First Ducati Panigale V4 rolls off the production line
By Michael Mann
BikeSocial Managing Editor. Content man - reviewer, road tester, video presenter, interviewer, commissioner, organiser. First ride was a 1979 Honda ST70 in the back garden aged 6. Not too shabby on track, loves a sportsbike, worries about helmet hair, occasionally plays golf and squash but enjoys being a father to a 7-year old the most.
17.11.2017
Photos showing the beginning of the Ducati Panigale V4 production have emerged as the £19,250 model is wheeled off the production line in Bologna, Italy for the first time.
The bike was fired up by a factory worker while alongside the firm’s CEO, Claudio Domenicali, who joined Plant Director, Silvano Fini, in raising a glass of something local and bubbly in celebration.
Unveiled to the world less than two weeks ago, Ducati’s new sports bike era began with test riders Casey Stoner and Michele Pirro declaring how powerful the new and gigantically-powered 211bhp 1103cc, liquid cooled, Desmosedici Stradale 90-degree V4 is “from very lower rpm” and “the turning is perfect with and without gas”.
Unsurprisingly the striking new Ducati was voted ‘the most beautiful bike on show’ at last week’s Milan Motorcycle Show (aka EICMA) and the new V4 alongside the two other variations in the range; the £23,895 ‘V4S’ which will be in dealerships in January, and the 1500-limited edition, £34,995 ‘V4 Speciale’ but that won’t be seen until March.
Despite its similar looks to the outgoing L-Twin 1299 Panigale, the new V4 not only has double the cylinders but a new frame and a host of MotoGP-derived electronic goodness with the likes of ABS Cornering control, Traction Control, Slide Control, Power Launch and a Quickshift system among others. The Italian manufacturer’s flagship sports bike has ticked all the boxes that surely places it firmly at the top of every 200bhp+ craving fanatic and Ducatisti the world over.
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