Fast Bikes Magazine March issue 2023, 20 page preview!

THE KNOWLEDGE

Nostalgic on a Ninja........................ 80 Andy’s been reliving his youth on Kawasaki’s lightweight Ninja 400. GasGas ES700 ................................. 74 We’ve been loving life on this overgrown enduro.

COLUMNISTS

Brad Howell .................................... 92 The season will soon be upon us, so take note of Brad’s advice to get fit in time.

TESTS

Ducati Diavel V4 .............................. 18

We take a spin on the devilishly good Diavel V4.

Saucy 600s ...................................... 26

We love 600s and these three options are among the best choices of weaponry on the used market.

Tom Neave ..................................... 94 We’re just a few months from round one of BSB and Tom’s well up for it.

Christian Iddon ............................... 96 Iddon’s been doing what all good racers do in the off-season… riding bikes.

Steve Parrish................................... 98 He’s been living it up in South Africa.

FEATURES

Project R7: Part One ....................... 60 We’re on a mission to build, tune and race an R7 at this year’s TT. Here’s the first step… What the tech: Oil ........................... 66 If you want to know more about oil and why it’s so important, you’ll love this.

Alternatively, scan the QR code on this page and order your next copy today. We will send it directly to you!

A class of its own

It was so good to get out and ride 600s for this issue’s cover test. I’d like to think that middleweight sportsbikes have played a part in most riders’ two-wheeled endeavours at some point in time… they sure have in mine. My first 600 was a nail. I was 17, and it couldn’t have been much younger itself. It was a steel-framed CBR600 that my dad and I took to Cadwell for a club race meeting. I’d not ridden the bike before and to make matters worse, it was lashing it down. I cartwheeled it down the Gooseneck and took it home in Tupperware boxes. It was the first of seven 600s I’ve gone on to own, including everything from GSX-Rs to R6s – I love the things.

Download Fast Bikes: Mortons.co.uk/FB WELCOME

It’s hard not to have favourites when it comes to bikes and I reckon Triumph’s Daytona 675 has got to be my favourite middleweight of all time. On the road or track, it really is something special for loads of different reasons. I wish it was still in production, sharpened to suit the standards of today with smarter tech, performance and styling. It’s mad to think how good such a bike would be, with the closest thing to that reality being the 765 Moto2 version Triumph pumped out a few years back in limited volume. The question manufacturers want answering is whether it’s just nostalgia that fuels such thoughts or whether people would genuinely want to own a 600 these days? Who can blame them? The reason the sector got dropped was because the R&D costs were nigh on the same as a litre bike’s, but the sales of 600s plummeted faster than a dropped stone. It could be argued that the void

that was left is slowly being filled by middleweight twins, like Yamaha’s R7 and Aprilia’s RS660. They are cheaper to produce and easier to ride for those stepping up through the capacities, but they don’t offer the same buzz as a 600… not even near, in my opinion. A 600 is a solid option for everyday antics, but you still have to work them to get the best from them, whereas litre bikes are effortless nowadays. I like the challenge they throw down, and even more so the reward they offer for riding at your best to extract their potential. It’s a fulfilling experience that I hope future generations of riders get the chance to savour. The good news is, as this group test hammered home, there are still loads of great, used 600s on the market. The bad news is they are holding their value impressively. Do you own a 600? Do you miss 600s? Do you not care at all about the class? Whatever the score, it’d be good to get your take on the sector, so drop us a line and tell us a tale or two. But first, grab a brew and enjoy the mag.

Join us on Facebook: Facebook.com/ FastBikesMagazine

Join

MONEY MAN

Charlie ‘The Sheriff’ Oakman coakman@fastbikes.co.uk

Tim Neave tneave@mortons.co.uk

OLD MAN John McAvoy gramps@fastbikes.co.uk

See page 8 for the best deals, or visit classicmagazines.co.uk/ subscription/FB/fast-bikes

6 APRIL 2023 WWW.FASTBIKESMAG.COM

BSB SUPERSTAR Christian Iddon ...and Britain’s best builder

TRACK RIDING

GURU Dean Ellison ...and super nice bloke

TT WINNER

Gary Johnson ...and karaoke king

MOTOGP SAGE

Jack Fairman ...and wine connoisseur

ROAD RACING

LEGEND

Peter Hickman ...and BSB winner

RACING PUNDIT

Steve Parrish ...and pro at pranks

YOUNG MAN

Carl Stevens

SUPERSTOCK WINNER

Tom Neave ...and combine king

SUPERBIKE SNAPPER

Jamie Morris ...and eBay addict

LEGAL LORE

Gavin Grewal ...and hardcore off-roader

SUBSCRIBE SAVE!

01507 529529 and quote FBDPS

Lines are open from 8.30am-5pm (Monday-Friday)

PLANET FAST BIKES – NEW ME TAL, NE WS & REVIEWS

WORDS: SIR ALAN OF DOWDS

2024 KAWASAKI ZX-4R

It’s not often nowadays that we get a totally new sportsbike launched. It’s even rarer that we get a totally new class of sportsbike launched. But Kawasaki has done just that – and in the dank, miserable depths of winter too, just to cheer us up further. And here it is – the 2024 Kawasaki ZX-4R. A new minisuperbike, in 399cc form, based on the current 250cc ZX-25R, which has been around in SE Asian markets for a few years

TECH DATA

2024 Kawasaki ZX-4R

ENGINE

Type: l/c inline-four, DOHC 16-valve, 399cc

Bore/stroke: 57x39.1mm

Compression ratio: 12.3:1

CHASSIS

Frame: steel trellis

Suspension: Showa USD front fork and rear monoshock

Brakes: dual 290mm discs, four-piston radial-mount calipers

Wheels/Tyres cast aluminium/Dunlop GPR300, 120/70 17 (front), 160/60 17 (rear)

DIMENSIONS

Wheelbase: 1,380mm

Rake/Trail 23.5° / 97mm

Fuel capacity: 15 litres

now. Okay, we know that ‘Japanese inline-four 400cc sportsbikes’ isn’t a completely new class – but it’s 24 years since you could last buy one new in the UK, so we’re taking that as a proper start over, sue us (please don’t sue us).

Not that anyone will be in the mood for litigation when they see this little charmer. It’s like a full beans ZX-10R megabike, but in 2/5ths scale. It thumbs its nose at all those sensible teacher’s pet parallel twins out there, with their 47bhp and standard A2 licence compatibility, their nerdy little twin ring orders and their economical running and sensible colour schemes. Here’s a proper sportsbike, with a screaming 16-valve DOHC motor, making 80bhp in stock form, and just begging to have the head skimmed, a race pipe tted and the rev limiter mapped out with a rusty laptop, before being thrapped around the place until the Dunlop GPR300 tyres, and your brain, are completely fried. It’s got a super-short stroke layout of 57x39.1mm, a fairly low compression ratio of just 12.3:1, and the rev limit is ‘around 15,000rpm’. The specs don’t tell us about the electronics, but it’ll have a smart ride-by-wire fuel injection setup, and a moderate set of rider aids (you’re not going to need slide control, ten-stage traction or any of that old pony with 80bhp, we hope…)

Okay, the chassis belies its roots, with a slightly commuter-y steel trellis frame and aluminium swingarm. But there’s proper twin 290mm front brake discs with four-pot radial calipers, USD forks, and a ZX-10R-style horizontal rear shock linkage setup. Tyre

WORDS: SIR ALAN O F DOWDS

sizes are proper ‘mini-superbike’ too, with a 120/70 17 front and 160/60 17 rear.

The chassis spec is where the main differences are on the ZX-4R model variants. The base bike comes with an non-adjustable Showa front fork using the rm’s SFF-BP Separate Function Fork - Big Piston setup, and the rear shock is also Showa. The ZX-4R SE and ZX-4RR variants get preload adjustment on the forks, and the RR gets a higher-spec rear shock, using Showa’s BFRC-Lite (Balance Free Rear Cushion) technology. SE and RR also get an up/down quickshifter as standard, and the SE gets some extra bolt-ons like a USB socket, smoked windscreen and crash protectors on the frame.

It’s not a total lightweight, at 188kg wet, which is the only tiny blot on the spec sheet. Fair enough, an inline-four motor is going to add a chunk of mass, but you have to think the steel frame is a little bit of a missed opportunity. It’s all about costs as well of course: a cast alloy frame would shed a couple of kilos no doubt but would also add a load of production overheads, perhaps ruling the bike out as a serious proposition altogether. Of course, there’s also all the modern Euro5 emissions gubbins to t – we bet the exhaust weighs nearly as much as the engine – and once you pop that in your green recycling wheelie bin, things will no doubt look much sharper.

Fancy it? Well you’ve got a bit of time to get saving. There’s no word on price as yet, but you’d expect something near the likes of the Yamaha R7 (£9k or thereabouts). The

OLD ZXR400/ GREY IMPORTS

Bruce isn’t quite old enough to remember this, but he does go on about his previous lives when he’s had too much East Anglian sparkling wine, so he does have some faint inklings. The last four-cylinder 400 sportsbike made by Kawasaki was the ZXR400, and was in fact the last 400cc four to be officially sold in the UK at all, going off sale in 1999. It was a startling piece of kit back then, and would still raise a chuckle even now. It made ‘just’ 65bhp but weighed in at a svelte 165kg dry (just under 180kg wet), and had the best in chassis tech Japan could offer. That meant a twin-spar fabricated aluminium frame, with a beefy aluminium swingarm, USD front forks, twin four-piston brake calipers up front, and a full race replica fairing. It looked exactly like the incredible Kawasaki ZXR750 superbike of a few years earlier, down to the eye-bleeding graphics and the twin ‘Hoover hose’ air intakes. These were just for cooling the head rather than ram-air intakes, but still looked the absolute business.

The ZXR400 was part of the weird Japanese home market of the 1980s and 90s, where 400cc four-strokes and 250cc two-strokes were enormous. The rider licencing rules meant most folk weren’t allowed to ride anything bigger, so all of the efforts of the big firms went into these bikes. While European riders were buying 750s and 1000s, the home market wanted the same style, tech and handling with smaller engines. So we got the ZXR400, as well as the Honda VFR/RVF400 and CBR400, Suzuki GSX-R400 and Yamaha FZR400RR SP EXUP, plus the strokers: Honda NSR250, Yam TZR250, Suzuki RGV250 and Kawasaki KR-1S. They spilt over into overseas markets thanks to so-called ‘grey imports’ where enterprising businesses bought up containers of nearly-new 250s and 400s and sold them in the UK.

The ZXR400 and Honda’s VFR400 were the only 400s officially brought into the UK, and the Suzuki RGV250 and Kawasaki KR-1S were the only officially-imported strokers. The problem with the 400s was that they were just as expensive to make as a 600 or 750: changing the size of the cylinders and fabricating a slightly smaller frame didn’t save any cash in production of course. Japanese riders didn’t have the choice of the bigger bikes so were captive buyers: in the UK folk paid a bit more and got a 750 or 600 instead.

Ninja 650 twin costs around £8k but is 10bhp down and 15kg up on the 4R. Meanwhile Aprilia’s RS660 is over £10k but has near 100bhp and is 5kg less than the little Kawasaki.

Whatever the price is, we’ll nd out in the autumn, when the new ZX-4Rs will hit these shores. And we cannae wait to throw a leg over one of these wee beasties!

KTM BRABUS 1300 R EDITION 23

We’ll confess we’re not too sure about the Brabus brand. You see the name on fancy Mercedes cars – but also on those little Smart cars. They look trick – but the real Mercedes performance brand is AMG, and it’s those that get the 700bhp twin-turbo engines?

The Brabus relationship with KTM is also a bit weird. There was a Brabus edition Super Duke last year, which apparently sold well, so there’s a new one here for 2023. Priced at

a stiff £37k, and limited to 290 units, it features posh Brabus Monoblock Z forged wheels and a Brabus exhaust, plus loads of carbon panelsm air ducts, belly pan and tai unit, plus a special seat. It’s got a lightweight lithium battery, quick-turn throttle Brabus bar-end mirrors and a one-off Brabus startup dash animation.

Fancy it? You can register your interest via the KTM website…

THE (BAD) LUCK OF THE IRISH

As Fast Bikes went to press, there was some stunning news coming out of the island of Ireland about the future of road racing there. The MCUI (Motor Cycle Union of Ireland), which looks after racing in the north of Ireland, and MCI (Motor Cycling Ireland) which does the same in the south have both been struggling to nd insurance cover for their race events. The blame has been spread about online, with Brexit, insurance rms moving out of motorsport, and large outstanding claims all being cited. Whatever the causes, the situation at the start of February 2023 was that there would be no Irish road racing: the NW200, Ulster GP, Tandragee, Armoy and even the Sun ower Trophy at Bishopscourt all facing cancellation.

Campaigns have been set up to raise funds and awareness, to nd possible solutions though, and the North West 200 organisers in particular have been vocal that they will nd a way round the problem.

There are fewer worries about the Isle of Man TT and the Manx GP. The IoM government organises racing events there, so is in a much stronger position than a semi-professional sports club when it comes to insurance and legal problems. But, with no smaller road race events in Ireland to act as a ‘feeder’ class for the Manx events, it’s hard to see where new competitors will come from in future.

Honda unveiled its race bikes for the 2023 BSB, TT and NW200 events, with a familiar HRC-in uenced red/white/blue paint scheme on the CBR1000 RR SP Fireblades. The BSB bikes of Andrew Irwin and Tom Neave, and the road race machines of John McGuinness and Nathan Harrison’s look superb, and are some of the classiest-looking bikes in British racing. Tyre sponsors’ stickers apart, the quickest way to tell them apart is the tall double bubble screen on the TT bikes, all the better to tuck in behind.

Havier Beltran, Honda Racing UK team manager said: “2023 is going to be an exciting season for the team as we have a mixture of new and old faces returning to the team. We are also now into the third year of development with the CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP and we’ll look to continue building on the success that we have experienced to date. Continuing our relationship with all our valued sponsors enables us to resume this journey. We look forward to getting the season underway and working together as a team to realise the potential of the Fireblade on the roads and in BSB”

Keep an eye on our online channels – Facebook, Twitter, and the Fast Bikes website (www.fastbikesmag.com) – for news as it happens.

ALPINESTARS SUPERTECH R10 HELMET SET FOR SPRING LAUNCH

It’s been in the post for a while now, but Alpinestars’ road/race helmet seems to be well on the way, after being spotted on a couple of MotoGP riders at the Sepang tests and team unveilings. Jack Miller of the factory KTM team and Jorge Martin of the Pramac Ducati team were both wearing the full carbon Supertech R10 lid, and the rm is expected to have a full product launch in the next couple of months.

PRAGA ZS800

Heard of the Praga rm? Probably not, unless you’re a fan of outlandish hypercars or communist-era truck and bus engineering. But the Czech out t is celebrating its heritage with a motorbike, of all things: the limited-edition ZS800. It’s a unique machine, with a bespoke engine and chassis setup, and pays homage to the rm’s BD500 single from 1928. The engine is a 773cc air-cooled twin, with long-stroke layout, bevel-drive SOHC valvegear, low compression ratio of just 8.4:1 and makes 50bhp. The chassis is based on a fabricated steel tube trellis frame, with a hardtail back and and girder front fork. There are two Öhlins shocks: one on the fork and one on the rider’s seat pan… The wheels are forged carbon bre with wire-look spokes, brakes are hydraulic drums, and it’s super-light, at just 142kg dry. That’s thanks to virtually every fastener being titanium, as well as the exhaust system.

A mad-looking thing, and it gets madder when you see the price: £75,550. That’s not quite enough for a £90k Ducati Panigale V4 Superleggera, but would get you two base Panigale V4S superbikes plus a V4 Street ghter and change left over. Check out www.pragaglobal.com/motorbikes/zs800 for more.

DUCATI EDITION SUPER SOCO CUX SCOOTERS

As we all know, a race team’s paddock transport is almost as important as the kit on track. So it’s perhaps no surprise that the Oxford Products Racing Ducati team has got some sweet electric scoots for pit garage duties. The team has taken delivery of a pair of Super Soco CUx Ducati Edition battery-powered machines, and will be gliding around the BSB circuits in glorious eco-friendly silence. Iain Hopcroft, team manager, said “They’re perfect to nip round the paddock on. We charge them up before we head off to a race round, and they last the entire weekend on a single charge. They’ve proved to be really reliable, and it’s a bonus to have the of cial Ducati branding on them.”

TRANSALP PRICE

Honda’s dropped another price bomb on the UK market for 2023, announcing that its new XL750 Transalp will set you back £9,499 when it hits showrooms. That’s a useful saving on the market: the new Suzuki V-Strom 800 DE costs £1,000 more, and Yamaha’s Ténéré 700 is £599 extra, at £10,100. Together with the super-cheap Hornet 750 pricing, it looks like the big H is on the move to try and boost its market share in these more interesting sectors. It rules the roost when it comes to commuter models, but wants to do the same in the middleweight roadster and ADV sport world.

ALL THE L ATEST, COOLEST & TRICK EST PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS

TRIUMPH ALPINESTARS SMX-6 V2 RACE BOOTS

It’s nice when bike firms sign up with ‘proper’ kit makers to produce co-branded gear. You know you’re getting a tried and tested product, like these Alpinestars SMX-6 race boots, but you also get to accessorise with your bike. Triumph has

launched a range of branded Alpinestars boots for this season, including urban sneaker-type boots, off-road kit and touring gear. The SMX-6 is comfy and protective for road and track use, and is timelessly stylish in black, too.

RRP: £245 www.triumphmotorcycles.com

KAWASAKI OGIO KIT BAG

It’s hard to beat Ogio when it comes to high-end kit bags. The firm’s luggage is tough, looks good, and holds stacks of kit in luxurious safety. They’re not cheap but will last for years, even when regularly thrown into airline luggage bays or the back of Sprinter vans.

This Kawasaki-branded unit is just the job for the Team Green fans out there, and has the firm’s top-end SLED load-equalising chassis, oversized cargo wheels and a gigantic 123-litre capacity.

RRP: £266 www.kawasaki.co.uk

PIRELLI DIABLO SUPERCORSA V4

Can you remember a time before Supercorsas? Us neither. The legendary Italian supersports rubber is now into its fourth generation, with even more good stuff all round. As before, there’s an SC version for racing and an SP for track/road use, and both have even more grip and stability, according to the firm. The SP

RRP: from around £400/pair

Sport Production hoops now have a dual compound front tyre for the first time, allowing a softer compound on the sides with a harder centre for more mileage. The SC Special Compound race tyre has three compound options: SC1 to 3, with SC-1 softest and SC-3 giving longer life.

DUCHINNI VOLT KIDS’ WATERPROOF JACKET

Fully waterproof overjacket for kids, that’s ideal for stowing under a seat or in a backpack – and can also be used off the bike. The Volt jacket has reflective panels for extra visibility and a removable drawstring

hood for added practicality. A mesh lining, two outside zipped pockets, fully taped and welded seams, and elasticated cuffs rounds off the spec, and the Volt comes in junior sizes XS-XL.

RRP: £39.99 www.thekeycollection.co.uk

www.pirelli.com

BREMBO GREENANCE PADS

Brembo has brought in a new production process for its pads that it claims cuts energy use and emissions at its factory – while reducing pollution on the roads too, after the firm cut out antimony, asbestos, nickel and copper from the mix. These Greenance pads are claimed to work better than before as well, with 15% better wear and improved friction performance when hot. High-end race/track pads will stay as they are at the moment, but the Greenance pads will eventually replace the firm’s whole range, from scooters to track bikes.

RRP: Varies on fitment www.brembo.com

R&G RACING CARBON TANK AND TAIL SLIDERS

These small, unassuming pieces of carbon fibre might not look like much – but they can save you hundreds of pounds in damaged plastic parts on various sports and naked bikes. The R&G tank and tail sliders are made from Kevlar-reinforced carbon fibre and widely used in BSB racing.

RRP: from £87.73

The firm reckons they offer excellent crash protection and wear resistance, and the specially-moulded shapes allow for an exact fit. Easily fitted with adhesive backings and quick to replace, they are available for loads of current models, from learner-legal 125s up to full superbikes.

www.rg-racing.com

DAINESE LAGUNA SECA 5 SUIT

Laguna Seca might not feature in WSBK or MotoGP racing anymore, but it’s still a legendary circuit – and well deserving of homage in the form of this slick Dainese suit. This is the fifth generation of the Italian brand’s track suit and is a classic cowhide perforated design. There’s no airbag, but the suit comes with protectors in elbows, shoulders knees and hips, and is prepared for a

RRP £1300

Dainese back protector. The lining is removable and washable, and there are aluminium outer sliders on shoulders, and elbow and knee sliders. The Laguna Seca can also take an optional hydration waterbag kit in the race hump. Available in five colours, including white, blue/red, black/white and black/red.

www.dainese.com

FURYGAN RAPTOR EVO LEATHER JACKET

We sometimes wonder what firms are going to call all their Evo named kit when they update it. Evo 2? Evo B? Evo Evo? In the meantime, we are just admiring the simple, classic styling of the Furygan leather jacket, like this Raptor Evo model. Okay, it has elbow sliders and external sliders on the shoulders, but the cut is pretty sharp and that cool Furygan big cat logo on the back is still a winner. It comes in three colours, in sizes S-3XL, with D3O armour in the shoulders and elbows, plus chest and back protector pockets. Zips to matching jeans, loads of pockets, and neoprene collar and cuffs for extra comfort. Smart.

RRP £479.99

www.furygan.com

THE VERY BEST KIT – USED, ABUSED AND RE VIEW ED

OXFORD LIDSTASH

TESTED BY: Max Silvester

TIME: one year

PRICE: from £29.99

WEB: www.oxfordproducts.com

If you are protective of your helmet, like me, you’ll want to know about this product. I’ve always been extra careful when transporting my lid around, but stop short of lugging it about in the original box packaging it comes in. Thankfully, this helmet bag has proven just the piece of kit to give me peace of mind. For context, I’m forever taking my kit to the track in a kit bag, but can’t stand the thought of firing my helmet into the mix, loose with my leathers, visors, boots and gloves. That’s just plain wrong. With this bag, such visions aren’t necessary, because I’m able to securely package my helmet away. It’s even got pockets for spare visors and cleaning

products, which make me like it even more. I’ve been using the Lidstash for just over a year now and it’s really won me over, keeping my kit in tip-top condition. Although I always put my helmet in the drawstring bag it came in, I’m a fan of the added protection and padding from the stash’s deluxe fleece interior. As mentioned, there’s also the space to slot a selection of visors in the bag too, but I’d strongly recommend wrapping a cloth or bubble wrap between them to keep them extra safe, or even having a look at Oxford’s visor stash. Taking a look at the outside of the bag, the water-resistant outer protective fabric adds to its simple but lightweight design. It comes with carry handles too that connect together with Velcro and there’s an optional

shoulder strap available – making lugging this thing around child’s play. As a real-world example, I used the Lidstash to head off to Barcelona and back as my carry-on item. I could fit an iPad under my helmet at the bottom of the bag, a couple of spare visors too, with plenty of space in the external zipped pocket to fit headphones, a portable charger and cleaning kit as well as my passport and flight documents… I even used the top handles to hold on to my hoodie when I didn’t need it anymore. This has now become an essential part of my kit, almost like a mini helmet service station for race weekends or heading to a location to test bikes. I won’t be taking my helmet anywhere without this helmet bag.

DANCING WITH THE DEVIL

Big, heavy, and unapologetically quirky, the Diavel has divided opinions since it bounded into our lives 13 years ago. But there’s a box-fresh o ering for 2023 and maybe, just maybe, Ducati has mastered a sportier formula that’ll appeal to the masses.

WORDS: BRUCE PICS: DUCATI

DANCING DEVIL

There are those born desperate to t in and there are others who would sooner chew their own arm off than join the ranks of convention. The same goes for bikes, with the king of the renegades being Ducati’s Diavel. It’s been unashamedly different since the very get-go, audaciously bursting onto the scene in 2010 and confusing people more than a nun in a strip club. What the hell was it? Who was it for? Had Ducati gone crazy? I remember there being more questions than compliments at its inauguration, but the model’s now onto its third iteration and has cranked up 45,000 unit sales to its name… which is another way of saying it’s been a bloody big hit for the

Bologna brand. The question is, what happens next for this extrovert power cruiser now it has ditched its V-twin motor for a smaller, but pokier V4 option? In fact, it’s dropped a number of things, including a whopping 13kg in mass, of which 5kg came from the engine alone. Based largely around the Multistrada V4’s motor, there’s been some tweaks to the cams (to help lower emissions), the airbox (now integrated into the bike’s ‘front frame’), and the exhaust system (which is nothing short of a whopper… as I’ll explain shortly). The culmination of this sees an output of 165bhp, with 126Nm to make sure no Nova ever beats you away from the traf c lights again… especially if you indulge in one of the three tiers of launch control that come as standard on this rebel.

This thing loves to deck out...

As familiar as the Gran Turismo-spec motor may be, the one thing that makes it truly unique – and is a rst for a Ducati production bike – is the integration of rear cylinder deactivation. In anything over rst gear, if you’re under 4000rpm and tootling along, the rear cylinders will knock off completely, only coming back to the party once you cross the aforementioned threshold or if you give the throttle a meaningful twist. Why would you want that tech, you might wonder? Ducati’s reasoning, given during the model’s presentation in Dubai, was twofold, with the rst gain being to rider comfort, as the bike runs so much cooler without the rear cylinders ring. The second is that it made a huge difference to the V4’s emissions and ef ciency, the buzz words of these times. It might be meaner, but it’s also cleaner than