Yes, that’s true and confirmed. Ducati is going to work on more V4 models in the future. To be precise, Ducati has 29 new models in mind that it is planning to launch one by one in a period of the next five years or so. All of these new models will be based on the V4 engine platform. Any further information was not revealed.
“We were positively surprised with the V4 R. It was a difficult exercise already with the reduced capacity to keep the same horsepower but the engine then responded quite strongly to the improvements that we made, so that by the end we found a bit more (power) than we expected. In many ways, it is the most advanced bike we have ever developed,” said Claudio Domenicali.
He also talked about Ducati’s firm grip in electronics and technology, “When you take a V4 R and put it in race trim, you have better wings, some better electronics and better suspension than a MotoGP bike. You have cornering ABS, which is not allowed on a MotoGP bike. A lot of riders lose the front in MotoGP but with our cornering ABS, there would not be a single crash. Not one.”
Domenicali also shared his views regarding electric motorcycles. He said, “Electric bikes are fascinating but the technology is what it is; you cannot cheat chemicals. Right now, you remove 15kg of petrol but replace it with 150kg of battery. If there is a regulation to make electric bikes in five years, we will make it, but it will be a worse bike than we can make now.”
While it is good news that Ducati will bring more V4 models in the future, it made me frown a bit and ponder whether this means the end of V-twins for the Italian brand? The last batch of the 1299 Panigale R Final Edition has already been dispatched to Ducati dealers all across the globe. Ducati is done manufacturing all the 1299 units of this motorcycle. It is powered by a twin-cylinder engine that produces 209PS at 11,000 rpm and generates a torque of 142Nm at 9,000 rpm.
One big outcome of all this could be the implementation of forced induction systems. Kawasaki has already got its supercharged superbikes on sale, so it is only a matter of time when other companies will follow suit. So, with electric motorcycles gaining momentum, are we going to enter into a new era of turbocharged and supercharged motorcycles pretty soon? How would that scenario look like?
