Ducati had its best sales year in the history of the company last year – and why not? Their secret is simple – they just keep making great bikes. Here are five good reasons why people continue to go for this iconic, stylish, speedy and upscale brand.
2022 Panigale V4 S
2022 Ducati Panigale
ALEX PHOTO (c)2021
Win the lottery? company bonus? Here’s your baby. At $29,995, you’re assured that the machine you’re atop is one of the finest on the planet and everyone on your block is going to know it. the 2022 Panigale V4 Sit’s said, is as loud as a small jet.
You motivate this gorgeous hunk of bike via a blistering liquid-cooled 1,103cc Desmosedici Stradale V-Four. A close cousin to Ducati’s MotoGP prototype, your engine shares the same 81mm cylinder bore, 90-degree configuration and counter-rotating crankshaft. It’s also, happily, designed for both the amateur and professional, so it’ll work as a first ride.
2022 Ducati Panigale
ALEX PHOTO (c)2021
Some other cool facts: the transmission’s first, second, and sixth gears were lengthened by 11.6 percent, 5.6 percent, and 1.8 percent, respectively, to allow greater flexibility in slow turns, as the rider doesn’t have to work the gearbox as much at lower speeds. This is a game changer for track lovers, or for people who just don’t like having to slow down for any reason. An electronic quick shifter lets you bang through gears without touching the clutch. The engine also benefits from an oil pump updated to mitigate pumping power loss and the exhaust outlet has been increased by 18%, reducing back pressure.
The engine makes a ridiculous 90.6 pound-feet of torque at 11,000 rpm and 210 hp at 12,500 rpm, says Ducati. That’s a little less than last year’s Panigale due to current Euro5 regulations. Those yearning for extra speed can opt for a DP3-spec Akrapovič titanium exhaust (closed-course use only).
2022 DesertX
2022 Ducati DesertX
Andrea Sottana Studio GDS
The fabulous DesertX is available in just one color, Star White Silk, perhaps a unique choice for a motorcycle aimed squarely at mud, dirt, gravel, sand, branches and other non-pavement. You fly into and over dirt via a particularly nasty 110-horsepower version of the 937cc Testastretta L-Twin from the Multistrada V2.
There are four available power modes – Full, High, Medium, and Low – and six ride modes – Sport, Touring, Urban, Wet, Enduro, and Rally.
2022 Ducati DesertX
Andrea Sottana Studio GDS
Each of these modes, of course, adjusts the throttle response and engine output as well as various electronic assistance such as wheelie control, engine braking, cornering ABS, traction control and an up/down quickshifter.
A 6-speed transmission is specially tuned for off-roading, featuring a shorter ratio for your first five gears, particularly 1st and 2nd. For the highway, your 6th speed allows better mileage and smoother execution The DesertX weighs in at a relatively svelte 492 pounds. (Pricing to be announced.)
Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak
They’re calling it “the sportiest Multistrada ever,” which is saying a lot as Ducati is known, above all, for their sport bikes. The bike features a 170hp V4 Granturismo engine influenced by the legendary Borgo Panigale Multistrada V4. That means a dedicated riding position, 17” front wheel with sports road tires, single-sided swingarm, Öhlins suspension and brand-new Race Riding Mode.
2022 Ducati Multistrada Pikes Peak
@Studio GDS
There’s so much here to get jazzed about – performance, smoothness of operation and reliability in tandem with the centralized weight, ease of handling, comfort for rider and passenger alike, state-of-the-art equipment and electronics, are cornerstones of the Multistrada V4 family – and that’s not just a boast. Starting from these solid foundations, the new V4 Pikes Peak was developed by introducing significant changes in terms of chassis set-up, premium ergonomics, electronic controls as well as numerous dedicated components, which give this $29,000 bike a distinctly sportier attitude compared to the Multistrada V4
2022 Ducati Multistrada Pikes Peak
Umberto Beia
The riding position, too, has also been completely refreshed – the foot pegs are higher and moved back to increase the maximum lean angle, while the handlebar is lower, narrower and is curved.
Street Fighter V2
2022 Ducati Street Fighter V2
Ducati
Ducati says its 392-horsepower Streetfighter is actually a Panigale V2 stripped naked of its supersport cladding, with added modifications. For example, the engine is the 955cc Superquadro 90° V-Twin that also powers the Panigale V2. The engine and chassis retain their structural relationship; the engine is even rotated 21° rearward to contribute to the bike’s short 58.7-in. wheelbase.
Power is delivered to the rear wheel via a six-speed transmission controlled by an anti-hopping wet clutch, featuring a servo system minimizing the torque transferred into the engine during hard deceleration. A hydraulic clutch or an up/down quickshifter are standard features.
2022 Ducati Street Fighter V2
Ducati
The electronics are all state-of-the-art, of course, with ABS Cornering EVO, Ducati Traction Control (DTC) EVO 2, Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC) EVO, Ducati Quick Shift up/down (DQS) EVO 2, and Engine Brake Control (EBC) EVO. Three ride modes (Sport, Road, and Wet) are on deck, and you roll on Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV tires assisted by a fully-adjustable 43mm Showa Big Piston Fork along with a Sachs shock.
Oddly, for a unit with a sticker of $16,995, there isn’t any cruise control, heated grips or a fuel gauge. But there’s so much more. Check it out here.
2022 Ducati Street Fighter V4SP
2022 Ducati Streetfighter V4 SP
Giovanni DeSandre
The top-of-the-range Streetfighter V4 SP model’s offered in an exclusive numbered version, marked with the legendary “SP” (Sport Production). The Streetfighter V4 SP is described as “the most adrenaline-pumping naked bike to ever roll its wheels off the production line in Borgo Panigale.” That’s good enough for us. $35,550 and it’s yours.
Aesthetically, the SP stands out from the pack thanks to its “Winter Test” livery, which Centro Stile Ducati created by taking inspiration from the bikes used during MotoGP and SBK pre-season testing.
The new carbon rims, 3 lb lighter than those of the Streetfighter V4 S, significantly reduce the moment of inertia and contribute to an overall weight saving of 6.6 lb.
2022 Ducati Streetfighter V4 SP
Ducati
Your 1103 cc Desmosedici Stradale engine features a counter-rotating crankshaft, “Twin Pulse” firing order, 208 HP of power and 90.4 lb-ft @ 11,500 rpm. The STM-EVO SBK dry clutch ensures a more effective anti-hopping function but also the characteristic sound that Ducatisti reproduces so appreciate. The comprehensive range of equipment is completed with Ohlins Smart EC 2.0 suspension and the Brembo Stylema R® braking system with front calipers.