In this issue: PANIGALE V2 TEST V4 R SBK TEST 848 EVO: THE STORY MOTOGP/SBK 2020 SUPERMOTO ITALIANE - FEBRUARY 2020 MONDODUCATI DOSSIER In this issue: PANIGALE V2 04 PIRELLI DIABLO CORSA 20 V4 IMPRESSIVE DEBUT 22 THE WORLD'S BEST-SELLING SUPERBIKE 26 DUCATI MEMORABILIA 30 THE NEW COMPANY'S BOARD OF MANAGEMENT 32 DUCATI LEAD THE "MOTOR VALLEY" ASSOCIATION 34 DUCATI 848 EVO 40 SUPERBIKE 50 ANDREA DOVIZIOSO 60 Issue 1 Redazione: Fotolito: FEBRUARY 2020 Franco Bartoli La Nuova Lito - Firenze [email protected] SUPERMOTO ITALIANE Marco Rainero Editore: Registrata presso [email protected] FBA - Via U. Rattazzi, 2/E/1 il tribunale di Firenze con 50136 Firenze il n° 5554 il 20/02/2007 Hanno collaborato a questo numero: [email protected] Stefano Cordara Direttore Responsabile: Matteo Gucci Carlo Bartoli Giorgio Tedioli [email protected] 2 MD DOSSIER FEBRUARY 2020 FEBRUARY 2020 MD DOSSIER 3 by Stefano Cordara A FAMILY MEMBER 4 MD DOSSIER FEBRUARY 2020 FEBRUARY 2020 MD DOSSIER 5 To call it a mid-range bike is a bit hard, in consideration of its price tag, output and performance, but one of the strengths of the new Panigale V2 lies in its outstanding balance. Powerful, agile, fun to drive, it can be pushed to the limit effortlessly. ince Ducati superbikes the performance of a maxi-bike with the have been around (at least steering agility and precision of a mid- from the 916 onwards), the dleweight machine. Introduced to the manufacturer has always public at Eicma 2019, the V2 represents released “small” siblings of the continual evolution of a project con- Sthese motorbikes. The 916 was suc- sidered vital by Ducati itself. ceeded by the 748, the 999 by the 749, The previous 959 model constitutes the 1098 was followed by the 848, the the starting point, as the Panigale V2 Panigale 1199 was added the 899 and retains its mechanical layout and the 959 models. iconic V-twin 955 cc Superquadro engine The guys at Borgo Panigale call them (well appreciated by Ducati purists!) “super-middleweight” bikes, and they Without being affected by the limita- have proven to be quite successful tions set forth by the new Euro 5 stand- among the public over the years as many ards (it is actually the first Ducati engine fans, thanks to these motorcycles, have to comply with it), this V-twin is even been able to access the rarefied realm of more brilliant than its predecessor, as Ducati superbikes. it gets a claimed 5 hp bump (with peak While retaining the superbikes’ char- output going from 150 to 155 hp) and ismatic soul, these bikes offer a less a slight increase in torque (from 102 to extreme (albeit no less fun) ride and 104 Nm). increased versatility for road use. On the other hand, the chassis has The same thing happens with the new been enriched with the addition of a sin- VIEW MORE PHOTOS Panigale V2, which is able to combine gle-sided swingarm, the same mounted 6 MD DOSSIER FEBRUARY 2020 FEBRUARY 2020 MD DOSSIER 7 Panigale V2 Colour Ducati Red with black wheels Main as-standard features: New design Euro 5 compliant 955 cm³ Superquadro engine Under-engine silencer with single side end pipe Aluminium monocoque frame Aluminium single-sided swingarm Fully adjustable 43 mm Showa Big Piston Fork (BPF) Fully adjustable Sachs shock Sachs steering damper Electronics package with 6-axis Inertial Measurement Unit (6D IMU): ABS Cornering EVO; Ducati Traction Control (DTC) EVO 2; Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC) EVO; Ducati Quick Shift up/down (DQS) EVO 2; Engine Brake Control (EBC) EVO Riding Modes (Race, Sport, Street) 17-litre steel tank Full-TFT 4.3” colour dashboard Full-LED headlight with DRL Two-seater configuration Braking system with Brembo M4.32 monobloc cali- pers Wheels with new 5-spoke design Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa II tyres (rear 180/60) Ready for: Ducati Lap Timer GPS (DLT GPS), Ducati Multimedia System (DMS), Ducati Data Analyser+ GPS (DDA+ GPS) on the 1299, as well as by a new compact as well, by equipping the bike with a new body and the mind; on the other one, the exhaust that allows full view of the rear and softer seat, which is also 20 mm medium-sized bikes, whose selling points wheel, thus enormously improving the longer than the previous model in order are contained weight and handleability, look of the motorcycle. to improve mobility, especially sideways. with engines delivering not-so-extreme The numbers of the chassis are slightly Sporting such characteristics and a values. different too: While the inter-axis is 5 curb weight of 200 kg with full tank, the The Panigale V2 lies just in the middle, motorcycle with 955 cc and 155 hp as a than this one, which is now considered reality here, as, although it is true that mm longer, the front wheel trail is slightly Panigale V2 is able to successfully com- basically carving out a market segment middleweight, but this could be consid- an entry-level bike, so the whole thing the Panigale V2 is more accessible than shorter and the weight distribution is bine the best of both worlds: On the of its own; it draws from both worlds, ered as a sign of the times in the super- clearly shows a mutated perspective of the unruly V4, it remains by all means a even sportier with a 1% increase in load one side the superbikes, characterized packing in quite an appealing mix to its bikes’ evolution: The motorbikes used by our sensitivity when approaching this premium product. on the front chassis. Ducati has then by increasingly powerful and extreme potential buyers. Troy Bayliss to win his earliest Superbike segment. To justify its price tag, the bike comes worked to improve the riding comfort engines, but often hard to drive for the It is certainly a bit weird to label a titles were just slightly more powerful However, we must come to grips with with an electronic package unrivalled by 8 MD DOSSIER FEBRUARY 2020 FEBRUARY 2020 MD DOSSIER 9 10 MD DOSSIER FEBRUARY 2020 FEBRUARY 2020 MD DOSSIER 11 Instrumentation on the Panigale V2 features a 4.3" TFT display. Graphics and interface make menu browsing and adjustments easy while allowing more immediate identification of the selected Riding Mode. The Riding Mode interface clearly and immediately shows any changes being made to the settings. This is done thanks to the explanatory graphics of the system being adjusted and a graduated scale indicating whether the modification is better suited to performance or safety/stability. The rear suspension features a fully adjustable, Sachs monoshock, which reacts to the motion imparted by the die-cast single-sided aluminium swin- garm via progressive-rate linkage. The shock absorber is side mounted to make the unit fully accessible for rebound and compression damping and spring pre-load adjustments. The front headlight assembly is extremely compact thanks to the adoption of The Panigale V2 front brakes use twin M4.32 Brembo monobloc callipers two small LED low beam / high beam modules. The Daytime Running Light actuated by master cylinders. The front calipers grip 320 mm discs, while a and the upper rim of the dual headlight assembly create a 'browed' look, single 245 mm disc at the rear is gripped by a single Brembo calliper. the modern hallmark of Ducati sports bikes. At the rear, instead, the full-LED tail light features a two-part design as per Ducati sports tradition. The dual red arch of the side light makes the Panigale V2 both unique and assertive. Front and rear LED indicators complete the lighting system. any other mid-range sport bike on the these controls are associated by default needs of all riders, on road or racetrack, market. The Panigale V2 features modern with the three Riding Modes (Race, even under critical low-grip conditions. electronics based on a 6-axis inertial Sport, Street). Riders can personalise In light of such premises, you can easily thanks to their amazing performance, ent take on sport riding: It is not a “I it along the curbing of the technical Cir- platform which instantly detects the parameters to suit their riding style or imagine how seconds after you get off and every time you open the throttle, wish I could” [afford a different model], cuito de Jerez in Spain, where you can bike's roll, yaw and pitch angles. restore the Ducati default settings. the bike with a smile stamped on your they deliver an adrenaline rush to the because we are not talking peanuts here, appreciate its smoothness when bend- On the Panigale V2, the electronics The ABS system on the Panigale V2 face, you are already looking forward to spine that is nothing short of phenom- but it should be regarded as a different ing down, steadfast stability under hard package consists of: ABS Cornering EVO, features the cornering function (which your next ride. enal. philosophical proposition. braking and the feeling of being able to Ducati Traction Control (DTC) EVO 2, keeps the ABS working even with the This is because the Panigale V2 is never However, they are not everybody’s cup If driven by an expert pilot, it is an tap it for all it is really worth. Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC) EVO, bike leaned over) and has the same inter- physically exhausting on you, but it makes of tea, as to extract the best out of them extremely fast and performing bike, In a few words, when riding the Panigale Ducati Quick Shift up/down (DQS) EVO vention logic and control as on the Pani- you want to ride it over and over.