Ducati has developed a new MotoE bike, officially known as the V21L, for use on the racetrack. Now that the wrapping has been undone and the bike has been revealed, it’s time for some racetrack testing before it goes from the prototype to the retail floor. Many new test riders have given the bike their seal of approval even though the V21L is still in the prototype stage and so far all tests have come back with positive results for Ducati. Ducati is hoping for a victory with the V21L, because in future they will be the sole supplier for the fully electric MotoE World Cup.
Read on to find out more about what this new MotoE bike from Ducati has to offer and how it fared in its racetrack performance.
Tested on the track
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The new MotoE bike is now officially tested on the racetrack. While Ducati had other successful motorcycles like the Multistrada V4s, Multistrada V2s, the Monster and the DesertX, this new MotoE bike, officially codenamed “V21L”, is something different: a prototype electric motorcycle. This bike was created as a collaboration between the Ducati Corse team and Ducati R&D engineers.
Roberto Cane, Ducati eMobility Director, ran these engineers and then the bike was built and ready for testing. When she was done, Michelle Pirro, who has been testing Ducati bikes since 2013, took the bike for a test ride on the track and assessed all the technical characteristics of the V21L.
While it was difficult to balance the size, weight and range of the batteries, Ducati was confident not only of balancing these characteristics but also of making their bikes light and powerful. They aim to evenly distribute the power distribution in the race.
Ducati’s electric racing bike is unpacked and revealed
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Once the new MotoE bike was literally unpacked, its aspects, features and specifications were more clearly visible. This bike is slated to compete in the MotoGP World Championship from 2023, so this bike has a lot to do with its success. In contrast to others, this bike was not a racing bike, but a racing bike; This bike was designed from the ground up to be a racing bike. It has no wings or appendages and its design elements are optimized for the racetrack.
The frame is made of carbon fiber, which goes a long way towards making the V21L lighter. Since batteries can be quite heavy, the rest of the bike has to compensate for this by being light. The end result will be a bike that has a normal average weight between a light frame and a heavy battery. An ideal weight is also optimal for competing with a faster lap time. Another influence on the design of the V21L comes from Ducati’s MotoGP racers.
Premature Praise?
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Before the vehicle was fully tested, many people tested it and gave it rave reviews. Pirro seemed to speak highly of the V21L after completing her test ride, noting how the bike’s lightweight feel and smooth connection and ergonomics made her feel like riding her own bike. Private testing recently began at Misano to prepare the bike for its time on the track in real races.
This is a critical step in testing Ducati’s first electric sports motorcycle, as test riders would find either poor performance or design drawbacks. Ducati doesn’t seem to have to worry though, as the V21L seems to be both light and balanced enough after the first few tests. While testing is ongoing, all data received so far has been encouraging.
Ducati takes control
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Ducati has now received the rights to be the exclusive supplier for the all-electric MotoE World Cup. This was announced last September when Ducati and Dorna agreed that Ducati would act as “sole supplier” to Energica, whose MotoE manufacturer contract expires at the end of the 2022 season.
Given that Energica has so far provided the only motorcycles the MotoE series has ever known, this news came as a shock to the public. Ducati’s announcement of a prototype electric sports bike comes at a time to show the public that the company is ready and able to take Energica’s place.
Before the motorcycle can officially compete in the MotoE World Cup, however, further tests and developments of the V21L must take place.
Sources: ducati.com, pmw-magazine.com, visordown.com, the-race.com, Motorcycle.com, tu-auto.com,
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Kenny Norman
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Kenny holds a BS in Communication from the University of Indianapolis. After graduating, he worked as a reporter and writer for three newspapers. Kenny also has experience editing websites using WordPress and led a newspaper team to produce two issues during the 2012 Indianapolis Super Bowl. Kenny was hired at Valnet in March 2020 to write list articles. In his spare time, Kenny is often out with friends, practicing karate, reading comics, discussing the Enneagram or going to a game night.
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