Ducati Panigale V4 S 25° Anniversario 916

In 2019 a quarter of a century will have elapsed since the Ducati 916 arrived on the global stage, forever changing the Superbike world. Born from Massimo Tamburini’s sketches, this bike has revolutionized the world of motorcycle design and has made fans fall in love all over the planet. Incredibly innovative in its style, elegance, lightweight and compactness, by many it’s believed to be the sexiest and most iconic bike ever built.

The Ducati 916 wasn't just a beautiful bike and an enormous sales success. It also won World Superbike championships: the 916 SBK was a force to be reckoned with even as it made its debut in 1994, and the following years saw it win 120 races, 8 constructors' titles and 6 riders' titles, four of them with Carl Fogarty. The Englishman has won 55 races with Ducati, of wich 43 riding a Ducati 916 SBK and 996 SBK. "King Carl" and the 916 remain the most successful "couple" in Ducati SBK history.

Ducati has decided to celebrate this anniversary by building a special 916-dedicated version of the Panigale V4. Hence the genesis of the Panigale V4 25° Anniversario 916: a unique limited-edition bike of only 500 pieces, designed to let all true Ducatisti re-live the spirit of the 916.

The new Panigale V4 25° Anniversario 916 is characterised by livery inspired by the Ducati 996 SBK, winner of the 1999 World Superbike Championship with Carl Fogarty. The graphics, based on Ducati Red, are distinguished by the number holders of the front and the fairings, where the World Champion's number "1" is proudly placed.

The lower part of the tank is crossed by a black stripe that extends to the frame and to the side extractors; it accentuates the side view's dynamism and evokes the side panels of the 996 SBK's carbon air-box side body panels.

The black colour is also found on the lower fairings and headlight housing, making the two front air inlets visually wider and more threatening. The rider seat exhibits the same colour combination as the bike, with a clear separation between black and red that extends to the rear buffer.

Stickers that reproduce the "Shell" and "Foggy" logos are available to apply on the side fairings and at the base of the Plexiglas respectively; these two details were designed to further strengthen the visual connection with Carl Fogarty's 996 SBK.

This version's racing look is completed by the magnesium-forged Marchesini Racing wheels, the Akrapovič titanium silencer and the several carbon and billet aluminium components.

The “25° Anniversario 916” is built on the mechanics of the Panigale V4 S. This has been upgraded with racing content from the Panigale V4 R such as the Front Frame, designed to Ducati Corse specifications. The look of the bike combines a special livery with forged magnesium wheels, a titanium type-approved Akrapovič exhaust and a long list of Ducati Performance components.

 “In all of modern motorcycling history, no bike has been as era-defining as the 916, both in terms of design and performance. I'm incredibly proud to present this exclusive version of our Panigale V4, itself a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the 916.“ stated Francesco Milicia during the event at Pebble Beach. " We've decided to present the bike together with none other than "King" Carl Fogarty himself. Presenting it on the American Superbike stage underscores our dedication to the US market, where bike enthusiasts and collectors alike will, I am sure, appreciate the uniqueness of the Panigale V4 25° Anniversary 916.“

“I’m thrilled to be here at this event,“ stated Carl Fogarty after riding the Panigale V4 25° Anniversario 916 onto the stage at Pebble Beach. “The Ducati 916 gave me some fantastic, unforgettable moments. It played a starring role in my career and in the history of the World Superbike Championship. On the wider motorcycling scene, it set a whole new standard of style and performance. I’m proud to have played a pivotal role in that success story, and equally proud to be here today and celebrate this important anniversary by officially unveiling this breath-taking bike.”

Dedicated standard equipment

The Panigale V4 25° Anniversario 916 is based on the mechanics of the Panigale V4 S evolved with components and racing solutions from the Panigale V4 R. Standard equipment includes Marchesini Racing forged magnesium wheels, approved Akrapovic titanium silencers, and several carbon fibre and billet aluminium parts, which together reduce the weight by 1 kg compared to the V4 S version.

The following are directly derived from the Panigale V4 R: the "Front Frame" designed to Ducati Corse specifications; the dry clutch; and the specific electronic controls for track use, such as the Ducati Quick Shift EVO 2 and the Ducati Traction Control EVO 2.

The Panigale V4 25° Anniversario 916 is powered by the 1,103 cm³ Desmosedici Stradale engine. A 90° V4 engine with Desmodromic timing system derived from the MotoGP is the only one of its kind in terms of its counter-rotating crankshaft and the "Twin Pulse" firing sequence. The engine can deliver a power of 214 hp at 13,000 rpm, and a torque of 12.6 kgm at 10,000 rpm, which makes it absolutely enjoyable, even on the road.

The adoption of the dry clutch and approved Akrapovič titanium silencers transform the Desmosedici Stradale engine installed to the "25° Anniversario 916" making it every passionate Ducatista's dream bike.

The exhaust sound of the Desmosedici Stradale engine is reinforced by the approved Akrapovič titanium silencers, 0.5 kg lighter compared to that of the Panigale V4 S, which add a racing touch to the bike's look thanks to the carbon fibre endcaps and the honeycomb grilles on the exhaust outlets, which recall the MotoGP world.

The 90° V4 of the Panigale V4 25° Anniversario 916 uses an STM EVO-SBK dry clutch that's made from billet aluminium. Compared to the wet clutch, it guarantees a more effective slipper function during extreme use of the bike on the track, even during the most aggressive downshifts, and greater fluidity during all "off-throttle" stages. In addition, the "mechanical" engine brake level can be customised by choosing a different secondary spring from those available in the Ducati Performance catalogue. The assembly of the carbon fibre open clutch cover, included in the equipment supplied, gives off the classic metallic noise, loved by all Ducatistas, just as it did at the time of the Ducati 916.

The tail of the Panigale V4 25° Anniversario 916 is in a single-seater version to highlight the bike's "ready-to-race" character. Its wing design is inspired by an aerodynamic spoiler and incorporates a full-LED tail light functionally divided into two parts, according to the tradition of Ducati sportbikes. The double red arch of the parking light makes the Panigale V4 unmistakable, just like its aggressive look.

The plasticity of the "diamond" tank, a Ducati trademark, assists the rider at all stages of track driving. Thanks to its muscular shape it is possible to lean completely into the most extreme corners, lower the helmet for maximum aerodynamic efficiency in the straights and offer a strong lateral grip on the knees when braking deep into corners. It extends under the seat to lower the centre of gravity, thus leaving a portion of the subtail visible.

The "Front Frame", left visible, becomes an integral part of the bike, giving it a tight fairing, practically custom tailored. It relies on the Desmosedici Stradale engine, a load-bearing component. This solution represents the evolution of the Monocoque structure and was born by making use of the experience gained in MotoGP. Compared to the Monocoque, the "Front Frame" makes it possible to decouple the torsional and lateral stiffness so as to achieve the proper amount of pliability with respect to the stresses on the frame, better absorbing uneven road conditions in the curves and ensuring the necessary stability.

All this translates into a superior agility and precision that provides the rider of the Panigale V4 with an easier and less tiring control. The main difference in the layout compared to traditional solutions is the use of the engine as a structural element for the entire frame. The "Front Frame" features a compact frontal structure weighing only 4 kg, secured directly to the upper semi-casing of the front bank and to the cylinder head of the V4's rear bank, the engine block also serving as a connection point for the rear suspension and pivot point for the single swinging arm.

The most important advantage of the "Front Frame" is the use of the Desmosedici Stradale engine to achieve the desired rigidity, making it possible to significantly reduce the extension of the main frame – and therefore its weight – achieving a superior rigidity/weight ratio. To this advantage is added the fact that the reduced length of the uprights running alongside the engine has made it possible to design a compact motorcycle, especially where the rider sits. The chassis is completed by the lightweight front subframe made of magnesium and the chill-cast aluminium seat support, secured on the top to the "Front Frame" and at the bottom screwed onto the cylinder head of the rear bank. The rear suspension exploits levers attached to the Desmosedici Stradale engine by forged aluminium. The levers react to the movements of an aluminium cast single-sided swinging arm.

The frame is combined with the Öhlins NIX-30 fork, the Öhlins TTX36 rear shock absorber and the Öhlins steering damper, controlled by the Öhlins Smart EC 2.0. control system. For the rider, this means having access to a higher level of control over the bike's dynamics for the benefit of road safety and for lap times on the track.

Compared to the Panigale V4 S, the incredibly light Marchesini Racing forged magnesium wheels allow for a 1 kg weight reduction of the unsprung masses: this makes the Panigale V4 25° Anniversario 916 even more agile and quick to lean when tackling bends.

The unique lightness of forged magnesium meets the classic 3-spoke style with the characteristic 'W' shape that expresses elegance and high performance. The magnesium wheels of the Panigale V4 25° Anniversario 916 take advantage of the Marchesini racing experience; these are uncompromising wheels designed for the racing world as well as the enthusiast who wants the best in technology. The weight of the unsprung masses is reduced by one kg compared to the Panigale V4 S.

The first-class braking system consists of two Brembo discs, with a diameter of 330 mm, at the front coupled with Brembo Stylema® monoblock callipers. The rear system is composed of a single 245 mm disc with a 2-piston calliper.

The Panigale V4 25° Anniversario 916 is equipped with a state-of-the-art electronic package, based on the use of the Bosch 6-axis inertial platform (6D IMU – Inertial Measurement Unit) that includes controls to manage all the riding phases. The electronic equipment includes:

Bosch EVO ABS Cornering
Ducati Traction Control EVO 2 (DTC EVO 2)
Ducati Slide Control (DSC)
Ducati Wheelie Control EVO (DWC EVO)
Ducati Power Launch (DPL)
Ducati Quick Shift up/down EVO 2 (DQS EVO 2)
Engine Brake Control EVO (EBC EVO)
Ducati Electronic Suspension EVO (DES EVO)

The Panigale V4 25° Anniversario 916 comes with dedicated standard equipment:

"25° Anniversario 916" livery
Billet aluminium steering head with serial number (xxx/500)
"Front Frame" with Ducati Corse specifications
Bi-colour rider seat
Marchesini Racing forged magnesium wheels
Dry clutch
Approved Akrapovič titanium silencer
Ducati Traction Control EVO 2 (DTC EVO 2)
Ducati Quick Shift up/down EVO 2 (DQS EVO 2)
Racing Plexiglas
Carbon fibre front mudguard
Carbon fibre rear mudguard
Carbon heel guard
Carbon fibre and titanium swinging arm cover
Racing handgrips
Adjustable billet aluminium rider footpegs
Articulated billet aluminium brake and clutch levers
Brake lever protection (included)
Ducati Data Analyser+ Kit (DDA+) with GPS module (included)
Open carbon clutch cover (included)
Bike canvas with "25° Anniversario 916" customisation (included)
Billet aluminium racing tank cap (included)
Number plate holder removal cover (included)
Billet aluminium mirror hole covers (included)
Shell" and "Foggy" logo stickers (included)
 

Source Ducati