Fittogo fast ................................... 82 Why do racersputso muchemphasis on fitness?Joehas theanswers.
To pre- orderyour next issueof Fast Bikes, head to classicmagazines. co.uk/pre- order-f
Whatcomesnext?
It’sthattimeagain,whennext year’s modelsstartshowingtheirfaces.I’m writingthishavingjustgotbackfrom samplingthe awesomeness ofDucati’s new PanigaleV4S.Needless to say, it didn’tdisappoint,butwhat reallyblewme awaywashowdifferentthatbikewasto theoriginal PanigaleV4 Itestedbackin 2017. Thetech,thegeometry, eventhe motor...prettymuchnothing’sthesame, otherthanthenumberofcylindersand thebrand’schoiceofconfiguration. Power’sup(just)andweightisdown (slightly),and adouble-sidedswingarm hasreturnedtothemixonDucati’s flagshiphead-banger.Thatwas something Ididn’tsee coming, whichhasgotmewondering aboutwhatelsewillweseein this raftofnewmetal.
Bythetimeyou’rereading this,thefirstofthemajor internationalmotorcycleshows willbeabout amonthaway, so thewaittofindoutwon’tbe thatlong. Willweseea resurgenceoflitre sportsbikes?Orwillthe middleweight sectorsteal theshow? Thereare way more questionsthan
answersrightnow,butthat’sall partof thefun. Theironyis thatwhile weare trying toguesswhatthebrandsaregoing tobestow onus,theyare justaspuzzled aboutwhatthe end userswants.Dowe wantmorepower?Dowewantmore tech?Dowewantmorepokey-out bitson ourbikes?Dowewantsimpler, more affordablemotorcycles? It’s fair tosay that greatbikes atgreatpricesiswhatall ofuswant,solet’s hopethereare plenty
moreoptionsthatfitthosecriteria on the way. My guess?Who knows, butI’m anticipating it’s goingto be abusy winter –atleast,I hopeso.Ifyou’ve gotany ideas,dropus alineandlet us knowyour thoughts.
Enjoythemag,
...andepicwheeliepuller
Some things arebetterleft behind,but Fast Bikes isn’tone of them trustus. Fora start, we’d miss you, butit’dalso mean you’dmis sout on awhole
load of news,reviews,tech, talksand insightintopioneering protagonists.Justthink about theroad trips, theproject bike builds –and allthe excuseswe throwinwiththem. We want you on this ride,and we want your stories, your inputand guidance, so don’t be astranger! Check
outthe cracking dealswe’ve got here andlet’s getyou settled into anotherseasonof thegoodstuff from the UK’s leadingsport sbike magazine.
Firstlaunchedin2018, theSpeed Twinusesthefirm’shigh-output 1200 Bonnevilleparallel-twin engineina sportynakedclassicchassis, with sometastyrunninggearanda premiumfinish.Itgot arefresh in 2021,but2025willsee afulloverhaul withmorepower,and ahigher-spec RS modeladdedto the range.
Boththestandard 1200 and the RS get anewengine tune,with biggerthrottlebodyandrevisedcam on theliquid-cooled eight-valve SOHCtwin.
There’s not abig jumpin performance;about 5bhp morepeak power, upto103.5bhp@7750rpm, whiletorquestaysasyouwere at 112Nm @4250rpm.
–the longer shiftrod hasroomfora shiftersensor,which isn’tpossibleon the stock Speed Twin.
Thatallsoundsprettycool –but withjust 105bhpon tap, youwonder ifit will make muchdifference tothe overall performance.The tyresin particularare race fitmentsmore often seen onbikeswithtwicethat power. We’ll find outquite soon, whenweridethe newRS.
Triumph makesa bigdealofits premium finish and build quality, and the Speed Twinsare nodifferent, withaluminiummudguards and headlight bezel,brushedstainless exhaust, anewsculpted tankdesign, and freshpaintdesignintwocolour options:orangeorblack.
Thenew Speed Twin 1200 RS will be available from £14,495 OTR. Customerscanconfiguretheirown or find outmoreonline at triumphmotorcycles.co.uk.Bikeswill be arrivingindealershipsfrom December2024.
Thechassisseesthebiggest changes ontheSpeedTwin1200RS. There’sapairofÖhlinsrearshocks, withpiggybackreservoirs and full adjustabilityforpreload, compressionandrebound,while the forkis a43mmUSD Marzocchiunit, alsofullyadjustable. Thebrakesget upratedtofullBrembo Stylema caliperswithdual320mmdiscs and corneringABS.Wheels are new thin-spokedcastaluminiumparts, andtheRSalsogets some proper sportyrubberintheformofMetzeler RacetecRRK3tyresas standard.The ridingpositionismorecommitted too,withthebackend liftedupa littleandmorerear-set footpegs. Thoserearsetsalso allow aproper up/downquickshifterfor thefirst timeon aHinckleymodernclassic
Keepaneye onour online channels –Facebook, Twitter, andthe Fast Bikes website(www.fastbikesmag.com)–for news as ithappens. web
STANDARD SPEED TWIN
Thestandard2025 Speed Twin 1200 has the same engine layout and basicchassis set-up astheRS butmisses outon the up/down quickshifterandcomeswithmorebasicrunninggear.Thebrakesare Triumph-branded four-piston radialcalipers with320mm discs,rear shocks are preload-only adjustableMarzocchi units,and the front Marzocchiforks are non-adjustable43mm USDparts.You getless radical tyres, MetzelerSportecM9RRs,and alesscommited riding position withslightly lowerseat(805mmvs810mm).Both bikes have the same wetweightof216kg.
ThebaseSpeed Twin 1200will be availablefrom £12,495in white, redorsilvercolourwaysfrom December.
007GIV ES TRIUMPHS TO CH ARITY
We knew JamesBond was,technically,a RoyalNaval ReserveCommander, but didn’tknowthatthemostrecentactor toplayhim,DanielCraig,alsohada seafaringbackground.
TheBritishthespianhasdonated his owntwolimited-edition007 xTriumph bikestobeauctionedoffto raisemoney fortheRoyalNationalLifeboat Institution.
Thetwobikes –the#003/250 Scrambler1200BondEditionandthe #001/250Tiger900BondEdition –were inspiredbythe25thBondfilmNoTime To Dieandwillgounderthehammer at theClassicMotorcycleMechanicsShow onOctober12and13inStaffordshire. Thewinnerswillalsogettheopportunity toridewithBondstuntco-ordinatorLee Morrisonand007Bondstuntdouble PaulEdmondsonatthe Triumph AdventureExperiencein Wales.
Bthbikill bh di db
Both bikes will be hand-signed by Craig on each side and come with the original V5C documents bearing his
name,aswellas acertificate of authenticity signedbyboth DanielCraig and TriumphCEONickBloor.
Craigsaid:“TheRNLIhasbeenclose tomyheart allmylifesincegrowingup neartheRNLI stationatHoylake.I have incrediblememories of goingafloat withtheRNLI crew atRamsgateto experiencefirst-hand whatit’sliketo bepart of the organisationthat has savedmorethan146,000livessince starting up 200-plusyearsago.I am honouredandimmenselyproud to supportthe RNLIand hope theauction of Triumph’slimited-editionBond motorcycles proves popular. Theriding experiencewithLeeMorrisonand Paul Edmondsonaddsanother unique and excitingdynamictothelots.I worked withLeeonCasino Royale,alltheway throughto NoTimeToDie;the opportunityis not to bemissedandwill hl if df th tl lifi
help raise funds for the truly lifesaving cause that is the RNLI ” More info: https://cars bonhams com
SEGRAVETROPH YAWARDED TO THEBIRCHALLBRO THERS
We gotout ourbest biband tucker acoupleof weeksagotoattenda veryspecialgig up inLondon town.The Royal AutomobileClubin PallMall, round thebackofBuckHouse,wasthevenue,and the Segrave Trophypresentationwasthegig. TheSegraveis one of themost prestigious trophiesgiven out by theRAC’sawards committees,onlywhenavery deservingwinner comesup.It’snamedafterSirHenrySegrave,a land,airandwater record breaker,who sadly died during arecord attempt on LakeWindermerein 1930,andisawardedtoBritishspeedrecord breakerswho showexceptionalskilland bravery.
Whichispretty much thetextbook description of theBirchall Brothers,BenandTom. Thepair smashed the120mphlap barrier attheIsle of Man TT in2023ontheir600ccoutfitwith asimply incrediblerun.It’sbeen comparedwith atwo-up rideon aGoldWinground theMountain course:the powerandweightaresimilar(thoughtheBirchall’s sidecarislackingthestereoandsat-nav,sadly).
Previouswinnersincludefellowsidecar racer Steve Webster,andTT legendJoey DunloptoBarry Sheene,Mike Hailwood,JohnSurteesandGeoff Duke.Illustrious company indeed,asBenBirchall recognised.“Tobeput anywhere nearthose names
–I’msothrilledwe’ve been chosen,itmeans so much,”hesaid.
Theschoolsareback, the rainis back, xmasselection boxesarebackinthe supermarkets –which means thattheMotorcycleLiveShow atthe NECin Birminghamis very muchabout to beback.And for 2024,theorganisers have givenit abit of arevamp, withthethemebeing‘festivals’.The MCIAhas no doubtseenthesuccess of slightly differentshow formatsliketheABRfestivalandthe BikeShedShow inLondon,andseemsto be tweakingits ownshow to suit.
There’llbeasummerfestivalfeel –tricky in Novemberperhaps– with anew Festival Zone,live music,stuntshows,revisedentertainmentonthe Blackhorsestage,and anewlineupofcelebs, racers andpresenters.Thefood and drinkisalso being revamped,withmore gourmetstreetfood vendors offeringhigher-class options, andmuch more.
Ducati’s916isthirty yearsold this year –whichisfranklyterrifying for the older denizens ofFB Towers.And theBolognanfirm hascommissioned thissuper-trick£35kwatch to celebrate.It’saGeraldCharles Maestro 4.0Ducati30°Anniversario 916(probablybecauseCasiocouldn’t matchthe 916 redon an A159) and features a‘jumping-hour complication’ which lookslikea Ducati916three-spokewheel.Us neither,but soundsamazeballs. www.ducati.com
manufacturersrepresented.New,old, custom, concept,raceand competition machinery –itwillall be there on show,alongsidethe latestbolt-ons,tyres, helmetsand kit.
Tickets are on sale now,frozen atlastyear’sprices. More info,and thelatest on what’shappening,at www.motorcyclelive.co.uk
VMOTO STASH
Yesyes,weknow –you’drather see anewtwo-stroke250thana battery-poweredbikeinthese pages.ButthenewVmotoStash ismoreinterestingthanyoumight think,andgoodfuntoride.
Keepaneye onour online channels –Facebook, Twitter, andthe Fast Bikes website(www.fastbikesmag.com)–for news as ithappens.
STONER’S 800SELLS FOROVER£ 400K
Anotherhigh-pricedDucatihitthe news thismonth:CaseyStoner’s titlewinning2007Desmosedici GP07 racebikesold atauction for over £400,000. It’sreportedlythe mostexpensiveDucatiever sold, and perhaps the mostexpensive bike everauctionedfull stop.It’sa runner aswell, so we’re hopingto seeitatMallory inIntersnext season,bashingfairings with the CB500 crew.
It’spackedwithkitaswell–morethansomepremium superbikes.Youget cruise control, afullcolourLCDdash,built-inGPS trackingsystemaccessedwitha smartphoneapp,keyless‘ignition’, ABS, tractioncontrol,alarm, USB socketandthreepowermodes. TheStashnamerefersto auseful ‘stash’spacewherethefuel tank wouldbe,withelectric central locking.
Some oldtwo-strokeshave terriblyshort rangesaswell –but youcanfill‘em up muchfaster thantheStash of course.Ittakes aroundfive hours to fully charge fromzeroto100 percent,which wouldbeimpracticalif youtried tolivelikethat. But unlikean old stroker,you’ll have afull tank everytime youleavethehouse, andyourworkplace, assuming youcanchargeat both of those. That fact,and awillingnessto adjustyour biking lifetosuit,will makebikesliketheStashmuch moreusableinthemediumterm –and you’ll never need arebore ornewreeds. www.vmoto.co.uk
KTM/ HUSQVARNA DE ALS
The C-suitecrowd has clearlygone crazyatPierer:it’salsooffering VAT-freesales acrossitsKTMand Husqvarnamodelsthisautumn. Snatchupto£3090off aKTM Super Duke 1290GT ornearly£2koffa HusqvarnaFE501. Moreinfoonthe firms’websites.
WP SUSPENSION DE ALS
Winter’scoming, so it’stimetoget planningsome machineryupgrades. WPSuspensionisdesperatetohelp ownersof Pierer bikes –KTM/ GASGAS/Husqvarna, andisoffering up to25 percentoffforkand shock upgrades across road anddirt ranges.More info:www.wpsuspension.com
ALLTHE LATEST,COOLES T&TRICK ES TPERFORMANC EPRODUC TS
LS2 DRIF TERHELMET
ALPINESTARS APRILIAJACK ET
Alpinestarshasreleased anew rangeofkit,co-branded withAprilia,soyougetsolidA-starsqualitygearwiththe sweetdesigncuesoftheNoalebikemaker –smart. We likethisSpeedBlast Air Texjacket.It’satextileitem,with extensiveventingandmeshpanels...idealforthe 40-degreeheatItaly’sbeenhavingthissummer,perhaps lesssoifyouliveinGlasgowor Newcastle.FullNucleon Flex CEarmour packageforprotectioninshouldersand elbows,andyou’llwanttoaddyourownbackprotector orairbag.
ChineselidmakerLS2isexpandingits range once more,with anewmattblackandorange ‘Mud’ graphicforitsDriftermulti-purposeurban lid.The Drifteris aconvertible design,witha removable chinbar andpeak,soitcan be an open-facejetlid on hotdays,a full-facewiththe chinbar,oradventure-stylewiththepeakaswell. Both partscomeoffinseconds without tools. Youget aproperECE 22.06-certifiedshellmade fromLS2’sexclusive KineticPolymerAlloy(KPA) compositematerial,which weighsinat only1300g. It’spackedwith ventsand internal channelling, hasa removableand breathable hypoallergeniclining,anda micrometric buckle fastener.
RRP: £119.99(£99.99 plainc olour) ww w.ls2helme ts.c om
RUROC MA RV EL EOXHELME TS
Whetheryou likeMarvel comics ornot,many ofthe superheroes have entered cultureingeneral. You’ll definitely recognisethe Wolverine,Deadpooland Venom characters –andnow British helmetmaker Rurochas licensedthegraphicsforits high-endEOX rangeofhelmets. The Deadpooldesignfeatures metallic foil swordlogosand satinfinish,while the Wolverine scheme has amatt finish,and theVenom lidhas adeep gloss lacquerontop.Underthepaint isRuroc’sflagship carbon EOX helmet, with 22.06 approval,a quick-release visoranda super-wide 215-degreefieldof view.The Marveldesignsdolook prettysmart –you’ll knowifthis isthesort ofthing foryou.
RRP£ 499w ww.rur oc.c om
OXFORD CUBE LIGH TS
Add-on LED drivinglightsare allthe rageand makeabig difference to both seeingandbeing seen on abike.TheseOxford Cube unitsaremade from toughCNCanodised aluminiumpods,with 2.7wattLEDlightelements and afully waterproof IPX7 rating. They come in pairs,withintegral stainlesssteel brackets and easy-connecting wire splices,sowill be simple to installonmostbikes. Oxfordalso offers a‘Strip’linear version with similarspecs.
RRP:£99.99 ww w.ox fordpr oduc ts.c om
DUC ATI SILV ERS TONE SUNGLASSES
ASwegotopress,summerismakinga lastappearance,sowe’vebeendiggingour oldsunniesoutthebackofthedrawer. TheseDucatiCarreraSilverstoneshades lookmuchbetterthantheoldgarage specialswe’ve beenreducedtolately,and theyarespeciallydesignedtowearunder alid(thoughthefashionpolicewillbe watching). Red lenses, redrubberlegtips and asubtleDucatilogoroundsoffthe idealfancysunniesrecipe .nice.
One of thosehandy littletoolsthat you’ll not useoften,but whenyou needitisinvaluable.The WemotoTDC finder screwsintothespark plug hole on (probably) amad oldtwo-strokeor ancientBritish classic,soyoucanfind
thetop dead centre (TDC) positionandsetignitionorvalve timing.Available in10mm,12mm and14mm plugsizes,with a1mm graduatedgaugethatmoves up and down asyourotatethemotor.
Fittingalongermudguardis almostthe definitionofdull. Cleaning upcrapfromthe front ofyour engineand watching thefinishflake off andstartto corrode aftera fewthousandwinter miles isarguablyworsethan dull. This Avantfenderextender fromAmericanfirm MachineartMoto hasa cunning designthat clips ontothestockmudguard without drilling or modifying
anything. Itadds15.6cmto thelengthand3.15cmto thewidthandmatchesthe finish of thestock part, whichmakes abig difference tothewater, mudand debris comingoff the frontwheel.Fitsin threeminutes withtwo screwsistheclaim –easy peasy!Alsoavailable from theUKimporterNippy Normans forloadsofother bikes.
RRP: £74.90 ww w.nippynormans.c om
SW MO TECH LEGENDSTANKBAG
BikesliketheIndian FTR1200 don’t have anormalmetal fuel tank,sothere’snoway tostick on amagnetictank bag. Andthe FTRalso hasa weirdly-positioned fuelfiller capwith no surround, soyou can’thave aclip-onone.On bikeslikethat, youneeda strap-on device(fnnarr!)like thisSWMotechLegends bag.
BULL-IT TROJAN MEN’SRIDING JE ANS
Britishridingjeansmaker Bull-it hasredesigned its range recently,withthefirm’sown CovecOneskin reinforced denim clothand REZRO level1CE armour.These Trojanjeans come in black, with copperstitching andantique copperrivets, and havecontouredarmourpanels in hips and knees.Thebest bitis thesizesavailable:Bull-it offers short,regularand longleg fittings,sothose who are stumpy or stonking inlimb length canget abetterfit, with thearmour inthe rightplaces… Theyalso comeinslim, straight or easy cutstosuitdifferent tastesandbody shapes. Bull-it also hasloadsof otheroptions for menand women.
RRP: £174 www.bull- it.c om
Itattaches with neat buckles andquick-release clipsand addsasmallbutperfectlyformed5.5-litre storagespace to anybikewithease. It hasadouble overlaplidandan add-on rain coverfor totalwaterproofing.A nice premiumfeel andsemi-
design cues –ideal for theIndian.
RRP: £112.99w ww.sw- mo tech.c o.uk
classic
SHARK AERON GP
TE STED BY: Bruce
TI ME: Twomonths
RR P: From £949.99
WE B: www.nevis.uk.com
Ineverliketotakechanceswhenitcomesto ridingkit,withperhapsthebiggestredlinebeing what Iputonmyhead.Afterall,you’veonlygot oneofthem,sowhyriskit?Thatsaid,pricecan have alotofinfluenceondecision-making,and whenyouhearthatthenewSharkAeronGPwill setyouback£949.99ofKingCharles’sfinest pounds,it’llpossiblymakeyoustopandthink twicebeforeclickingthe‘buynow’button.Of course,there’sreasonbehindthe GP’sprice tag…infact,therearemanythataddtogetherto makeupthemarvelofthislatest-generationlid. Atitsheartis aclass-leadinglevelofsafety, benefitingfromaninnovativeCOVA(Carbon On View:Aramid)constructiontypethatnotonly bringsstrengthtotheparty,butlightnesstoo.
Its biggest talking point isitsaerodynamic prowess.Anindustry first,theAeron boasts some funkyflaps on therearspoiler thatare actuatedwithspeedto notonlyminimise dragin astraightline(by up to5%), buttoalso reduce turbulence by 50%.Dubbed theAdaptiveAero System,Shark claimsit canreduce theflageffect on riders by asmuchas80%also,which is no badthing if youfind yourself on thegridofa 24-hour endurancerace.
So,that’sthe spec,but what’sitliketo ride in? I’lladmit,I’ve not always been afan ofpastShark helmets,mybiggest complaint beingthatthey just didn’tfitmethatwell.Buttime’smovedon, andso hasthe shapeand design of itsflagship sportshelmet,whichisgood newsfor me.Off theshelfwith no tweaking, Iwasimpressed by thefit andcomfortofthe lid,whichgrippedmy facenicelywithoutleavingany extreme pressure points tomoanabout.The thickness of thechin straptook abit of gettingusedto,but the brilliance of thehugevisorwasappealingfrom
theget-go.Sharkhelmets arepretty sizeable compared tosome rivalbrands,butthat’snota badthing whenyougetto benefit fromsuch great peripheral. Within afew rides, Ifound myselfaccustomedtothe helmet, which surprised me.ItfeltlikeI’d been wearing it for months,having becomeused tothe weight, design,andthefunctionsofthe Aeron, which features alockable visortoguaranteeitdoesn’t ping up whenyou’repinning thethrottle.
Thefirst majoruseoftheGPwason track, over two daysand 14sessions. Thatamountof riding,atafair pace,tellsyou all youneedto know about ahelmet –short of what it’slikeina crash.The comfort was pretty exceptional,and while Ican’t comment on whetherIcould feelif theAeron’saerodynamic virtuesofferedmea morepleasurable ridingexperience, what Iwould sayistherewas nobuffeting tonoteandthatmy neckfeltremarkably unstrainedafterso much riding inshortsuccession.I shouldalsopointout thatthequietness of theShark was notable,and anothergreattalkingpoint isthe ease with whichyoucanchange avisor.I hateinstructions, andthankstothesimplicity ofthe foolproof system, none were needed to change fromthe stock clearvisortothedarktintthat comes with every Aeronpurchased,within itsownhelmet bag,alongsidefivetear-offs… in caseyouwant tomakeyourselffeelreally fast.
Longstoryshort,it’sahard helmettofault, andI’ve continuedenjoying to wearitonmany roadridessince thattrack debut. Despitenot being muchofaZarcofan,I quitelikethe colours ofhisreplicatoo,thoughthere’s awhole range ofcolours and carbondesignstopick from. For moreinfo,headtotheNevis website or,better still, popdownyour local dealerandtryoneon for size.
PERFECTO PANIGALE
Thereare somenewbikes thatcome alongandgrab yourattention forless timethanittakes totieashoelace… andthenthereare bikeslikeDucati’snew PanigaleV4 –asimply exceptionalmachine that’slitteredinsomanyperformanceinducingintricaciesthateventhelikes of Einsteinwouldneed alie-downafter getting throughhalfofthem. As forme, my brain was friedafter readingthefrstofmany pagesaboutthisnewmodel’s raftoffeatures andheavily revisedfocus. To putitsimply, there’sneverbeenaDucatiquitelike this beforeso,beforeyou godown therouteof thinkingit’sjust atarted-uptakeonthe modelthatcamebeforeit,thinkagain. No less than94%ofthePanigaleisnew,while it couldbesaidthat 100% of thethinking behinditisfresher than amountainglade soakedin Febreze.
Buildingonthesuccess of thethree previous versionsofthe PanigaleV4,Ducati’s seventh-generationsportsbikehas blownthe doorsoffconvention, deliveringtothe market amasterclass ininnovation, while hammeringhomethe point thatDucatiwill stopatnothing initsbid to buildthe very bestofthebest.Ifthere’sonething we all know about Ducati,it’sthat insatiablethirst forwinning; athirstso profounditcould make aseasonedalcoholicfeellikethey’re havingtheir frst pint.Winningis very much inDucati’s DNA,and it’s apoint thatthe Italianmarquehammershomewith convictiononthe racetrack.BeitatMotoGP or WorldSuperbikes, it’s atthe top… for now, atleast.Ifhistoryhas taughtus anything,it’stoneverforgetthat complacencycomes at ahefty –andoften heartbreaking –price.Takeyourhandoffthe throttlefora momentand arivalwill willingly escort youoff of thepodium.
So,how doesDucatiensureitremainsat the very forefront,whiletakingon manufacturerswithfarhigherbudgetsand moreresourcesatworldchampionship level?
In abidto ensureitstays firmlyatthe topofthe sportsbike peckingorder,Ducati’s gone all-outto createnothingshort
of amodernmasterpiece.
Well, it hastowork harder,smarterand faster.Ifyou’reafanof racingyou’llhave seeninnovationafterinnovationappearing onDucati’sracemachines, often starting outatMotoGP level, wherethegloves arelargely offindevelopmentterms, beforethese trickledownto productionbikes inordertofuel thehomologated machineswesee onthe WorldSuperbikegrid, such as the PanigaleV4R thattook back-to-backwinsinthehands ofBautistain 2022 and 2023. Andmaybeagainin2024? Time willtell,buttimeisalsothe reasonforthe majoroverhaulof thebrand’sfagship road-going sportsbike.
ItonlyseemslikeyesterdayIwas onthe launchofthe original version ofthe PanigaleV4at Valenciabackin 2018, beingblownawayby itsbrute force,smarttechandunmistakably GP-inspiredsoundtrack. It wasapivotalpoint forthebrand,whichthendecidedtoturnits backon alongand successful V-twin lineage in pursuitofthatnextstep.Fast-forward to 2020 and refnementscametheV4’sway, followedbymoretweaksin2022. Butif there’samessageinthe launchofthislatest iterationofthemodel,it’sthat tweaksalone aren’tenough tostayahead ofthe game. To bethebest,you must buildthe best –and that’sthe reasonforthetop-to-bottom reworkofthisprotagonist. To callit revolutionarywouldencouragechuntering fromarmchairwarriors, but rest assured that pretty muchall ofthebikeisnew…andnot justtheadditionofan unexpecteddoublesided swingarmor 916-inspired nosejob.
BeforeIget stuck intotheriding experience,I’lltickoffthemajorfocusesthat were hammeredhome duringthe model’s presentationat aswelteringlyhot Vallelunga racetrack, just outside Rome.Fromapure numberspointofview, the gains simply
WO RD S: DA NG ER OUS PI CS :D UC AT I/A LE XP HO TO
don’tdothemodeljustice.Theheadlinesare thatthislatestiteration weighsonekiloless thanthelastoffering,whilemaking0.5bhp more. Ofcourse,morepowerandless weight iswhatitisallabout,butif youwere expectingtoseesomemassive hikein power orslashin weight,now’sthe time to sendan angrylettertothefunpolicethatgovern Euro5+emissions. ThatDucatihasactually seenanykindofincrease overthelast
Panigaleisirrefutablyimpressiveand it’s had to workhardtoachieve it.How? Well,the additionofnew, higherdurationliftcams have helpedthingsalong,whilelongertravel velocitystacks(goingfurtherineach direction)hashelpedtoachieve abetterlevel ofinductionthroughoutthe rev range.These enhancements aside,theV4motorbenefts fromthesamegearboxastheonefound in theSuperleggeraV4,whilethealternator
rotorandoilpumphasbeendonated by the race-inclinedV4R...thecombinationof whichmeansmorepowerwithless heat, madeallthe sweeter by abig radiatorto ensureoptimisedthermodynamics.
Inthepresentation room,neatly arranged alongits walls were avarietyofcore components,withthefrontframebeing amongthemostenticingof all. Forsucha big,powerfulbike, itbeggarsbeliefthatthe unitholdingthemotortotheforksisquiteso minute,weighinginatjust3.5kg(areduction of 700g).While weightloss was onegoalof thenewunit,the40percentdropinlateral fexwas perhapsthebiggeroftheaims. As good as theoldframe was, complaintsofits stiffness didnotfallondeafears, andthe samecanbe saidaboutthe swingarm.It seemsstrangetosee aDucatisportsbikewith adouble-sidedunit,butthat’swherethe brandnowfndsitselfat,havingbeenurged by DucatiCorsetogodownthis route.Less weight,morefex,amassivehikein mechanicalgripandconsistenttyrewear formedthebasisforthistrajectoryintonew territory. Takingslimmingto anotherlevel was theadditionofforgedfve-spokealloy wheelsthatsavedfurtherkilosfromthemix. Badnews if youwanttobecometheproud ownerof aset, though –you’llhavetoinvest inthepricierV4S versionofthe Panigale, whichhitshomeat£29,995.Butforthatsum youwillalsogain ownershipofÖhlins third-generationelectronicsuspension.
