Ducati Panigale V2: The little one should fix it
A Ducati with significantly less power than its predecessor is likely to be difficult to sell to fans.
(Image: Ducati)
- Ingo Gach
This has probably never happened before: A Ducati with significantly less power than its predecessor. Ducati fans may find this difficult to understand – and yet the brand from Bologna is taking exactly this approach with its new Panigale V2. Ducatisti must now be very strong, their beloved 90-degree V2 engine has lost a lot of power: 35 hp less will probably exceed the pain threshold of many fans of the red brand from Italy. What's more, the new engine has to manage without desmodromics, almost a sacrilege. Ducati is quick to emphasize that the new Panigale V2 also weighs 17 kilograms less than its predecessor and has variable intake valve timing. In fact, the Panigale V2 has been redeveloped from the ground up and now meets the Euro 5+ emissions standard.
Smaller, lighter, more elastic
The new V2 engine produces 120 hp at 10,750 rpm from a displacement of 890 cm3. This means that it is not only 65 cm3 smaller, but above all delivers 35 hp less than in the previous Panigale V2, at the same nominal speed. The maximum torque drops from 104 Nm at 9000 rpm to 93 at 8250 rpm. Ducati dispenses with the speed-fixed desmodromic system and has mundane springs close the valves. This is lighter and, above all, significantly cheaper – both in terms of production and maintenance. Variable intake valve timing, used for the first time, provides a fuller power curve, with 70 percent of maximum torque available at 3000 rpm. The chrome steel valves use sodium in their hollow shafts as a coolant.
Ducati Panigale V2 (7 Bilder)
Ducati
)Although the new V2 has less displacement, the bore has shrunk from 100 to 96 mm, but at 61.5 it has exactly 0.7 mm more stroke. This initially sounds like a less radical design and should favor a meaty torque curve. Thanks to the new geometric ratios and probably also other measures such as the cooled exhaust valves, the compression ratio can rise from 12.5:1 to 13.1:1 without provoking engine-killing ringing.
Dry weight 179 kg
The developers save weight thanks to the more compact engine housing, a reduced coolant content and an oil-water heat exchanger instead of the previous oil-air cooler. The weight of the new engine has been reduced to 54.4 kg, a saving of 9.4 kg. This means that the water-cooled V2 is even six kilograms lighter than the air-cooled 800cc V2 of the Scrambler models. The dry weight of 179 kg stated by the manufacturer is remarkable; the more expensively equipped Panigale V2 S even reduces its weight to 176 kg, partly because as a single-seater it dispenses with the rear seat and its footrests.
The aluminum monocoque frame, which holds the engine as a supporting element and saves four kilograms, also contributes to the weight reduction of the new Panigale. The swingarm construction consisting of two perforated arms is now similar to that on the Panigale V4 and should be lighter than the previous single-arm swingarm. The design of the full fairing with the LED twin headlight has also been completely redesigned, and it is surprising that Ducati has dispensed with winglets. The rear end has also been redesigned, as has the tank, which at 15 holds two liters less than before.
Two under-seat rear silencers
In view of Ducati's efforts to lighten the Panigale V2, the two under-seat rear silencers are surprising. On the predecessor, a short silencer ended just behind the engine. The developers also made some changes to the chassis geometry, increasing the wheelbase from 1438 to 1465 mm, while the caster shrank from 99 to 93 mm. The Marzocchi fork is now 0.4 degrees steeper at 66.4. Ducati obtains the shock absorber from KYB. The suspension travel remains at 120 mm at the front, the Panigale V2 now has 150 instead of 130 mm travel at the rear, the seat height remains identical at 840 mm. The Panigale V2 S can boast more sophisticated Öhlins components. Both models brake at the front with radially mounted M50 brake callipers from Brembo and 320 mm brake discs.
Ducati Panigale V2 II (8 Bilder)
Ducati
)In terms of electronics, the Panigale V2 does not need to hide behind its big sister, the Panigale V4. A five-inch TFT display instead of the previous 4.3 inch offers a wealth of setting options in addition to the instrument display. The six-axis inertial platform comes from Bosch and enables cornering ABS with a slide-by-brake function. It offers four riding modes: Race, Sport, Road and Wet, whereby the latter is linked to Power Mode Low and "only" allows a maximum of 95 hp.
In the assistance area, there is also multi-adjustable slip control, wheelie and engine brake control as well as a quickshifter. The S version also comes with launch control, a pit limiter and a lightweight lithium-ion battery as standard.
Lower power-to-weight ratio
The new Panigale V2 looks very successful and yet many fans will mourn its predecessor. The Ducati Panigale V2 has won the Supersport World Championship twice in a row, but it remains to be seen whether the successor will be able to do the same. Ducati announced that its test rider had lapped the track in Vallelunga (Italy) on the new Panigale V2 only 0.2 seconds slower than on the previous model. The statement cannot be verified, but the facts speak for themselves: the previous Panigale V2 had a power-to-weight ratio of 1.26 kg per hp, while the new model reduces this figure to 1.49 kg/hp. The 2025 model year is certainly a very sporty and lightweight bike, but it won't be able to hold a candle to the old Panigale V2 on the racetrack and it certainly won't reach a top speed of 270 km/h.
Videos by heise
Significantly cheaper
As much as Ducati praises the talents of the new Panigale V2, the marketing department does not mention the decisive reason for the new development (apart from the Euro 5+ standard): the predecessor was too expensive. The price of the previous Panigale V2 with the 155 hp engine started at 20,690 euros. This put it 5500 euros below the Panigale[ ]V4 superbike (test), which offered a whopping 216 hp from 1103 cm3. In the price segment above 20,000 Euro, most buyers simply want the best material and are happy to spend a few thousand more. This is why sales of the smaller Panigale V2 were slow.
The new Panigale V2 is available from 16,390 Euro, which is 4300 Euro cheaper and therefore a convincing selling point, while the Panigale V2 S is available from 18,890 Euro. If you are not afraid of other brands or more cylinders, the Yamaha R9 is a practically equivalent alternative in terms of technical data, apart from its higher weight, and is significantly cheaper at around 13,800 euros. Ducati has a racing package available as an accessory for 5355 Euro, which includes sports clip-on handlebars, Öhlins steering dampers, adjustable footrest system, some carbon fiber parts and a Termignoni exhaust, which is intended to increase performance by 5.5 HP. Both models are available exclusively in red and will be on sale from the end of January.