The Ducati Superleggera V4 is the world’s only street-legal motorcycle with a frame, subframe, swingarm and wheels – the entire load-bearing structure of the chassis – made entirely of carbon fibre. The 90-degree V4 engine is capable to deliver up to 234 horsepower, and the lowest achievable weight of 152 kg highlights an impressive power-to-weight ratio of 1.54 CV/kg. To put all that performance to use on the tarmac, the Superleggera V4 needed special tyres.
So, Pirelli engineers developed a customised version of the DIABLO SUPERCORSA SP to achieve the challenging performance target required by the most powerful and technologically advanced production Ducati ever. This tyre can manage the extraordinary performance of the Superleggera V4 and make the most of the significant aerodynamic load generated by the biplane wings, which highly characterise the aggressive design of the motorcycle.
As a technical partner and exclusive tyre supplier, Pirelli worked closely with Ducati during the development of the Superleggera V4 and had to take some radical technical choices to create a highly innovative tyre to meet the required standards.
The front tyre of the Superleggera V4 is a single compound, a solution that allows rapid warm-up and constant grip in any situation. The rear tyre is dual compound and uses a racing compound developed in the FIM Superbike World Championship on the shoulders. The sidewalls are slightly rounded as a result of the total redesign work made on the tyre structure to manage the performance that the Superleggera V4 is capable of. Finally, the sidewalls are special colour edition tyres and bear the red Pirelli and Diablo logo.
Over the years, DIABLO SUPERCORSA SP has established a new reference point for race replica tyres and, thanks to its innovative features, has been chosen by Ducati as the original equipment of the brand-new Superleggera V4, as well as many other motorcycle manufacturers from all over the world that have turned to Pirelli to equip their latest flagship models.
