The new Ducati Superleggera V4 has been unveiled, with more horsepower than anything else Ducati has sold to the public, all stuffed into a super-light chassis.
Here’s the deets. The Superleggera V4 has a motor derived from the standard Panigale V4 model, but with considerable tuning and reduced weight of internals. It’s now rated for 234 horsepower, if you install Ducati’s race kit and have everything configured correctly.
As for the chassis itself, this is the world’s only street-legal motorcycle with full carbon-fibre frame, swingarm and wheels. With many other parts replaced with lighter titanium or aluminum components, the bike has a 159 kg dry weight, and the Ackropovic exhaust brings that down to 152 kg. With all the racing bits installed, that means a power-to-weight ratio of 1.54 hp/kg. Clearly, this machine is bonkers.
As well, Ducati’s also installed a set of biplane winglets on the carbon-fibre fairing. This is said to provide 50 kg of downforce at 270 km/h.
There’s an advanced electronics package, as you’d expect, with three pre-progammed riding modes (two race modes, and a sport mode). There’s also the capability for five rider-programmed riding modes, and a telemetrics system that’s pre-programmed for the tracks at Laguna Seca, Mugello, Jerez, Sepang and Losail. There’s also a quickshifter, and wheelie control, launch control and just about all the other electro-wizardry you can think of (but no “rain mode”).
Suspension is from Ohlins, with even the rear shock made of titanium and aluminum bits to reduce weight. Brakes are Brembo-sourced, with Stylema R calipers that are exclusive to the Superleggera.
Ducati even plans to offer a custom-made set of leathers and helmet to go with the bike at time of sale. When you buy the bike, Ducati will also give you a chance to ride it at Mugello (to properly break it in?).
All in all, it’s an incredible motorcycle, record-setting on many fronts, and with a production run of only 500. Production starts this spring, and Ducati will make five bikes a day until it’s finished.
Although we haven’t heard an official Canadian MSRP, word on the street is the US price tag will be $100k, so expect maybe $120,000ish in Canada.
Editor Mark – how about a head to head shootout between this and the H2-R Kawasaki ?
I’ll bring the band-aids.
I appreciate that Ducati is building this to show what can be done. However, it is almost certain that no amateur rider can even begin to approach this bikes limits. That would take a professional, with a perfect set up on a race track. In truth most will be garage queens rich guys buy for bragging rights, or to compensate for inadequacies elsewhere. I have been riding my whole life. I log big miles on technical roads and I cannot even begin to approach the limits (on the street), of my ’98 VFR. I understand that the technology would make us all better and safer riders blah, blah, blah. But only if properly set up and only on a track and only if we are being coached so we can actually improve. 99.9999% of humans do not have the technical skill set, and we never will. All litre sport bikes are overkill for amateur street riders. For bragging rights, or for donating organs. Cam