The 2022 Ducati Panigale V4 is finally here in India, bringing with it the absolute best of Italian engineering to the subcontinent. One of, if not the most evocative superbikes out there today, the Panigale V4 comes with a host of upgrades and improvements over last year, and starts at a staggering price point of ₹26.49 lakh. The Panigale V4 S costs ₹31.99 lakh whilethe range topping Panigale V4 SP2 will set you back ₹40.99 lakh, ex-showroom. Here’s all you need to know about the latest weapons from Bologna!
The 2022 Ducati Panigale V4 is already one of the best-looking bikes on the planet, and the engineers from Bologna have not tried to fix what isn’t broken. The fairing incorporates double-profile winglets which are now thinner. With this, Ducati says the vertical load remains the same — 30kg at 270kmph, and 37kg at 300kmph. The lower part of the fairing has also been redesigned to aid better cooling to the engine. Ducati has also made tweaks to the ergonomics of the 2022 Panigale to enhance the riding experience on the racetrack — the seat height has gone up by 15mm over the 2021 model and it now measures 850mm, while the seat itself has been made flatter. The rear portion of the fuel tank has been redesigned, and it can also hold an extra litre of fuel compared to its predecessor’s 16 litres.
One of the most fabled engines on sale today, the powertrain of the new Ducati Panigale has also gone through a series of changes in its latest upgrade. It continues to be powered by the 1103cc, 90 degree V4, liquid-cooled, Desmosedici Stradale engine, which puts out 1bhp more and 0.4Nm less than its predecessor, with power and torque figures now standing at 212.5bhp at 13,000rpm and 123.6Nm at 9500rpm. If these figures still don’t impress you, Ducati is also offering a full-titanium Akrapovic exhaust as a part of their race kity which increases power and torque figures to a mammoth 225bhp and 130.5Nm respectively, while also reducing weight by 5kg. The new Panigale also receives a new SBK-inspired six-speed transmission with extended gear ratios to make the motorcycle more track-oriented. This has also resulted in a 5kmph increase in top-speed.
The 2022 Panigale V4 continues to sport an aluminum front frame where the engine acts as a stressed member of the chassis, and is completed by the cast aluminum seat post. The standard Panigale V4 continues to receive fully-adjustable suspension on both ends — 43mm Showa big piston forks with chromed inner tubes at the front, while the rear features a monoshock from Sachs and an aluminum single-sided swingarm.
On the other hand, the Panigale V4 S ditches the Ohlins NIX30 front fork setup with the NPX25/30 43mm USDs. Meanwhile the rear retains the TTX36 monoshock and an aluminum single-sided swingarm. The suspension setup continues to feature the Ohlins Smart EC 2.0 which enables electronic adjustment. The new suspension setup also bestows the bike with an extra 5mm of travel. The swingarm has been set 4mm more than the 2021 model, which aids in stability of the bike during acceleration.
The braking system from Brembo has been retained. Meaning, both variants of the Panigale receive Monobloc Stylema M4.30 four-piston calipers radially mounted on 330mm twin floating discs with a self-bleeding master cylinder at the front, while the rear gets a two-piston caliper mounted on a 245mm disc.
This is where a huge chunk of additions have taken place, making the new Panigale even more advanced and meaner. An interesting new addition are the four Power modes to choose from, namely Full, High, Medium, and Low. The Full mode allows you to explore the full potential of the motorcycle by not allowing any electronic intervention in the torque curves except in first gear. High and Medium modes receive a new ride-by-wire mapping system for all six gears, while the Low mode limits the power to 147bhp to improve usability in real-world conditions.
The new Panigale also makes use of the latest generation of a six-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU), improving rider assistance features like cornering ABS, traction control, wheelie control and more.
In addition to the Power modes, the 2022 Ducati Panigale also receives four riding modes — Race A for experienced riders with maximum performance on offer, followed by Race B with a slightly reduced amount of torque. Then you have the Sport mode which activates the Slide by Brake function to enhance the cornering experience of the motorcycle, and lastly, the Street mode which is suitable for daily road conditions.
Other important features of the 2022 Ducati Panigale V4 and V4 S include the revised 5-inch TFT screen with a new gear position indicator and a new Track Evo mode to optimize the display, followed by the Bosch Cornering ABS, traction control, wheelie control, Ducati Power Launch, EVO 2 quickshifter, slide control, engine braking control, and auto tyre calibration among others.
The 2022 Ducati Panigale V4 SP2 gets all the electronic and aerodynamic changes that the 2022 model year Panigale V4 received and takes that one step further with a bunch of kit to make it that much faster at the racetrack. This kit includes but is not limited to Brembo Stylema R callipers, Brembo MCS master cylinder, nine-spoke magnesium wheels, a STM-EVO SBK dry clutch system and oodles of carbon fibre. You also have additional equipment like a data analyser, mirror block off, exposed dry clutch cover and more to make the bike more at home at the race track.
While there are few natural predators of the Ducati Panigale V4, some of the competitors it will have to face in India include the BMW S 1000 RR, Kawasaki ZX-10R, Yamaha R1, Suzuki GSX-R 1000R and Honda Fireblade. At a starting price point of ₹26.49 lakh, the Ducati surely commands a premium, but it also has the meat to match its words.