When talking about Ducatis, two names come out on top of the food chain: the Streetfighter and Panigale V4. Both bikes may not share the same power plant due to their differences in usage, but they’re related to the point that an update on one reflects the other.
And the time for change is now as Ducati reveals several updates to both lineups, getting ready for 2023.
2023 Ducati Streetfighter V4 Family: A Better Super-Naked
For 2023, Ducati gives its naked bike a bevy of upgrades – starting with a redesigned 17-liter tank that offers better ergonomic support. In its stock single-seater form, the Streetfighter V4 comes with matte black accents to accentuate the aggressive styling finished in either Ducati Rosso Red or a new matte gray Nera colorway.
Powering the Streetfighter V4 is the 1,103cc Desmosedici Stradale engine that’s equipped with a new silencer that reduces back pressure and optimizes performance. It churns out up to 208hp at 13,500 rpm and 123Nm of torque at 9,500 rpm, with 70 percent of the pulling power available at 4,000 rpm.
Power modes have been updated, too, with Full and Low added to the list, and High and Medium getting revised. Riding modes are Wet, Race, and Road. The Quick Shift function has been smoothened out by Ducati for better usage.
For 2023, the Streetfighter V4 also gets an all-new Info Mode Track Evo display view option that instantly puts a wide array of information at the rider’s fingertips. Its swingarm pivot is also four millimeters higher than the outgoing model.
The updated Ducati Streetfighter V4 rolls of showrooms with Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV Corsa tires. When you opt for the V4 S, you’ll get aluminum Marchesini wheels, a full active Öhlins suspension and steering damper, and a lithium battery that shaves an additional 1.7 kilograms.
Going for the top-spec V4 SP2 model will get you split five-spoke carbon fiber wheels that weigh 1.4 kilograms less than the ones found on the V4 S. You’ll also get an STM-EVO SBK dry clutch, with a carbon-fiber dry clutch cover included as standard, along with Brembo Stylema R calipers and adjustable billet aluminum footpegs.
The 2023 Ducati Streetfighter V4 SP2 comes in a single colorway, the Winter Test Livery.
2023 Ducati Panigale V4 R: Ultimate Track Toy
Revealed a week earlier than its naked counterpart, the 2023 Panigale V4 R has been improved from its previous version to make it the ultimate track toy.
The Panigale V4 R’s 998cc Desmosedici Stradale R engine can now make 207hp at 13,500 rpm in stock form. However, add a full titanium Akrapovič racing exhaust into the equation and you’ll unlock 237 hp.
For full performance, Ducati says that special new motor oil that it developed with Shell pushes that further to 240.5hp by reducing mechanical friction further by 10 percent, thanks to a bevy of racing additives.
Ducati introduces two road-machine firsts inside the Desmosedici Stradale R engine. First, the gun-drilled titanium connecting rods feature a 0.06 mm diameter hole drilled longitudinally within each rod, which acts as an oil passage to carry lubrication along its length. This system aids in its performance in extreme racing conditions.
Second, the pistons now use a Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) surface treatment to reduce friction. With their geometry also getting altered, the result is a slightly lighter weight.
Other Ducati racing applications seen in the road-going model are the more aggressively-profiled intake cams, altered gear ratios that closely reflect those of Ducati’s WSBK Panigale race bikes, and a gorgeous new dry clutch – also derived from the race bike.
For the new model, Ducati tweaks Traction Control and Ride-By-Wire, Engine Brake Control EVO, and Ducati Quick Shifter systems. The fully adjustable Öhlins NPX25/30 fork up front gets an increased travel by 0.2 inches over the outgoing model.
Just like the Streetfighter, the Panigale V4 R gets a redesigned tank, along with a flatter seat, more compact carbon fiber winglets, a fairing that enhances engine cooling, magnesium wheels, and more.
