CEO Claudio Domenicali just confirmed Ducati will build a V4 Superbike for the consumer market, according to Motorcycle News. This bike will replace the Panigale first on the street, then on the track in leagues like World Superbike.
Speaking to reporters after the livestream reveal of it's new MotoGP bikes, Domenicali said Ducati will continue to race the Panigale in WSB this year and in 2018, according to Motomatters.com editor David Emmett.
``So chances are we will see a new Ducati V4 Superbike in 2018, race it in 2019 or 2020,'' Emmett said on Twitter. He added, ``Domenicali said it would be at a normal, premium-Superbike price. My guess is tens of thousands, not hundreds of thousands.''
This is exciting for so many reasons!
1. The Panigale will now be an end-of-an-era bike, as the last V-twin Ducati Superbike.
2. Ducati can now take on Aprilia with smaller, more powerful engines.
3. This could easily bleed into the Supernaked category, and the Monster needs it.
oh also because it provides a more direct platform for Ducati to use everything it learns in MotoGP engine development.
The long term implications for the marque will be of interest for sure.
Could be better than the Tuono!
Modern Bipantah? ;) Maybe Dr. T is smiling...
I have it on good authority that it will be named the Desmosedici Apollo.
Quote from: Speeddog on January 21, 2017, 08:38:06 PM
I have it on good authority that it will be named the Desmosedici Apollo.
[clap]
New V4 doesn't mean the Panigale L2 will disappear.
Short article.
http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/bikes/ducati-ceo-confirms-v4-superbike-project/
Hope the mileage interval on valve service is fairly lengthy, as it's going to cost even more now.
Quote from: Speeddog on January 21, 2017, 08:38:06 PM
I have it on good authority that it will be named the Desmosedici Apollo.
Watch out Motus, Apollo is coming. ;D
Probably will be an R version only at first then maybe end up replacing the 1299 displacement and leave the smaller displacements L-Twins after that.
Probably doesn't bode well for the already infinitesimally small chances of a modern SuperMono.
http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/bikes/ducati-ceo-confirms-v4-superbike-project/
Quote from: Speeddog on January 23, 2017, 11:39:34 AM
http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/bikes/ducati-ceo-confirms-v4-superbike-project/
http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=74884.msg1376322#msg1376322
Quick Draw McGraw wins again.
[laugh]