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Brap Talk Podcast #53 – The Superleggera Show

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Episode 53 of the Brap Talk motorcycle podcast is out with another weekly episode, for your two-wheeled listening pleasure.

Since we are on the road right now, we thought we would dig up this old episode that for whatever reason just didn’t get out on time when we first recorded it.

It was recorded in July 2020, so you will hear some dated references in the discussion, but we think the content holds up pretty well. Don’t worry, we will be back to present time next week, with plenty to talk about.

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Reviews

Gone Riding: Ducati Superleggera V4

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With only 500 being made worldwide (and maybe 100 or so of them coming to the USA), the chances of getting to swing a leg over the Ducati Superleggera V4 are pretty slim. Riding one around Laguna Seca in anger? Even slimmer.

So naturally when Ducati North America called and asked if we wanted to do exactly that, the answer was an obvious yes.

That brings us to this moment, where on Thursday Asphalt & Rubber will get a chance to ride a $100,000 carbon-fiber-everything superbike around one of the most iconic race tracks in America. Sometimes, this job is really, really tough.

Funny enough, this is a rare case of the coronavirus actually causing some positive changes in the motorcycle industry, as normally the US would only get to send one publication to the press launch for a bike like this.

But instead, Ducati North America has the ability to host its own event, while the European magazines were forced to slum it at Mugello for a day. Hence, here we are.

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Bikes

XXX: Too Many Hi-Res Photos of the Ducati Superleggera V4

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In just over two weeks’ time, Asphalt & Rubber will be swinging a leg over the Ducati Superleggera V4, giving this $100,000 bike a run for its money at the iconic Laguna Seca race track in sunny California. It’s a hard life.

Only 500 models of this mean machine will be produced in Borgo Panigale (the production run is currently underway), making the Superleggera V4 a fairly exclusive affair – and that’s before you factor in the MotoGP and WorldSBK track experience packages, which are basically unobtainium opportunities.

At the end of the day, the Superleggera V4 is a 233hp (174 kW) fire-breather when the race exhaust is installed, and Ducati quotes a dry weight of 335.5 lbs (152.2 kg).

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Bikes

Come Watch a Ducati Superleggera V4 Get Built

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Those two-wheeled smut peddlers in Bologna are at it again, bringing you more NSFW content that will have you diving for the power switch should anyone walk by your workstation.

Releasing a video today that shows extensively the build process that goes into making a Superleggera V4 superbike, Ducati is promoting the fact that the carbon-fiber-everything machine has started production.

We also get word that Asphalt & Rubber will be swinging a leg over this bike in about a month’s time, and putting the Ducati Superleggera V4 through its paces at the Laguna Seca circuit in California.

Until that time, we can enjoy this not-so-short video that Ducati has produced.

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Bikes

After High-Speed Testing at the Nardò Ring, The Ducati Superleggera V4 Is Headed into Production

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After months of shutdown, Italy is finally letting its citizens out of their houses, to start their march back to the new normal of daily life. We can only imagine the great relief this means to millions of Italians, after they endured some of the worst effects of COVID-19 in the world.

For our own selfish two-wheeled pursuits, this news also means the return of operations for Italian motorcycle manufacturers, which have seen their factories motionless while larger issues were addressed. Of course, this too leads us to the news that life is returning to the Ducati factory in Borgo Panigale.

Accordingly, we get word (from a tweet from Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali, no less) that the Ducati Superleggera V4 is nearing the start of its production, but not before the carbon fiber superbike heads to the Nardò for some high-speed testing.

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Bikes

This Is the 230hp Carbon-Fiber-Everything Ducati Superleggera V4

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It is here. It is finally here. The Ducati Superleggera V4 is finally official and well-worth the hype.

It turns out too that the leaked information we had on this “Super light” motorcycle was true, with the Ducati Superleggera V4 tipping the scales at 159kg when dry…and 152kg when the Akrapovic exhaust is installed.

Ducati isn’t disclosing what that means for curb weights, but if the Panigale V4 R is any comparison, it should be close to 380 lbs when topped off with gas and ready to rip on the race track.

Considering that the accompanying exhaust bumps power to over 230hp (172 kW), this gives the Superleggera V4 the best power-to-weight ratio from any production street bike ever created.

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Rumors

Even More Leaked Photos & Video of the Ducati Superleggera V4

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It only took a few hours since our last post on the Ducati Superleggera V4 for more photos and a video of the machine to leak online, which is just fine by us since we’re eager to see this incredible machine from Borgo Panigale.

The new photos and video (and the screen grabs from other videos) surely are products of Ducati’s microsite for the “Project 1708” machine, and they give us a larger glimpse on what to expect Thursday morning.

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Rumors

Here Are the First Photos of the Ducati Superleggera V4

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UPDATE: The Ducati Superleggera V4 has officially debuted.

While there are still roughly 18hrs left (at the time of this writing) until the Ducati Superleggera V4 officially debuts, photos of this $100,000 superbike are already leaking onto social media.

The treasure trove of images are likely coming from would-be buyers who have already seen the bike in person and have had access to its special website, where videos and information have been trickling out.

The fact that this is occurring should surprise no one, but of course these early images already have our mouths watering for the real thing.

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Bikes

Ducati Superleggera V4 Officially Debuting This Thursday

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An email just popped into our inbox giving us a hint at when we will see the Ducati Superleggera V4 superbike. The “Project 1708” machine has been teased a little bit by the Borgo Panigale, but the real news has been the slow leak of information about this exciting new motorcycle.

Built around the 998cc Desemosedici Stradale R engine found in the Panigale V4 R, the Superleggera V4 has carbon fiber frame, swingarm, bodywork, and wheels. This has allowed the Italians to cut 40 lbs from the the already very light Ducati Panigale V4 R, with the Ducati Superleggera V4 tipping the scales at a claimed 152 kg / 335 lbs (dry).

All of this is just “leaked” information about the extra-exclusive superbike from Ducati, but the Italians will officially be showing us the “Project 1708” bike on Thursday, February 6th  – at 8am PST (5pm CET).

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Podcast

Brap Talk Podcast #29 – Shiver Me Timbers

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Episode 29 of the Brap Talk podcast is now out for your two-wheeled audio pleasure, and as always, it is packed with some interesting motorcycle discussions.

This show has a bit of racing commentary, as we discuss the 2020 Dakar Rally, which was still taking place at the time of recording, as well as the ongoing saga with Andrea Iannone’s doping problems.

We also give some discussion to the pricing for the Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP, which we now know will cost $28,500 in the United States.

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Rumors

Here is the First Photo of the Ducati Superleggera V4

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What has four-cylinders, two sets of wings, and 234hp on tap? This bike, right here. Just leaking onto the internet a few hours ago (thanks for the tip, Dana!), here is what appears to be the first photo of the Ducati Superleggera V4.

The image seems to come from a leak at a private viewing event, which we can tell you is not the way to win the affections of Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali, but with bikes arriving in May and production starting in April, a pre-production machine was surely going to end up on the internet before the Ducati Superleggera V4’s official debut.

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