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The 2022 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship may be in its final sector, but a new dawn is already on the horizon with the 2023 season quickly coming into view. As riders and teams confirm their plans, manufacturers are also bringing new or updated models, and Ducati are no different. The Italian manufacturer has released its new Ducati Panigale V4 R for next year and it’s a big upgrade on what is already a Championship-contending motorcycle.

THE ENGINE: even more power

The heart of the Panigale V4 R is the new 998 cc Desmosedici Stradale R, an engine capable of reaching a maximum engine speed of 16,500 rpm in sixth gear (16,000 in the other ratios) and delivering a maximum power of 218 hp at 15,500 rpm. The new Desmosedici Stradale R gives slightly reduced performance compared to the previous version due to the limitation generated by the exhaust system complying with the strict Euro-5 homologation. The full potential however is shown on the track with the racing exhaust, allowing it to reach 237 hp, three more than the predecessor.

The engine development of the new Panigale V4 R also involved the production of a special oil. The new performance oil guarantees a 10% reduction in mechanical friction and leads to an increase in maximum power of a further 3.5 hp, which rises to +4.5 hp at the limiter. The formulation of this oil is based on the use of racing-type additives, specific for high-RPM engines equipped with a dry clutch. It is in fact the dry clutch, as in MotoGP™ and WorldSBK engines, that allows the use of additives, which would make torque transmission problematic in a wet clutch. These chemical elements are added to the base oil in dedicated quantities and percentages to ensure the balance between performance and engine protection. With the combination of racing exhaust and dedicated oil, the maximum power output of the Panigale V4 R can therefore reach an extraordinary 240.5 hp.

These numbers are possible due to sophisticated technical solutions from from racing. For the first time on a road bike, “gun drilled” titanium connecting rods are used, which are drilled longitudinally along the rod (1.6 mm diameter hole). This solution allows the passage of oil from the head to the small end and improves lubrication and reliability in extreme conditions. The Desmosedici Stradale R pistons have a skirt characterised by DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) surface treatment, a solution used in MotoGP™ and F1 competition, which reduces friction between piston and liner, and it’s applied for the first time on a road engine. The pistons also have a new geometry that make them 5g lighter (equal to 2% of their weight) thus reducing mass inertia with a reliability benefit. Other changes involve a more aggressive profile of the intake cams, which in this version have more lift (1mm) and matched to new variable-length horns, reduced by 5mm in the short configuration. This improves breathing at high revs and thus increases the maximum power in with the racing exhaust.

STEPPING UP A GEAR: gear ratios and electronics enhancement

The Panigale V4 R adopts the same gear ratios used by the bikes competing in the WorldSBK Championship, as was already the case with the Panigale V4 S 2022 , with the lengthening of first (+11.6%), second (+5.6%) and sixth gear (+1.8%) compared to the previous model. First gear therefore becomes more usable in circuit riding. In addition, the smaller jump between first and second gear allows the Ducati Quick Shift to work more effectively, increasing the effectiveness of the new racing pattern. The Desmosedici Stradale R in its 2023 version is also equipped with a new dry clutch derived from the development of the version used in the WorldSBK by the official Ducati team. The diameter and axial length of the clutch have been reduced (-24 mm) and above all its weight has dropped by around 800 grams.

To make the Panigale V4 R even faster and more usable in racing use, the Power Mode logic already successfully implemented on the Panigale V4 and V4 S has been updated, naturally with calibrations dedicated to the Desmosedici Stradale R engine. There are four engine strategies: Full, High, Medium, Low. Full and Low are newly designed, while the High and Medium configurations have been revised. Full Power Mode allows the engine to express its full potential with torque curves without electronic filters, except for first gear. For the Medium and High Power Modes, a new ride by wire map management system has been developed with dedicated calibration for each of the six gears, which ensures the rider always obtains optimum drive every time the throttle is opened.

To improve stability, precision and direction in braking and corner entry phases and allow the rider to define more precisely the best electronic engine configuration on each circuit, the Panigale V4 R also adopts the Engine Brake Control (EBC) EVO 2. This electronic engine brake management system features a different gear-by-gear calibration on each of the three selectable levels. The strategy was developed to optimise the intensity of the engine brake.

SWINGARM, CHASSIS AND AERO: more updates…

The Panigale V4 R continues with the layout based on the “Front Frame” and single-sided aluminium swingarm of the Ducati Panigale family. It is possible to adjust the height of the rear swingarm pivot in 4 positions in 2 mm steps. To increase nimbleness, rider feeling and grip, the chassis of the Panigale V4 R also follows the evolutionary direction traced by the Panigale V4/V4 S with the 2022 model, while maintaining fully mechanical suspension adjustment. At the front, the Öhlins NPX25/30 pressurized fork increases its travel by 5mm compared to the previous "R". This technical solution, increases the rear height by 20 mm, achieve a higher centre of gravity and therefore greater nimbleness in corner entry and changes of direction.

The bodywork of the bike has also been updated, with a brushed aluminium fuel tank with increased capacity to 17 litres and a profile that offers better support for a rider's arms and legs when braking and cornering. The changes to the tank are added to a flatter saddle, with a reduced amount of foam and with a different covering, which on the one hand guarantees greater freedom of longitudinal movement, and on the other helps the rider to become more stable when necessary.

On the Panigale V4 R, the aerodynamic package has also been revised to improve efficiency: the new two-element wings (main + flap) guarantee the same aerodynamic load but are more compact and thinner (respectively by 40% and 50%). To improve the cooling of the engine, stabilising its performance in extreme use on the circuit, the fairing has been modified in the layout of the extractors in the lower area and complies with the WorldSBK regulations. Also in the lower part, on the left side, there is an air intake to cool the sensor of the Ducati Quick Shift.

Get the full 2023 WorldSBK line-up here and watch the 2022 season’s final rounds with the WorldSBK VideoPass!