Ducati's MotoGP bike for the road

An example of the Ducati Panigale V4 has been flown in for an Australian tour

Lighter, faster, better… that’s how we humans like our motorcycles. The highly anticipated new Ducati Panigale V4 is all these things and more and one prized moto has been airfreighted in to tour down under for a series of exclusive previews – like a rockstar.

Perhaps it’s rider (not human rider, more green room rider… see what I did there) might read something like ‘Australia’s juiciest 90+ Octane fuel, a piece of Phillip Island track to rest its weary head on each night and some red M&Ms.’ Like all good rockstars it also comes with a handler. Ducati have flown out a dedicated product specialist from Borgo Panigale to take Ducati clients on an in-depth experience covering how Ducati created their lightest, fastest and best sport bike ever and how they came to the decision that they would allow us mere mortals the honour of loosing our license on it.

This new Panigale V4 is the seventh generation of Ducati’s Superbike and comes in one kilogram lighter with an insane 216hp. According to the brand, it’s “capable of amplifying the riding skills of its rider, whether professional or amateur, offering him the confidence that allows him to push his limits forward in circuit riding.” I don’t think there’s too many riders out there that wouldn’t mind their skills being amplified. In a test Ducati ran to prove this point, the bike allowed a panel of riders of different abilities – from the fast amateur to the professional rider – to lower their best time by one full second during a comparative test carried out on the circuit of Cremona. So there you go!

Would you classify this as performance art? There’s not too many modern, production motorcycles that fit this brief. Beautiful to look at for any eye, not just a moto-nut’s eye but also a bike that can outperform almost anything else in the street legal market.

“Ducati’s mission is to enrich people’s lives through technologically sophisticated motorcycles characterized by sensual beauty,” declared Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali.

And although it’s not at the lower end of the price scale, it’s certainly not out of this world, starting from $38,800. When you compare this to the $585,000 of a McLaren 750S, one of the lightest and fastest street legal cars out there, you’ve found yourself a bargain.

With enhanced electronics, ergonomics, and aerodynamics, reducing resistance by four per cent and offering better rider protection in a straight line by creating a “bubble” of calm air, the development also considered advancements in tire technology. I’d be interested in what a four per cent reduction in resistance feels like; maybe one less burger over the weekend?

Style wise, the team was inspired by the iconic Ducati 916, blending with it the ergonomic and aerodynamic features of the Desmosedici GP to meet the demands of modern track riding.

This is as close as you’re going to get to owning a MotoGP Desmosedici and possibly the closest you are going to get to their times. I wonder if there a way to program some of Pecco’s talent in the process… Ducati have thought of everything else, that’s the last piece of the puzzle.

Available in November with the Australian ride-away prices starting from $38,800 for the standard model, with the Panigale V4 S priced from $49,300.