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Oct 14, 2023

10 Reasons Why We Love The Ducati V4 R

Only the best need apply What Ducati doesn’t know about building both sports and

Only the best need apply

What Ducati doesn't know about building both sports and racing motorcycles isn't really worth knowing. When the 1,103cc Panigale V4 was launched, marking a new era for the company, it immediately fell outside the rules for World Superbike racing, which dictate that a four-cylinder engine - of any configuration - cannot be larger than 1000cc. To circumvent this, the Italian company also launched a 998cc version of the Panigale V4 - the V4R - with more power, myriad detail differences, sharper handling and more race-oriented electronics. A devastatingly effective track weapon, it also has a surprisingly mild and user-friendly side, not that anyone is buying one to go slowly!

Related: Top 10 Sport Bikes for the Track

With the 1299 Panigale, Ducati realized it was reaching the end of the development line of the iconic V-Twin engine, at least for its flagship models: it had been stretched as far as it could go and, even with the displacement advantage given to V-twins over four-cylinder engines in World Superbike racing, the Ducati was losing out badly to the likes of Kawasaki and Yamaha. The only solution was to develop a V4 which would not only be the beginning of a new era of development but would bring parity to racetrack performance against the inline four-cylinder engines. Remarkably, the new V4 is only marginally larger in external dimensions than the V-Twin it replaces.

World Superbike racing stipulates that four-cylinder engines must be 1000cc or less. This was no good for the 1103cc V4 Panigale engine so Ducati went to work and created a 998cc version for homologation purposes. The displacement was lowered by shortening the stroke, which has the effect of raising the rev limit to 16,500 rpm from 13,000 rpm for the V4S. With further internal lightening, power for the V4R has gone up to 221 horsepower from 214 for the V4S, although fitting the Akrapovič exhaust supplied with the bike raises horsepower to 231.

Given that a race bike spends a lot of its time virtually on its side through corners, relying on the suspension to work properly in that position is not enough to maintain control. So Ducati's engineers have used a disarmingly basic solution in what is a very high-tech bike to build in lateral flex to the aluminum chassis: they cut holes in it! Thus, when the bike is on its side, the actual chassis will flex, helping the wheels stay in contact with the road surface. This is common race-bike practice but not so often seen on road bikes. The swing arm pivot has four different positions to adjust both the height of the pivot, which raises the center of gravity and helps with changes of direction and anti-squat tendencies under acceleration and also the length of the wheelbase, which helps with stability.

Related: 5 Things We Love About The Ducati Panigale (5 Reasons Why We'd Never Buy One)

A lot of high-end motorcycles are now using Öhlins semi-active suspension, which adjusts the damping on a millisecond-by-millisecond basis for given riding conditions and style. The Panigale V4S gets this system but the V4R reverts to manually adjustable Öhlins suspension which is easier to fine-tune to a particular racetrack, rather than being able to deal with a wide variety of conditions. For 2023, Ducati has reduced the rear shock spring rate significantly, which aids weight transfer to the front on corner entry, improving grip and feel.

As you would expect, the electronics on the Ducati Panigale V4R are out of this world. As you would expect, there is an internal measurement unit governing lean sensitive traction control and ABS, with varying levels of intervention for both. There are four power modes - Full, High, Medium and Low - and parameters can be adjusted in each to adjust the power delivery: for example, the engine braking can be adjusted for each of the six gears. Naturally, there are different levels of launch and wheelie control, while there is a new ‘predictive’ traction control and rear wheel slide control. You can also specify an optional track-only software package that is designed to work when running slick or full wet rain tires. Be prepared to tie yourself in knots configuring it all.

Ratios in the six-speed gearbox are the same as used in the World Superbike race bikes and are all higher than on the V4S, which makes them much more suitable for the racetrack. The gap between first and second is closer which helps the quick-shifter work more smoothly, a common problem when using a quick-shifter.

The latest buzz-word in racing motorcycles is aerodynamics and it is tech that is trickling down to road bikes, even if their efficacy is doubtful unless running at full speed on a racetrack. The bodywork and aerodynamics of the V4R has been designed in conjunction with Ducati Corse racing department, the first time this has happened for a road bike. Compared to the V4S, the nose is 15mm wider on each side, the screen 34mm higher and the side panels wider by 38mm each side. The single-blade winglets on either side of the fairing develop 8.8 pounds of downforce at 62mph and 66 pounds at 167mph. The fairing also plays a big part in cooling the engine, with louvers sucking more hot air from the radiator and oil cooler to keep temperatures under control. Despite the changes, the V4R still looks sleek and utterly gorgeous.

Related: Exclusive: Ducati Ready 4 Red Tour Showcases The 2023 Model Lineup Including The Most Excessive Panigale Yet

This is a bike built for the track, and no arguments. The acceleration is brutal, the way it changes direction lightning quick and the forces your body are subjected to beyond the experience of anyone other than those who race professionally week-in, week-out. The Ducati Panigale V4R makes the V4S feel like a daily commuting bike. This is as race-ready a road-legal bike as you are ever likely to find. Having said that, it is also very easy to ride quickly: the throttle is super-smooth, the electronics the pinnacle of safety and the grip levels off the chart. It's super-agile and, if there is less torque than the V4S, then it only serves to enhance the stability under hard acceleration as the engine is not trying to turn the rear tire into jelly or tie the chassis in knots.

You’re an average person, with average riding skills, so could you get the best out of the V4 R? Despite the blow to your ego, we’d have to say no! It is so stiff, small and powerful, with sky-high dynamic levels, that you’ll properly struggle to hang on if you try to use all the available performance, braking and cornering power: you’ll be exhausted in a couple of laps unless you are seriously racing fit. You simply have to be a professional racer to even begin to tap into the performance, and it won't waste time flattering your skill, like many superbikes: the V4R is better than you and the sooner you accept that fact, the better it will be for your health.

Are there any real rivals to the Ducati Panigale V4 R? The other manufacturers would have you believe that there are but, compared to the BMW M. 1000 RR, the BMW HP4 race and the Honda Fireblade SP, the Ducati has raised the bar to seemingly unassailable heights. $44,995 is what you can expect to pay for all this ability which isn't excessively high for a bike that you could literally buy off the showroom floor, enter into your national superbike race series and stand a good chance of winning.

Harry has been writing and talking about motorcycles for 15 years, although he's been riding them for 45 years! After a long career in music, he turned his hand to writing and television work, concentrating on his passion for all things petrol-powered. Harry has written for all major publications in South Africa, both print and digital and produced and presented his own TV show called, imaginatively, The Bike Show, for seven years. He held the position of editor of South Africa's largest circulation motorcycling magazine before devoting his time to freelance writing on motoring and motorcycling. Born and raised in England, he has lived in South Africa with his family since 2002. Harry has owned examples of Triumph, Norton, BSA, MV Agusta, Honda, BMW, Ducati, Harley Davidson, Kawasaki and Moto Morini motorcycles. He regrets selling all of them.