2023 Ducati Panigale V4 SP2 First Look

Admin · March 12, 2022

The beast in its natural environment. Ducati’s new Panigale V4 SP2 is fully street legal, but designed to be the ultimate trackday thrill ride. (Ducati/)

Is a Ducati less of a Ducati if it’s not Ducati red? Not if it’s the new Panigale V4 SP2. In fact, the opposite is true; the SP2′s matte black finish establishes a direct connection to Ducati’s 2022 MotoGP bikes. Think of it as a “winter-test stealth” color scheme and you’ll get the picture.

In the Ducati lexicon, the “SP” in the bike’s name stands for Sport Production. Based on the 2022 Panigale V4 S, the new SP2 naturally incorporates all the technical improvements announced last November for the S model, plus much more. The 1,103cc four-cylinder engine (81mm bore, 53.5mm stroke, 14.0:1 compression ratio) delivers 215.5 hp at 13,000 rpm and 91.2 pound-feet of torque at 9,500 rpm in Euro 5 homologated form, while the EPA-compliant configuration shaves just a whisker, making 210 hp at 12,500 rpm.

Couched low on its premium Öhlins suspension, the Panigale V4 SP2 looks as purposeful as a cruise missile. (Ducati/)

The present Euro 5 desmo V-4 represents a spectacular combination of very high peak power at extremely high revs along with massive torque maxing out at 3,500 below maximum horsepower. That 3,500 rev range gives it a very exploitable performance envelope. And consider that really focused riders can safely push the engine deep into the redline, all the way up to 14,500 rpm where they’ll be rewarded with an additional 2.5 hp, if they truly need it. All in all, the Panigale V4 S engine is closely related to the 1-liter units that power Ducati factory machines in World Superbike.

Exclusive SP2 Upgrades

Let’s explore some of the SP2′s more tasty bits. First, it offers a STM-Evo SBK dry clutch in place of the regular oil-bath wet clutch. The STM-Evo unit is directly derived from Ducati’s World Superbike racers. The design ensures superior anti-hop performance, and riders can further tune it with a selection from Ducati’s special parts list, allowing them to custom tailor the clutch’s spring preload. The bike’s final drive uses a lighter, 520-type chain.

The SP2’s dry clutch is just the start of the exotica. Ducati also makes a selection of springs, so you can fine-tune clutch preload. (Ducati/)

The Panigale V4 SP2′s vastly improved chassis settings and lighter weight are the bike’s other main virtues. Carbon wheels replace Panigale V4 S’s forged-aluminium equivalents, substantially reducing unsprung mass by about three pounds each. The carbon wheels also reduce gyroscopic effect, and of course, naturally add an extra touch of exclusivity. Wheel size doesn’t change, and are still the customary 17 x 3.50 front and 17 x 6.00 rear, mounted with Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa tires, 120/70-17 and 200/60-17 fore and aft.

If you’ve got it, flaunt it. Nothing shows off the SP2’s delicious carbon wheels like the bike’s single-sided swingarm. (Ducati/)

Suspension also gets top-level upgrades. At the front, a 43mm male-slider Öhlins NPX 25/30 fork features a pressurized-nitrogen-cartridge damping system, again derived from Ducati’s racing forks. At the rear the Öhlins TTX 36 shock is electronically linked to the fork and controlled by the new Smart EC 2.0 active management system. The system uses OBTI logic that works by “objectives” and not by clicks, allowing the rider to manage tuning in a much more intuitive way.

The Brembo brakes are one step above the system adopted on the Panigale V4 S. The SP2′s front brake features the latest racing-derived Stylema R four-piston radial-mount calipers gripping 330mm rotors. Bosch ABS Cornering Evo provides the electronic control, part of the complete electronics suite derived from the Panigale V4 S.

Brembo Stylema S four-piston calipers grip 330mm front discs. (Ducati/)

Instrumentation is specific for the V4 SP2 and includes a GPS module as standard equipment, enabling an automatic lap-time function. The selectable riding modes are the same as on the V4 S; Race A, Race B, Sport, and Street.

The chassis remains unchanged, with a cast-aluminum “space frame” using the engine as a stressed member. Steering geometry is as expected: 24.5 degrees of rake, 3.9 inches of trail, 57.8-inch wheelbase. Special attention has been devoted to the swingarm pivot location to obtain a natural anti-squat effect for better acceleration out of corners. Dry weight is down to 381 pounds.

Clean, purposeful, and pure Italian in its design, the SP2’s cockpit is an office view you won’t tire of. Check out the limited-edition serial number on the top triple clamp. (Ducati/)

Ready for the Track

Since the Panigale V4 SP2 is intended to be the ultimate trackday bike, the mirrors and license plate holder are all quick release. The clutch and brake levers are lightened and micro adjustable, as are the foot controls and pegs. All are machined from aluminium billet, as are the triple clamps. While on that subject, each Panigale V4 SP2 is serially numbered in a limited edition, that number engraved into the top clamp.

Without a doubt, this has to be one of the cleanest exhaust and muffler executions we’ve ever seen. (Ducati/)

Naturally, for track use the street-homologated exhaust and mufflers can be replaced with a special Akrapovič system. Executed in titanium, the distinctive 4-into-2 is 11 pounds lighter and drops the dry weight to 370 pounds while bumping engine output up to 228 hp and 96.6 pound-feet of torque. All this helps make the Panigale V4 SP2 a legitimate street-legal track-ready superbike you can grow with, as well as one of the most refined Ducatis available today.

Plenty of other bikes try for the all-black “murdered out” look, but few pull it off as elegantly as the SP2. (Ducati/)