2020 Ducati Panigale V4 V4- 14971C

2020 Ducati Panigale V4

The 2020 version of the Panigale V4 boosts performance even further and takes track riding to the next level for amateurs and pros alike. 

A series of refinements make for an easier, more user-friendly, less fatiguing ride while simultaneously making the bike faster not just on individual laps but over entire timed sessions. The Aero Pack provides enhanced airflow protection and improves overall vehicle stability, enhancing confidence. The Front Frame, instead, modifies stiffness to give better front-end 'feel' at extreme lean angles.  

Ducati and Ducati Corse engineers have crunched the feedback/data numbers from customers all over the world and Superbike World Championship events. Their analysis has led to a series of aerodynamic, chassis, electronic control and Ride by Wire mapping changes: designed to increase stability and turn-in speed, these changes make it easier to close corners and ensure riders enjoy more confident throttle control.

The S version comes with Öhlins event-based electronic control; this uses the second-generation Öhlins Smart EC (Electronic Control) system that, exploits the full potential of the IMU 6D.

Aero Fairing by Ducati Corse

Co-developed by Ducati Corse and the Ducati Style Center, the Panigale V4 MY2020 aerodynamics package now mirrors that of the Panigale V4 R. The result; fairings that - in true Panigale style - meet official Ducati Superbike requirements in full.

As in MotoGP, aerodynamic development involved a series of preliminary CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) studies, followed by optimisation on a full-scale wind tunnel model.

The Panigale V4 aerodynamics package includes:

• Plexiglas screen, nose fairing and larger lateral fairings
• More efficient lateral vents for radiator through-air
• Aerofoils 

The new Plexiglas screen - higher and more angled - provides better airflow protection for riders, especially in the helmet and upper shoulder areas. The screen works in concert with a new nose fairing that is higher and wider (+15 mm per side) in the arm-shield zone to reduce arm and shoulder-induced drag on the straights.

The lateral fairings have been widened considerably (+38 mm per side) with the dual aim of reducing on-rider airflow impact and maximising aerofoil efficiency.

On the sides, the stylish air vents of the Panigale V4 have been replaced by more efficient ones that increase air through-speeds on water and oil radiators by 6% and 16% respectively.

The aerofoils take their cue from those on the GP16, designed before regulations led to restrictions on foil shapes. Consequently, Panigale V4 aerofoils are even more efficient that those currently employed in MotoGP.

These monoplane single-element foils have a trapezoidal layout and a profile that tapers from root to tip. Foil performance has been improved thanks to the insertion of the longitudinally arranged strake and the winglet which 'insulates' the airflow over its surfaces. To ensure the required strength and stiffness, Panigale V4 aerofoils are made of fibreglass-reinforced thermoplastic.

Working in concert with the fairing design, the aerofoils increase overall downforce (+30 kg at 270 kph). Greater downforce reduces both front wheel 'floating' at high speed and the tendency to wheel-up while giving a boost to stability during braking at the turn-in point and through the corner. 

This dynamic behaviour lets riders - against a small increase in steering torque that stems from the heightened stability - lower lap times as it reduces electronic control intervention, helping riders keep the throttle open longer and brake later, even when cornering has already begun.

New changes for top performances

The Panigale V4 MY2020 features new, specially developed Ride by Wire system mappings with several torque delivery control settings. Track-dedicated RbW mapping aligns rider demand with delivered torque more closely, resulting in smoother, more predictable throttle response.

V4 90° layout

• The Panigale V4 is powered by the 1,103 cm3 Desmosedici Stradale (banked 42° back from the horizontal), a MotoGP-derived 90° V4 with Desmodromic timing, a one-of-a-kind engine featuring a counter-rotating crankshaft and Twin Pulse firing order. The engine can deliver 214 hp at 13,000 rpm and a torque of 12.6 kgm at 10,000 rpm, making for awesome road riding.

MotoGP performance

The Desmosedici Stradale was developed to combine racing performance with all the necessities for road use. To maximise mid-range torque - so important for the enjoyability of motorcycles on roads open to traffic - and to achieve torque and power at slower speeds, the engine has a larger displacement than the MotoGP version, specifically 1,103 cm³. It delivers a power output of more than 155 kW (210 hp) at 13,000 rpm and a maximum torque of over 120 Nm (12.2 Kgm) from 8,750 to 12,250 rpm in the Euro 4 version.

MY2020 changes

Major changes on the Panigale V4 MY2020 chassis have seen the introduction of the Front Frame. Built according to Ducati Corse specifications, the latter features a special suspension set-up with a higher barycentre, an increased chain pull angle and improved use of suspension travel. Thanks to these modifications, the bike is easier to lay into the corner when you ease off the brakes, gets to the apex faster, soaks up any pits or ripples more effectively and behaves more neutrally out of the corner.

Front Frame with Ducati Corse specifications

The Front Frame is now the same as the one on the V4 R but differs slightly on account of the lighter, machined sides; these ensure attainment of the stiffness targets set by Ducati Corse for the SBK championship and reduce weight even further.

Greater frame flexibility means less on-track tyre stress and improved front-end 'feel' at maximum lean angles.

Completing the chassis is the light magnesium front sub-frame and the shell-cast aluminium seat sub-frame (attached to the Front Frame at the top and bolted to the head of the rear cylinder bank below).

Higher barycentre and increased chain pull angle

The fork mounting has been lowered 4 mm, while the suspension now has two link rods that are shorter by 5 mm. These changes have resulted in a 5 mm higher bike barycentre. The result? The bike is swifter at the drop-in and arrives at the apex faster.

A higher rear end also increases the chain pull angle: this results in an anti-squat effect and, therefore, greater bike stability during acceleration.

With a 24.5° rake and 100 mm trail, steering geometry remains unchanged.

Improved bike balance

The Panigale V4 is equipped with a 43 mm Showa Big Piston Fork (BPF) that provides fully adjustable spring pre-load and compression and rebound damping. The fork bodies house chrome sliders with Brembo radial caliper mountings. A Sachs steering damper completes the front-end package. At the rear there is a fully adjustable Sachs shock absorber, one side of which is attached to the Desmosedici Stradale engine via a forged aluminium bracket.

The Panigale V4 S, instead, mounts an Öhlins NIX-30 fork, an Öhlins TTX36 rear shock absorber and an Öhlins event-based steering damper. On this version suspension and steering damper are controlled by the second-generation Öhlins Smart EC 2.0 system which, among other things, features the new OBTi (Objective Based Tuning Interface).

On both versions, fork and single-sided swingarm have softer, less pre-loaded springs, resulting in more efficient use of suspension travel to even out pits and ripples on the asphalt. The combination of reduced fork stiffness and higher pre-loading gives better dive control during braking, resulting in easier, more intuitive turn-ins, especially for the less expert rider.

Latest-generation electronic controls

The Panigale V4 features a latest-generation electronics package based on a 6-axis Inertial Measurement Unit (6D IMU) which instantly detects the bike's roll, yaw and pitch angles.

The electronics package oversees every aspect of the ride: some controls supervise start, acceleration and braking, others govern traction and others again lend a helping hand on corners and out-of-the-corner stretches. 

• ABS Cornering EVO
• Ducati Traction Control (DTC) EVO 2
• Ducati Slide Control (DSC)
• Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC) EVO
• Ducati Power Launch (DPL)
• Ducati Quick Shift up/down (DQS) EVO 2
• Engine Brake Control (EBC) EVO
• Ducati Electronic Suspension (DES) EVO 

The operational parameters for each of these controls are associated by default with the three Panigale V4 Riding Modes. Riders can personalise parameters to suit their riding style or restore Ducati factory settings. DTC, DWC, DSC or EBC control levels can be adjusted quickly via the left switchgear.