Ducati has been throwing aces out of his sleeve lately with a vast introduction of new models. This time we head for the track, for an updated 2022 Ducati Panigale V4 and V4 S.
Visually, you can distinguish the 2022 Ducati Panigale V4 from its predecessors by the new, smaller winglets, which generate the same downforce as before.
Ducati's top models were known as hotheads (with an exhaust collector right under your butt), so they now have two air slits on either side of the bellypan, as well as a series of cooling holes on the bottom, all of which aid in cooling and heat dissipation.
This optimized cooling contributes to raising the performance of the Desmosedici Stradale V4 engine to new heights.
Ducati has also made numerous changes to the Panigale V4's bodywork and saddle to make the bike more rider-friendly and less tiring to ride.
The big changes here are the new shape and material of the fuel tank, which have been tweaked to make it easier to grip.
The 'two-component' seat has also been designed to help in this regard, and the rear of the seat has been made more flat to make it easier to duck behind the fairing at high speeds.
Taking over the gearbox from the Ducati Panigale V4R, the first, second and sixth gears of this 1,103cc machine are longer, to make it easier to shift between those gears and to increase the top speed by about 5 km.
A new engine calibration is also planned for 2022, and noteworthy that the exhaust ports have been enlarged by 18%. There is also 5mm extra suspension travel on the front fork.
Ducati says that this adjustment helps to improve the front end feel of the Panigale V4 and keep the bike more stable while riding.
The pivot point of the swingarm was then raised by 4mm to counteract full compression under acceleration, which should help keep the 2022 Panigale V4 more stable when accelerating out after the apex.
The new one now delivers 215.5 hp at 13,000 rpm as standard, with a maximum torque of 123.6 Nm at 9,500 rpm. The good news is that no less than 100 Nm is already released at just 6,000 rpm!
For the real track beasts, Ducati of course has a set of Performance Parts, including an aftermarket Akrapovic racing exhaust.
With this exhaust, the power increases to 228 hp and the maximum torque to 131 Nm, while the weight of the motorcycle decreases by 5 kg. In its standard form, the weight of the 2022 Ducati Panigale V4 has already been reduced to 195.5 kg.
The 5″ TFT dashboard has been restyled. In addition to the change in layout, the most striking feature are the two LED shifter lights at the top of the unit.
The 2022 Ducati Panigale V4 continues to use a six-axis IMU, which includes cornering ABS, slide control, wheelie control, traction control, engine brake control and an up/down quickshifter.
The brake-to-slide function has also been added to the ABS system.
The 2022 Ducati Panigale V4S now also uses cartridges on the Öhlins NPX 25/30 semi-active (Smart EC 2.0) fork, while the V4 S is supported by an Öhlins TTX36 shock absorber at the rear.
The V4 S relies on Brembo Stylemas for braking, and Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SPs surround the aluminum three-spoke wheels. You can recognize the 'S' by its slightly different colored muffler, the two-tone saddle and of course the S logo.
The 2022 Ducati Panigale V4 and Panigale V4 S will be available from official Ducati dealers from early 2022 in the color Ducati Red.