Ducati Panigale V4

From a press release issued by Ducati:

The Panigale V4 2022 represents the last step in the characteristic path of the Borgo Panigale sports bikes and it takes life from Ducati Corse long-time experience married to continuous knowledge and technology sharing from the world of racing directly to production bikes. This new project expresses the uniqueness of a brand capable of winning the MotoGP constructors’ championship for the second consecutive time, which works to ensure that every single element designed for competitions can then be transferred on motorcycles built for enthusiasts. That’s the reason why the Panigale V4 is constantly refreshed and improved, just as it happens in MotoGP and WorldSBK.

With the 2022 version, the Panigale V4 project completes the most significant evolution since its birth . The improvements involve all areas: aerodynamics, ergonomics, engine, chassis and electronics. The result is an even faster bike on the racetrack and at the same time more intuitive and less tiring for a wide range of riders. In short, it offers great and rewarding excitement to pro-rider and amateur alike.

These exclusive features have been confirmed through a special testing on the Vallelunga racing track, in Italy. The Panigale V4 S 2021 and the 2022 version both equipped with Pirelli SC1 tyres gained centre-stage, ridden by two testers joined by the pro-rider Michele Pirro (Ducati Official Tester). At the end of the day, it turned out that the first tester improved his best lap on the new Panigale V4 S 2022 by 0.9 seconds, the second by 1.2 seconds, while Michele Pirro was faster by half a second, lapping just three seconds from his best time in Race 1 at Vallelunga, on the occasion of this year’s Italian Superbike ​​Championship, where, however, he raced counting on the most performing SCX compound.

The first new feature of the new Panigale V4 2022 version has to do with aerodynamics. Ducati engineers concentrate in fact their hard work on the fairing, which now integrates more compact and thinner double-profile design wings with increased efficiency: this update guarantees the same vertical load, up to 37 kg at 300 km/h. Furthermore, the lower part of the fairing features redesigned extraction sockets to improve the cooling system and, as a consequence, the performance of the engine, in particular during racetrack days.

Ergonomics has also been a core focus of in-depth development with the aim of improving the control of the bike during track sessions and to allow the rider to get the most out of the Panigale V4’s performance, both on a single lap and heavy use on the track.

The seat can now count on flatter shape and a different coating, to further support the rider when braking and allow easier movement of the body. Compared to the 2021 version, the tank has a new shape in the rear portion to allow the rider to better anchor when braking and allowing him to ride faster and longer. Thanks to this new ergonomics, the rider is also completely integrated into the bike and therefore more comfortable when riding in general; even the contact area of ​​the arms during hanging off, namely when leaning completely outside the curves, has been enhanced.

The heart of the bike is represented by 1,103 cm3 Desmosedici Stradale MotoGP-derived, which has undergone a series of updates. The Desmosedici Stradale completes a further evolution for 2022, thanks to the introduction of some dedicated technical elements that allow an increase of power together with an instant throttle response.

The new engine has been updated in the lubrication circuit and is coupled to a new oil pump that reduces power absorption. The increased diameter of the silencer outlets allows to reduce the exhaust back pressure and, consequently, to increase the engine performance. Thanks to these interventions and a new dedicated mapping, the Desmosedici Stradale - Euro 5-compliant* - delivers 215.5 hp at 13,000 rpm, with a power increase of 1.5 hp compared to the previous version, which rises to 2.5 hp over the peak of maximum power at 14,500 rpm. The engine also delivers a torque of 123.6 Nm (12.6 kgm) at 9,500 rpm, and already from 6,000 rpm it provides 80% of the maximum torque available.

A detail that says a lot about the evolution characterising this new 2022 engine is the adoption of a new gearbox that provides for a lengthening of the ratio for the first, second and sixth gears. This new SBK gear ratio is therefore more “racing-oriented”, more suitable for use on track. The first gear has been lengthened by 11.6%, while the second by 5.6%. Thanks to this new gearbox, it is now easier to tackle the tightest corners in first gear, enjoying greater engine braking and better acceleration out of corners. Furthermore, the smaller jump in speed between the first two ratios allows the DQS, equipped with new calibration, to work more effectively, offering better performance. Lastly, sixth gear has been lengthened by 1.8% allowing, in combination with the increase in engine power, a top speed of 5 km/h higher than the Panigale V4 2021.

A new Power Modes logic has been implemented on the Panigale V4 2022 which provides for 4 engine configurations: Full, High, Medium, Low. The Full and Low configurations are newly designed while the High and Medium configurations use a new strategy. Power Mode Full is the sportiest ever adopted by a Panigale V4 and allows the engine to express its full potential with torque curves without electronic filters, except for first gear. A new Ride by Wire map management system has been developed for the High and Medium Power Modes; now dedicated to each of the six gears, which guarantees the rider the possibility of always having the optimal thrust when opening the throttle. The Power Mode Low, on the other hand, has been conceived to make road riding even more enjoyable, limiting the maximum power of the bike to 150 hp and offering a particularly manageable throttle response.

The performance of the Desmosedici Stradale can be further improved thanks to the racing exhaust systems contained in the Ducati Performance catalogue. In order to offer everyone the opportunity to ride with a full racing exhaust even on circuits with tighter noise limits, a new exhaust system is available, completely in titanium, developed in collaboration with Akrapovič, which falls within the 105 dB noise limit (102 dB with the dB killer fitted). The new exhaust is equipped with high silencers alongside the tail and ensures a power increase of 12.5 hp, bringing the maximum value to 228 hp, while the maximum torque value rises to 131 Nm, with an overall weight reduction of 5 kg. This new exhaust is added to the more compact full racing version already available in the catalogue, that extends under the engine and is also made entirely from titanium by Akrapovič, which at the same performance levels reduces weight by 6 kg and has a noise level of 109 dB which drops to 107 dB when the dB-killer is installed.

The Desmosedici Stradale is also a structural element of the chassis and directly connected with the aluminum front frame. The chassis is completed by the lightweight front frame made of magnesium and the seat post in cast aluminum.

The new Panigale V4 S is equipped with the new Öhlins NPX 25/30 electronically controlled pressurised fork that uses a pressurized cartridge damping system derived from that of Öhlins racing forks, minimizing the risk of oil cavitation compared to a traditional model. The result is improved braking support and at the same time better absorption of bumps, which translates into a better riding feeling for the rider.

The new fork has 125 mm travel (+5 mm compared to the one that equips the Panigale V4 2021), thanks to which it can not only adopt softer settings improving the smoothness of the response even on rough tarmac, and grip in critical conditions, but it can also offer that racing plus that increases the feeling in the most demanding braking sections.

The new fork works in combination with the Öhlins TTX36 rear shock absorber and the Öhlins steering damper, both with event based control system. This system offers the rider the opportunity to customise the suspension intervention according to different riding situations (braking, cornering, acceleration), as well as changing the operating parameters of the hardware components. For the rider, this means a higher level of control over the dynamics of the bike for the benefit of road safety and lap times on the racetrack.

Furthermore, the pivot of the single-sided aluminum swingarm is positioned 4 mm higher than that of the 2021 bike version. This specific technical choice increases the anti-squat action, namely the reduction of the lowering of the rear, stabilizing the bike in acceleration.

The Panigale V4 S is equipped with 3-spoke forged aluminum alloy wheels and fitted with Pirelli Diablo™ Supercorsa SP tyres (120/70 ZR17 front and 200/60 ZR 17 rear). The braking system is equipped with Brembo Stylema® monobloc calipers at the front with four 30 mm diameter pistons each working on 330 mm diameter discs, ensuring exceptional braking power, while at the rear, a single 245 mm disc with 2-piston caliper.

Even the Panigale V4 standard version features a state-of-the-art chassis, which includes: 43 mm fully-adjustable Showa Big Piston Fork (BPF), Sachs steering damper, Sachs monoshock also fully adjustable and cast aluminum rims with a 5-spoke design.

The Panigale V4 2022 is equipped with latest-generation electronic package based on the use of a 6-axis inertial platform capable of instantly detecting roll, yaw and pitch angles of the motorcycle in space. The electronic package includes controls that manage all the riding phases, whose operating parameters are connected by default to the 4 Riding Modes available (Race A, Race B, Sport, Street).

These parameters can be viewed even more effectively thanks to the improved dashboard, which features a new distribution of the functions of the external lights. But that’s not all, Ducati technicians introduce an additional Info Mode, developed keeping in mind the MotoGP riders suggestions and named “Track Evo”, an option added to the existing Road and Track settings.

In the “Track Evo” screen, the tachometer moves on a horizontal scale positioned in the highest part of the instrument, which is the most visible, and the indication of the gear engaged is in the center of the screen. On the right area there are four sectors of different colours, each dedicated to an electronic control (DTC, DWC, DSC, EBC). These sectors light up individually when the electronics are working on a certain parameter, remaining on for the time necessary for the rider to identify which indicator is activated. This signaling mode facilitates the user’s task in understanding the control that has actually worked to allow him to intervene more precisely and punctually on the choice of the optimal level and to obtain better performance more quickly. The left sector completes the information with the stopwatch, the number of laps completed and the speed.

To make the gear change indication clearer, a green LED positioned on the left side of the dashboard, has been introduced. This solution makes all even more visible and precise in the feedback.

Even the look of the bike has been revamped, with a further dose of aggressive flavour. The unprecedented graphic design conceived by the Ducati Centro Stile includes the black color for the logos applied to the full red fairings, the double fabric saddle (two-tone on the S version) and, again for the S version, the red tag on the black rims.

The Panigale V4 and Panigale V4 S will be available starting at December 2021 in the classic "Ducati Red" colour.