own proper reviews are posted. As always, if I don’t know an answer, I will try to get a response from the Ducati personnel. So, pepper away.

You can follow our thoughts on the bike live via FacebookTwitter, and Instagram, and you can see what our colleagues are posting on social media by looking for the hashtag #PanigaleV4.

Spec-Sheet Comparison of Relevant Models to the Ducati Panigale V4 S:

  Ducati Panigale V4 S Aprilia RSV4 RF MV Agusta F4 RR BMW S1000RR
Horsepower 214 hp 201 hp 201hp 199hp
Torque 91.5 lbs•ft 84.8 lbs•ft 82 lbs•ft 83 lbs•ft
Weight 386 lbs (dry) 397 lbs (dry) 423 lbs (dry) 403 lbs (dry)
Engine V4 / 90° / 1,103cc V4 / 65° / 999cc Inline-four, 998cc Inline-four, 999cc
Price $27,495 $22,999 $26,798  $19,145

Photos: Ducati

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