Ducati Panigale V4 2018

The Ducati Panigale V4 2018 might be instantly recognisable to Ducati fans, with its familiar red paint and single sided swing arm, but say experts don’t let that trick you into believing that you know what you are dealing with. Ducati’s Panigale V4 boasts of an impressive 211bhp and of weighing only 195 kilograms, but it is the technology it is built on, that could give it the power to surpass its competitors, say experts. Already it replaces the Ducati 1299 Panigale as the leader of the Ducati supersport range and symbol of the Ducati supersport team. 

A new engine 

The Ducati Panigale V4 has a MotoGP Desmosedici-inspired engine but with a displacement of 1103cc. It is the first mass-produced Ducati bike with a 4-cylinder engine and promises service intervals of 7500 miles, delivering twice that for valve checks, which are only needed every 15,000 miles. It uses a 81mm bore like the MotoGP motorbike, but Ducati combined it with a longer 55.5 mm stroke which gives the 90 degree V4 engine increased low-to-mid torque. There is also that counter-rotating crank and twin-pulse ignition which improves driver control and bike agility. The engine’s 42-degree rear facing design fits snug with the chassis.

With the optional titanium Akrapovic race exhaust, the power of the Ducati Panigale V4 2018 can be boosted to almost 220bhp. 

The Ducati Panigale V4 frame

The Ducati Panigale V4 has a frame that is completely new and which Ducati says incorporates the engine as “a load-bearing function.” More compact than its predecessor, the Panigale V4 also dispenses with the traditional L-layout by having an engine that is rotated 42-degrees rearward. The optimised weight allows for larger radiators and also for the swingarm pivot to come as far forward as possible. 

A new shape 

Ducati Corse engineers say that the Panigale V4 has better aerodynamic efficiency, which was realized by using wind tunnel testing. The bodywork was designed around a new “Front Frame” concept that leaves 2 main spars visible. The front also has 2 large air intakes that have full-LED headlights located on their upper edges. The magnesium front sub-frame is left partially exposed to enhance the bodywork and supports the rearview mirrors with their integrated LED indicators on their outer surface.

State-of-the-art technology and additional features 

According to ‘The Drive,’ the Ducati Panigale V4 2018 has an electronics package to rival a “NASA space shuttle!” The car’s computer system can detect the its “roll, yaw, and pitch angles” in real time and the there are controls to manage riding pass, acceleration, braking and traction.

The Panigale V4 has 3 driving modes: Race, Sport and Street, all of which can be set through the bike’s 4-TFT dashboard. The dashboard can be used to set suspension modes as well. 

The motorcycle can be customised to include a Bluetooth multimedia system that connects a smartphone to the driver’s helmet communications system allowing for calls, texts and music on the TFT Dash display.