2022 Ducati Panigale V4 SP2 | New Model Overview

I thought I’d cover the announcement out of Ducati about the new Panigale V4 SP2, which essentially offers the most decked out and track specific Panigale out of the line-up. The price is a little eye-watering at $56,900 as far as the MSRP ride-away for Australia, or $59,495 in New Zealand, with pricing in the US sitting at $39,500 and we’re yet to see official pricing for the UK. So what does the 2022 Panigale V4 SP2 get you apart from bragging rights? Well carbon-fibre rims for a start, a final drive and clutch setup derived from the brand’s WSBK efforts, Rizoma race style rearsets and your carbon components to jazz things up. The wings for instance are a work of art in carbon fibre, with the Italian colours, while the lower fairing runs the Ducati Corse logo for good measure. The top triple meanwhile runs the number of the bike from the run. A track kit is also included with the purchase and is as the name suggests, designed for getting the SP2 into track ready form, with mirror block off plates, license plate holder removal kit and an open carbon-fibre clutch cover. The heart of the SP2 is of course the Desmosedici Stradale V4, measuring in at 1103 cc and running the counter-rotating crankshaft, with 2022 seeing some tweaks to the engine, boosting power to 215.5 hp. You can add an additional 12.5 hp to that figure with the Akro full system already mentioned. There’s four power modes, with 2022 promising better throttle response alongside better power, and each gear has a dedicated torque curve. Alongside the track orientated gearbox introduced on the V4 for 2022 is also a race derived 520 chain and lightened sprocket setup, while the STM-EVO SBK dry-clutch is standard fitment over the wet clutch seen on the V4 S. One advantage of that setup is the ability to swap springs to vary mechanical engine braking. The chassis is the same aluminium front frame, swingarm and shell-cast seat post, all bolted to the engine, while Ohlins provides the forks and shock, running the Smart EC 2.0 Objective Based electronic suspension system. That’s NPX25/30 forks with race style pressurised cartridges, and a TTX36 shock, while the same brand provides the electronic steering damper. That Objective based suspension system is – according to Ducati – more intuitive than the traditional clicker adjustment most of us are used to. The really eye catching feature is of course those carbon-fibre rims, with a five-split spoke design and saving 1.4 kg in weight over the V4 S’s forged aluminium units. Ducati are saying inertia is reduced by 26% at the front, and by a massive 46 % at the rear to put that into perspective, and of course that’s unsprung weight. Brembo Stylema R calipers are also fitted, alongside a Brembo MSC radial pump and remote brake lever adjuster, with three customisable configurations available from that master cylinder. Another nice touch is the levers being milled to reduce air resistance. The Rizoma rearsets are fully adjustable and another very cool inclusion, in anodised aluminium, with carbon-fibre heel guards to match the rest of the bike. Apparently better ground clearance, better grip and better ergonomics are all benefits here. Electronics are split into four, fairly track orientated modes, with Race A, Race B, Sport and Street, with a five inch TFT display and special Track EVO display mode, which gives the MotoGP experience for the owner. As in it’s like what the riders see on the MotoGP machines, not that it makes you ride that fast. The whole electronics system is also extensive, including Riding Modes, Power Modes, Cornering ABS Evo, DTC, DWC, DSC, EBC, auto tyre calibration, Ducati Power Launch, DQS up and down, Ducati Electronic Suspension by Ohlins, and…… I think that may be it! The 2022 Ducati Panigale V4 SP2 is a single-seat motorcycle, with an 850 mm seat height for reference, and weighs in at 173 kg dry, or 194.5 kg wet. Fuel tank capacity is 17L and consumption is listed as 7.6 litres per 100 km, which I’d guess probably wasn’t measured going down to the store to buy milk. Images and footage courtesy of Ducati, by Matteo Cavadini and Giovaani De Sandre. If you like my videos you can support the channel on Patreon:   / motojournokris   Don't forget to subscribe and hit that notification bell! https://motojournokris.com/youtube