Motorcycle specifications Ducati1100 Panigale V4 SP 2021 Sublime violence

Never leave a Panigale V4 on its own in the Ducati Corse. You'll see it come back all disoriented, eager for beautiful parts and with a pistard fever that's impossible to break. All she needs is a poker game with the Superleggera and the R, and..
Oops, too late. It's gone through the forbidden looking glass to come back in an absolutely irresistible SP version.

It ' s been a long time since we've seen this designation on an SBK from Bologna. The last time was for the 1198, where the red frame blazed beneath the black dress. For the Panigale V4 SP, the contrast is even more intoxicating. As dark as the ink on a chrono sheet, it features delicate blood scars - a sepulchral yet sculptural vision that electrifies the rider's animal side. The discovery of her body is enough to keep the desire alive all the way to the end of the track.

This Panigale V4 SP is a true family affair. From this evening in good company, it has gained the R's carbon fins and front mudguard, as well as its brushed aluminum fuel tank. Suspension is borrowed from the S, so you can enjoy the efficiency of electronically-controlled Öhlins components. The 43-mm NIX30 inverted fork and TTX36 shock absorber are adjusted via a Smart 2.0 unit, giving you the choice of managing settings in real time or fine-tuning them at the handlebars.

In terms of damping, we're talking top-of-the-range. Dynamics and chassis are clearly at the top of the range, with greater efficiency than the V4 and V4S. Carbon rims from the Superleggera save 1.4 kilos compared to forged aluminum wheels. This reduction in unsprung weight will give the Superleggera a boost when changing angles and entering corners. The Panigale V4 SP also features Stylema R calipers, the latest generation of Brembo calipers, to help you throw yourself into corners like a pig. Combined with an MCS radial master cylinder with remote adjustment, braking is as good as it gets on a production machine. No sooner do you look at the lever than you're already taking negative Gs.

The 1103 cm3 V4 engine, built into the aluminum frame, whips out 214 hp. To further optimize the delivery of power to the rear wheel, Ducat has added a dry clutch, delicately updated via an openwork carbon housing. It provides better power delivery, more effective anti-dribble and mechanical adjustment of engine braking via a secondary set of springs. Final drive is provided by a 520-pitch chain, 400 grams lighter. Every link could be seriously weakened by the thrust of 12.6 mkg. Fortunately, the electronics will regulate this a little. As for the almost-slicks Pirelli SuperCorsa SP tires... they'll be hot and dry.
Only one regret: that a matching exhaust system was not included as a gift.

Like the rest of the Panigale V4 family, the SP gets the latest EVO 3 DTC traction control, which is even more predictive. Alongside DTC are anti-wheeling, glide control, engine brake management, Up&Down shifter, cornering ABS, automatic tire calibration, start-off assistance, different power levels and riding modes. Three are available: Street, Sport and Race. The latter now features dual mapping - an A submode for fine surfaces and a B for uneven surfaces. Each can be configured as required. Given the power of the V4, all these assistances will be heavily used.

other top-quality features include the red-stitched saddle and the anodized aluminum Rizoma footrests. These are fully adjustable, as befits a racing bike. The grips are racing-style. Between the two, and under the TFT instrument panel, the machined upper tee is engraved with this SP's serial number.

We welcome the return of the Sport Production livery. In this bold, night-time garb, the manufacturer evokes the styling of its MotoGP and WSBK machines during winter testing - as Kawasaki does for its ZX-10R 'Winter Edition'. The V4 SP is designed to enable experienced riders to achieve better lap times than with the V4-R, if they don't have the high level of experience required to ride the latter.

You don't have to be a cad to appreciate its rear end; single-sided and single-armed, the V4 SP is pure Ducati. Weighing one kilo less than the V4-S, this bewitching Panigale will be sold with a racing kit containing everything you need to remove the mirrors and number plate, DDA+ telemetry with GPS and the aforementioned clutch cover. The price is as muscular as the engine, but (slightly) lower than that of the V4 R.

M.B - Manufacturer's photos