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Finally! It has been prayed for but finally Borgo Panigale's four-cylinder Superbike is here. Is the Ducati Panigale V4 and although we already knew its Desmosedici Stradale engine, we still had to see the motorcycle in all its splendor. A motorcycle that is called to mark a before and after in the Italian factory and that Ducati has revealed in its World Premiere before EICMA 2017, taking advantage of the fact that they play at home.
Turning its back on twin-cylinder engines almost by imposition, Ducati dares with a sports car that follows the guidelines set by the successful Panigale but introduces the greatest revolution in the history of the Bolognese firm by incorporating an insane engine attached to a cycle part worthy of the occasion.
Ducati Panigale V4
Outwardly the new Ducati Panigale V4 it's still that, a Panigale, but now its shapes are even more muscular. Elements of the previous model have been conserved and modernized, such as the sides of the fairing, and the aerodynamics have been even more cared for to be more effective on the track.
The led headlights with a reduced size they fit inside the large intake intakes and their lines are emphasized by a lower aerodynamic frame that directs the air towards the filler ports. At the rear, the tail mounted on an aluminum frame is sharper and is finished off with a double LED rear light.
Inheriting everything learned in recent years in the MotoGP World Championship, the engine Desmosedici Stradale It will be the first four-cylinder series produced by Ducati. An engine with only one specific precedent in the history of the brand: the exclusive Ducati Desmosedici.
With a displacement of 1,103 cubic centimeters for its road version, this magnanimous engine is capable of producing more than outstanding 214 horsepower and 124 Nm of torque for a weight of just 175 kg dry and 198 kg in running order, which yields a power-to-weight ratio of, hold on, 1.1 horsepower for every kilogram of weight. In other words, it exceeds the initially announced figures.
The similarities to the engine MotoGP They are in something more than the name, since the same desmodromic distribution system is used, cylinders arranged in a vee at 90º, counter-rotating crankshaft, big bang ignition (draft at 70º) and similar internal dimensions with 81 mm diameter and a stroke somewhat longer to exceed 103 cc per liter of displacement, in addition to achieving greater delivery at low and medium revs.
They have spared no expense for the development of the new V4, providing it with some quirks as a system of variable admission, desmodromic distribution with reduced cylinder heads and reinforced components to withstand the rotation speed of up to 13,000 rpm or redesigned lubrication through semi-dry sump.
If the engine has radically changed, the chassis it has also had to adapt to the new configuration. It is still a monocoque type structure that uses the propeller as a large structural element, where a front piece supports the entire front part and a rear subframe is anchored to the rear cylinder heads.
The location of the motor has also been varied, tipping it back to find the best mass centering and seeking to neutralize the increase in weight contributed by the two additional cylinders (+2, 2 kg). In addition, the absence of a traditional frame with beams favors the narrowness of the set.
The brake system retains the 330-millimeter diameter front discs, but benefits as a great novelty from the new calipers Brembo monobloc M50 Stylema mechanized, more compact, 70 grams lighter and better ventilated. Its performance is controlled by the evolved Bosch 9.1MP system with ABS Cornering EVO.
Of the new Panigale V4s, Ducati has prepared as usual three different models that vary in their electronic and cycle part equipment: Panigale V4, V4 S and V4 Speciale.
In the more mundane version, the suspension kit consists of a front fork Showa BPF 43 millimeters in diameter and a fully adjustable Sachs monoshock to hold the five-spoke alloy wheels.
The V4 S uses a set of suspensions from the prestigious Swedish firm Öhlins with NIX30 in the front and TTX36 in the rear, both electronically managed through the new adjustment system Smart 2.0. The rims in their case are three-spoke made of forged aluminum, in addition to a lighter lithium-ion battery.
Finally the V4 Speciale adds to the more than complete equipment of the S a touch of distinction in the form of a limited edition and numbered with a specific decoration, exhaust line made of titanium and various components manufactured by means of a CNC machining process.
It could not be otherwise in these times, and the electronics is repositioned to the forefront of the category using the latest evolution of Bosch's six-axis IMU inertial measurement platform.
New functionalities such as the limited slip in curves, the anti-lock when cornering on the front wheel, bidirectional quickshifter with parameterization according to the inclination of the motorcycle, Race Sport and Street driving modes, slip control, traction control, Ducati Power Launch, engine brake regulation … All managed through of a second-generation digital dashboard with an all-new five-inch screen.
As usual in the brand, the maintenance intervals are spaced up to 24,000 km and the accessories catalog is huge. Among the options stands out a complete circuit Akrapovic exhaust line with which the Italian engine is able to go up to 226 horsepower.
Ducati Panigale V4 2018 - Technical sheet
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