The Ducati that feels exotic, usable and less intimidating than you might expect

Ducatis have always had a reputation for being prima donnas. They also sacrifice everything at the expense of speed: usability, reliability, and pretty much everything else that makes sense. They’re still selling because the highs they achieve with this no-compromise approach far outweigh the lows of the dreaded Desmodromic check and valve clearance adjustment.

However, in recent years, Ducati has consciously tried to change this perception through real changes to its products. The biggest one is the abandonment of the sacred desmo setup. Likewise, the new bikes aim for light weight rather than more power for better performance. That’s not to say they’ve lost the essence of what makes them Ducatis; they just lost a lot of their negatives. And there’s no better example than the Ducati, which feels exotic, usable and less intimidating than you might expect.

The Panigale V2 is the Ducati that feels exotic, usable and less intimidating than you might expect

Ducati sports bikes are the purest distillation of what Ducati stands for, but for its middleweight Panigale, Ducati has pivoted and decided to make it more accessible to a wider audience. The Panigale V4 is still pure Ducati, but the V2 now looks more like a sports bike that can commute. At the same time, the way it looks and feels is special. It ultimately feels both exotic and useful, because it’s less intimidating than you might expect.

Ducati Panigale V2 Price: $16,995

The new Panigale V2 still has premium prices, but sits somewhere between the middleweight sports bikes and the liter class ones. The price is still premium, and if you load it up with accessories or opt for the Panigale V2 S you can easily get into liter sports bike territory, but a case can be made that the base price of under $17,000 is almost reasonable for a Ducati sports bike!

Ducati Panigale V2 engine

Take a look at the spec sheet and it looks like Ducati has decided to take a step back with the new Panigale V2. The old Panigale was a power-hungry monster who did not care about everyday life. While the new Desmodromic eschews valves for regular valve springs, it has a lower displacement and lower peak horsepower. The only nod to modernity (at least on the spec sheet) is the introduction of variable valve timing for the intake valves.

The new V2 retains the 90-degree V-twin format, but displaces 890 cc and generates 120 horsepower at 10,750 rpm and 69 pound-feet at 8,250 rpm. It still retains its short-stroke character and has a high compression ratio of 13.1:1. All this may make it sound like a high-revving engine, but the truth is that 70 percent of maximum torque is already available at 3,000 rpm.

A by-wire throttle and six-axis IMU are standard, so you do get riding modes, cornering traction control, wheelie control and engine braking control. Meanwhile, the six-speed gearbox has a hydraulically assisted assist and slipper clutch, and a two-way quickshifter is standard. Despite all the obvious disadvantages, the new Panigale V2 is not significantly slower than the Panigale V2 it replaces!

Ducati Panigale V2 chassis

The Panigale V2 continues the monocoque design used on the Panigale V4. Aluminum is used and it gives ‘engine as stressed member’ a whole new meaning. The monocoque is bolted to the cylinder head, while the rear subframe is attached to the rear cylinder head. There’s a hollow aluminum double-sided swingarm and a lithium-ion battery that saves weight. As for the suspension, you get a fully adjustable 43mm Marzocchi fork, paired with a fully adjustable Kayaba single shock absorber at the rear. Suspension travel is 4.7 inches in the front and 5.9 inches in the rear.

The brakes are serious: twin 320mm semi-floating discs up front with Brembo M50 monobloc calipers that are radially mounted, fixed and have four pistons each. At the rear, a 245mm disc has a two-piston fixed caliper. Cornering ABS is standard and can be adjusted to three levels. The 17-inch alloy wheels with Y-spokes are fitted with Pirelli Diablo Rosso tires for maximum grip on asphalt.

Dimensions Ducati Panigale V2

This remains a relatively compact bicycle, but not uncomfortable. The seat height is a relatively high 33 inches and the wheelbase is 57.7 inches. The tank holds a very reasonable 4 gallons, but the big step up is in weight. The Panigale V2 weighs 395 pounds wet, without fuel.

This is due to weight savings in various places. For example, this is the lightest V-twin engine Ducati has ever produced (20 pounds lighter than the Superquadro engine it replaces). Add to that the 8.8 pounds of the frame and this new Panigale V2 has managed to shed 33 pounds over the older model.

Ducati Panigale V2 features

The power of the Panigale V2 is speed and versatility. The feature set is focused on these two things, not really on flashy things as such. The basics are covered: there’s a 5-inch TFT screen that displays everything you could need to adjust all the parameters of the electronics. However, Ducati continues to make optional extras for Bluetooth and navigation, so you’ll have to spend $372 on the Bluetooth module, and a total of $688 for the GPS module and turn-by-turn software. That’s another $1,000 added to the price of the Panigale V2. We also want to add tire pressure monitoring, which costs another $561.

If you want to convert it into a track machine, there are a lot of things you can add, including a lap timer, tire warmers, an Ohlins steering damper, adjustable aluminum footpegs, sporty handlebars, a larger windshield and racing fairing, covers for the holes left by the mirror brackets and license plate mounts, various carbon fiber parts… the list goes on. Suffice to say, you can convert the Panigale V2 (somewhat) into an old-school Ducati sports bike with the right accessories.

Ducati Panigale V2 competition

The Panigale V2’s real rival is the Yamaha YZF-R9. It has similar power, targets a similar audience, and is significantly cheaper at $12,499, especially since you don’t have to shell out extra money for Bluetooth and navigation. However, it does not meet the ‘exotic’ criteria. The Aprilia RS660 Factory certainly meets these requirements, but it belongs in a class below it, both in terms of price ($13,999) and performance.

You might consider a liter sport bike like the Honda CBR1000RR ABS ($17,299). The Fireblade is the most docile of all the liter bikes, but it’s only exotic because so few are sold these days. And an old-fashioned liter bike can be quite intimidating when you reach the higher revs.

If we’re looking for exotic, usable, and less intimidating than you might expect, let us suggest a choice out of left field: the Aprilia Tuono V4 1100. At $16,399, it falls right within the ballpark of the Panigale V2. It also has options that allow you to customize it to your preferences, whether as an everyday bike or a track day tool. The mill has a lot of torque, but still has great power. Since the nude is a sport, it is certainly usable and has a less intimidating riding position. Oh, and it’s just as Italian and just as exotic as the Panigale V2.

Ducati Panigale V2 vs Aprilia Tuono V4 1100

Source: Ducati USA