2025 Ducati Panigale V4 and V4 S first look

August 28, 2024November 1, 2024

2025 Ducati Panigale V4 and V4 S first look

The Ducati Aruba.it racing team won back-to-back Superbike World Championships in 2022 and 2023. It wasn’t close, either. Aboard the Panigale V4 R, Ducati rider Álvaro Bautista finished each season more than 70 points ahead of his nearest competition.

So, why wouldn’t Bologna’s own apply those learnings to its other superbikes? Well, as Ducati Test Rider Allesandro Valia observed, Ducati “must continue to evolve, because in racing, as in life, if you stop, you get left behind.” Enter the 2025 Panigale V4 and V4 S.

The 2025 Ducati Panigale V4 retails for $25,995 while the up-spec V4 S variant (above) carries a $33,895 price tag.

The next generation

The heart of any Duc is the engine and the Italian manufacturer showered its 1,103 cc V4 with upgrades yet again. Its desmodromic valvetrain, a counter-rotating crankshaft, and twin-pulse timing still allow Ducati to draw parallels to its Desmosedici GP, but the engine also earns the alternator and oil pump from the Panigale V4 R and the gearbox drum from the Superleggera V4. New cams (with higher lift values) and a revised intake manifold round out the changes.

Lighter by 2.2 pounds, the Desmosedici Stradale now produces a claimed 216 horsepower (at 13,500 rpm) and 89 foot-pounds of torque (at 11,250 rpm). That’s only in its Euro5+ form, unfortunately. For the U.S. market, the V4 reportedly makes a measly 209 horsepower at 12,750 rpm. If it’s any consolation prize, the stateside model gains 0.5 foot-pounds of torque, at 89.5 foot-pounds (at 11,250 rpm). Ducati doesn’t offer an explanation for the disparity, but emissions — noise emissions, specifically — have forced manufacturers to send differently tuned models to the United States in recent years.

Equipped with the Ducati Performance Akrapovič racing exhaust, the Panigale V4 delivers 228 horsepower (claimed). Mamma mia!

Ducati superbike fans have favored single-sided swingarm over the years, but the Panigale opts for a double-sided swingarm in 2025. The unit may not boast the same curb appeal, but according to Ducati, it reduces lateral stiffness by 37%, which helps maintain grip at lean angles over 60 degrees. Paired with the new five-spoke rear wheel, it also saves 4.85 pounds on the outgoing single-sided swingarm and wheel combo.

Bologna engineers even shaved precious grams (0.73 kilograms, to be exact) from the Panigale’s front frame. That equates to a 1.6-pound savings. That results in a 7.6-pound overall weight for the front frame. Ducati says it also recalibrated the frame for 40% less lateral stiffness. (Is it me or is this chassis starting to sound like a wet noodle?) The base model’s Showa BPF fork and Sachs shock both offer full adjustability while the V4 S flaunts an electronically adjustable Öhlins NPX front end and TTX shock. swingarm in 2025. The unit may not boast the same curb appeal, but according to Ducati, it reduces lateral stiffness by 37%, which helps maintain grip at lean angles over 60 degrees. Paired with the new five-spoke rear wheel, it also saves 4.85 pounds on the outgoing single-sided swingarm and wheel combo.

The 2025 Panigale V4 is also a worthy venue for Brembo to debut its all-new Hypure front brake calipers. The clampers don’t just save weight (two ounces each) but also offer more consistent braking performance and heat dispersal. Furthermore, the Pani’s brakes benefit Race eCBS, a system Ducati joint-developed with Bosch. Based on techniques utilized by professional riders, the system activates the rear brake when entering a corner (even if the operator releases the front brake). This helps users push their braking markers further into the corner. By Ducati’s estimates, anyway.

Tech, with a side of motorcycle

I hope you’re a fan of three-letter acronyms because the Pani has them in spades. That includes (long breath) Ducati Traction Control (DTC), Ducati Slide Control (DSC), Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC), Ducati Power Launch (DPL), Ducati Quick Shift (DQS) 2.0, and Engine Brake Control (EBC). Many of those aids aren’t just governed by, you guessed it, an IMU, but also by the Ducati Corse-developed Ducati Vehicle Observer (DVO).

The system measures “the ground forces acting on the motorcycle and the loads that it can bear in various riding conditions.” Integrated with the data collected from the IMU, DVO intervenes in a “predictive manner,” all while promoting the rider’s “search for maximum performance.” The system currently oversees DTC, DWC, and DPL.

The Panigale V4’s five-inch full-color TFT has been a shining example within the category for years. Still, Ducati lavishes the 2025 model with a snazzy 6.9-inch unit. Its 8:3 aspect ratio is downright panoramic, with enough real estate to report all information to the rider. The Road layout is clean and simple, with practical data like ride settings, smartphone management, water temperature, and cruise control prominently displayed.

Track mode takes a different tack. Riders can monitor the g-forces acting on the bike, the power and torque delivered by the engine, or the current lean angle. Users can even follow their split times in real-time. Telemetry retrieval allows racers and track racers to analyze data with external software.

With all that performance and tech under the hood, it’s no wonder the 2025 Panigale V4 starts at $25,995. If you can’t go without electronically adjustable suspension, forged aluminum wheels, and a lithium battery, the $33,895 V4 S is your only option. No matter what you choose, the latest-gen Panigale V4s will hit Ducati dealers in September.

Specif.

2025 Ducati Panigale V4

2025 Ducati Panigale V4 S


Price (MSRP)	$25,995	$33,895
Engine	1,103 cc, liquid-cooled, 16-valve, V-four
Transmission, final drive	Six-speed, chain
Claimed horsepower	209 @ 12,750 rpm
Claimed torque	89.5 foot-pounds @ 11,250 rpm
Frame	Aluminum twin spar
Front suspension	Showa 43 mm BPF, adjustable for spring preload, compression and rebound damping; 4.9 inches of travel	Öhlins NPX25/30 43 mm fork, adjustable for spring preload, electronically adjustable for compression and rebound damping; 4.9 inches of travel
Rear suspension	Sachs shock, adjustable for spring preload, compression and rebound damping; 5.1 inches of travel	Öhlins TTX36 shock, adjustable for spring preload, electronically adjustable for compression and rebound damping; 5.1 inches of travel
Front brake	Dual Brembo Hypure four-piston calipers, 330 mm discs with ABS
Rear brake	Brembo two-piston caliper, 245 mm disc with ABS
Rake, trail	24.0 degrees, 3.86 inches
Wheelbase	58.5 inches
Seat height	33.5 inches
Fuel capacity	4.5 gallons
Tires	Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP-V4, 120/70ZR17 front, 200/60ZR17 rear
Claimed weight	421 pounds (no fuel)	412 pounds (no fuel)
Available	September 2024
Warranty	24 months
More info	ducati.com