Hot on the heels of a 2021 update, Ducati once again beats its Panigale V4S with the buffhammer ahead of MY2022. The seat and tank are redesigned to lower the energy needed to throw around your body English along with new bodywork that improve aesthetics. New suspension, electronics and instrumentation join with a new gearbox to complete the performance enhancements to this already impressive sportbike.

Ducati Panigale V4S Performance and Capability

Changes within the gearbox and electronic engine controls on the Ducati Panigale V4S contribute to the overall improvements over the 2021 model. First, second, and sixth gear now have a longer gear ratio than before to improve speed at the top end of the rev range.

Tuned torque-management electronics join with four new Power Mode profiles for extra safety and flexibility. The Power Modes come in Full, High, Medium, and Low settings, the latter of which actually gimps the engine and limits output to 150 horsepower tops. That ain't all either, there's an array of fandanglery that carries over from last year.

Riding Modes join with Ducati's Traction-/Slide-/Wheelie-/Engine-Brake controls to complete the safety electronics. The ride-control electronics include an up-and-down Quick Shift feature and a Power Launch system that help you nail your holeshot and quickly work your way through the range with no missed shifts.

Power comes from the Desmosedici Stradale 90-degree V4 engine to the tune of 210 horsepower at 12,500 rpm with 90.6 pound-feet of torque at 11 grand even. Eighty-percent of the overall grunt is available at a relatively low 6,000 rpm, so you can count on tractable power fairly early on.

To broaden the torque band, variable-length intake funnels come stock on this lump. It rocks four poppets per cylinder with DOHC actuation, and as usual for a Desmodromic engine, a pull-closed cam replaces the usual valve springs for positive closure with no chance for harmonic valve float. Sure, it's a bit more complicated with higher maintenance needs, but this is why you can safely wind the thing up passed the 12k mark.

An 81 mm bore and 53.5 mm stroke gives it a 1,103 cc total displacement with a nuclear-hot, 14-to-1 compression ratio that'll bring some specific fueling demands, but it's a necessary evil for such a high horsepower output. Ducati Panigale V4S top speed is in the neighborhood of 186 mph (299 km/h) to verify its status as a track-worthy machine.

Engine & Drivetrain

Engine:

Liquid-cooled, Desmosedici Stradale 90° V4, counter-rotating crankshaft, 4 Desmodromic timing, 4 valves per cylinder

Displacement:

1,103 cc

Bore x Stroke:

81 mm x 53.5 mm

Compression Ratio:

14.0:1

Power:

210 hp (154.5 kW) @ 12,500 rpm

Torque:

90.6 lb-ft (122.8 Nm) @ 11,000 rpm

Fuel Injection:

Electronic fuel injection system. Twin injectors per cylinder. Full ride-by-wire elliptical throttle bodies. Variable length intake system

Exhaust:

4-2-1-2 system, with 2 catalytic converters and 4 lambda probes.

Transmission:

6 speed with Ducati Quick Shift (DQS) up/down EVO 2

Primary drive:

Straight cut gears; Ratio 1.80:1

Ratio:

1=36/15 2=34/17 3=33/19 4=32/21 5=30/22 6=27/22

Final drive:

Chain 525; Front sprocket 16; Rear sprocket 41

Clutch:

Hydraulically controlled slipper and self-servo wet multiplate clutch. Self bleeding master cylinder.


Design

Aerodynamic efficiency remains, as it always has, a front-burner issue for the Ducati Panigale V4S design team going into MY22. The updates in 2021 and 2022 were welcome after the 2020 was such a disappointment.

The dual headlights and their accompanying DRL bars remain much the same, but the winglets are not. They still generate 81.5 pounds of downforce at 186 mph to help keep that front hoop planted, just with smaller overall proportions than before. It's a two-in-one foil with the same down-turned tip to mitigate the drag-inducing wing-tip vortices a bit. The front fender rocks foil-shaped uprights that force the wind outboard and into laminar flow with the cowling in another drag-defeating measure.

Dead short clip-on bars pull the rider forward into the pocket, but honestly, you'll almost have to put your chin on the tank to find it. Don't despair. There's a taller screen available from the optional accessories list if you want a bigger comfort zone.

A color TFT screen handles all of the instrumentation and higher electronic functions with new superbike graphics, and as is often the case with race-capable bikes, the front blinkers are integrated with the mirrors for easy removal ahead of track days. Same with the tagholder/turn-signal/mudguard assembly out back, you can get rid of everything but the taillight by removing the platform component.

Jockey-mount footpegs put the pilot in position to capitalize on the narrow waist with some full-on body English as needed for proper racing performance, while the saddle rides in a deep recess for excellent man-machine integration.

Dimensions & Capacities

Dry Weight:

384 lb (174 kg)

Curb Weight:

431 lb (195.5 kg)

Seat Height:

33.5 in (850 mm)

Wheelbase:

57.8 in (1,469 mm)

Fuel Capacity:

4.49 gallon (17 l)

Number of Seats:

Dual seats


Chassis

Not even the bones were spared in the MY22 Panigale V4S redesign, which come tweaked for better handling and strong cornering characteristics, particularly during track use. Ducati takes the stressed-engine design to the max with a cast-aluminum front frame that bolts directly to the forward engine head. A shell-cast subframe supports the seat that mounts to the rear cylinder bank, and there's nothing but engine in-between.

The front frame section establishes a rake angle and trail that, at 24.5 degrees and 3.94 inches respectively, puts the Panigale deep in the agile end of the handling spectrum, to be sure. A set of 43 mm, usd Öhlins NPX25/30 forks float the front end on 4.9 inches of travel – that's up 5 mm from last year - and the full trinity of tweaks that are managed electronically. Same with the TTX36 monoshock that also sports the full range of adjustments complete with electronic management to tame the single-side swingarm and support the rear end.

The wheels are typical of the genre with a 17-inch diameter, front and rear. Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP hoops line the three-spoke, cast aluminum-alloy rims in a 120/70 ahead of a 200/60, and since these rubbers come with a “Z” speed rating, you can be confident that they'll have a pretty good chance to hold up to anything you and the V4S can dish out, especially at reasonable public-road speeds.

When it comes time to haul it down, you've got dual, 330 mm discs and four-bore Brembo Monobloc Stylema calipers up front with a 245 mm disc and twin-piston caliper out back. Bosch adds to the electronics package with its corner-sensitive ABS feature for a final bit of safety fandanglery.

Chassis & Suspension

Frame:

Aluminum alloy "Front Frame" with optimized stiffnesses

Front suspension/ Travel:

Öhlins NPX25/30 pressurized 43 mm fully adjustable fork with TiN treatment. Electronic compression and rebound damping adjustment with Öhlins Smart EC 2.0 event-based mode/ 4.9 in (125 mm)

Rear suspension/ Travel:

Fully adjustable Öhlins TTX36 unit. Electronic compression and rebound damping adjustment with Öhlins Smart EC 2.0 event-based mode. Aluminum single-sided swingarm/ 5.1 in (130 mm)

Rake:

24.5°

Trail:

3.94 in (100 mm)

Front Wheel:

3-spokes forged aluminum alloy 3.50" x 17"

Rear Wheel:

3-spokes forged aluminum alloy 6.00" x 17"

Front Tire:

Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP 120/70 ZR17

Rear Tire:

Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP 200/60 ZR17

Front Brake:

Dual 330 mm semi-floating discs, radially mounted Brembo Monobloc Stylema® (M4.30) 4-piston calipers with Bosch Cornering ABS EVO. Self bleeding master cylinder.

Rear Brake:

245 mm disc, 2-piston caliper with Bosch Cornering ABS EVO


Ducati Panigale V4S Pricing

You'd better like Ducati's self-named Red shade over gray frame and fenders with black rims, 'cause that's what you'll get right off the showroom floor. The 2022 sticker on the Panigale V4S is $29,995 MSRP, and the factory has a full line of accessories to let you make your mark on your sled. According to Kelly Blue Book, if you are looking for a Panigale V4S for sale, don't be surprised to shell out over $20k for one a few years old in good condition.

Equipment & Pricing

Instrumentation:

Last generation digital unit with 5" TFT color display

Safety Equipment:

Riding Modes, Power Modes, Bosch Cornering ABS EVO, Ducati Traction Control (DTC) EVO 3, Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC) EVO, Ducati Slide Control (DSC), Engine Brake Control (EBC) EVO, Auto tire calibration

Standard Equipment:

Ducati Power Launch (DPL), Ducati Quick Shift (DQS) up/down EVO 2, Full LED lighting with Daytime Running Light (DRL), Ducati Electronic Suspension (DES) EVO with Öhlins suspension and steering damper, Quick adjustment buttons, Lithium-ion battery, Auto-off indicators, Marchesini aluminium forged wheels, Racing style handle grips, Chain guard

Provided Equipment:

Passenger seat and footpegs kit

Ready for:

Ducati Data Analyser+ (DDA+) with GPS module, Ducati Multimedia System (DMS), Anti-theft, Heated grips

Warranty:

24 months unlimited mileage

Colors:

Ducati Red

Price:

$29,995


Competitors

This is an amazing machine to be sure, but it's definitely not alone on the world stage, so I had to look no further than Honda's CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP to find a worthy match for this Italian stallion.

Honda CBR1000RR-R

The CBR is designed with the same high-performance considerations in mind, and this shows up in the molded front fender, sporty engine cowling, and a trio of downforce-inducing foils on each side. Combined mirror/blinkers and an easily-removed rear mudguard make raceday preparation a breeze, which speaks to its designed purpose as a street-legal racing machine.

Honda falls off a bit in displacement with only 999 cc stuffed into its in-line fourbanger. However, the CBR's lump manages to outdo the Eye-Tie's power with 215 ponies with a trade off in torque that has only 82.6 pound-feet against the Duc's 90.6 pounds o' grunt.

Öhlins gets a win with its electronically-controlled goodies on both of these bikes, same with Brembo and its brakes. The Honda is more-or-less as tunable through higher electronics with traction control plus wheelie control, a riding mode system, ABS, and a quickshifter feature, all stock.

Even the price is in the right neighborhood at $28,900, which is too small of a difference to make a difference at this price point. Does it then come down to brand interest/loyalty?

He Said

“Ducati proves once again that it can put together machines that drive the imagination and inspire riders to look for the upper edge of their skill envelope. This is definitely one of those. As for myself, I'd probably pre-emptively dial it down to the 150-horsepower granny mode in self-preservation right off the bat, for sure.”

She Said

My wife and fellow motorcycle writer, Allyn Hinton, says, “This is quite an update just a year after the last update and the 2022 improvements are significant. Changes to gearing, power delivery, and ergonomics give the bike a whole new feel. The sound is proper racebike-like, but understand that the exhaust note is tweaked just a bit for the U.S. market so if your bike doesn't sound like the bike in a YouTube video, that might be why.”

Further Reading

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