Ducati is all set to produce the world’s first production bike fitted with a carbon-fibre frame.
The Superleggera iteration of the Ducati Panigale V4 R utilises carbon to drastically reduce kilos from its chassis, to deliver the beast with the best power-to-weight ratio of any road-legal motorcycle. Ever.
Rumours abounded that BMW would win the race to offer a carbon frame, developed from its track-only HP4 Race, but Ducati has stolen the march.
With a claimed dry weight of just 152kg – a saving of almost 20kg over the V4 R and around 173kg wet, the Superleggera will have a 27 per cent higher power-to-weight ratio than BMW’s S 1000 RR.
Carbon features in the Ducati’s main structural frame section plus the subframe, swingarm and wheels. This pulls a whopping 7.7kg from the chassis alone over the V4 R.
Output now will be 164kW at 15,250rpm, making it the most powerful V4 Stradale engine ever. With the Akrapovic race exhaust fitted, which comes at delivery, this figure becomes 171kW.
Production of the new Superleggera begins in April, with plans to produce five bikes per day.
Ducati CEO, Claudio Domenicali confirmed in November that 500 units would be produced in total and INFO MOTO estimates the price to be in the vicinity of $AUD140,000.
Snag’s career in motoring journalism spans 29 years with stints at major bike mags Australian Road Rider, Motorcycle Trader and AMCN along with contributions to just about every other outlet worth a hill of beans. He was editor of Unique Cars magazine and hosts his legendary podcast ‘Snag Says’ when he gets off his date.
