First Look: 2018 Ducati Panigale V4 / V4S / V4 Speciale

Here it is in the flesh, the first mass-produced Ducati motorcycle to mount a four-cylinder engine, and it’s derived, Ducati says, directly from the MotoGP Desmosedici. Actually there are three of them: Panigale V4Panigale V4S and V4S Speciale – the latter two with electronic Öhlins suspension featuring a new Smart EC 2.0 system, plus forged aluminum wheels, lithium ion batteries, and other assorted exotica. If that’s not rich enough, the Panigale V4 Speciale is a numbered, limited-edition bike with dedicated livery, titanium exhaust and CNC-machined from billet components. If you have to ask how much, don’t ask.

Desmosedici Stradale

The Desmosedici Stradale engine is a 90-degree V4 with desmodromic timing, of course. Its 81mm bore (the maximum allowed by MotoGP rules) is combined with a longer 53.5mm stroke than the MotoGP bike, netting a total displacement of 1103cc, not to mention a bit more torque. Compression ratio is 14:1 (seriously, don’t fill up at the Russian gas station).

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