Ducati Panigale V4 R – Racing DNA, Road Legal

Raymond Heron -

Ducati has done it again. With the launch of the 2026 Panigale V4 R, Borgo Panigale has taken everything it knows from MotoGP and WorldSBK and squeezed it into a road-approved rocket. This is as close as most of us will ever get to riding a factory race bike — and it’s now official.

At the heart of the V4 R is the latest evolution of the 998cc Desmosedici Stradale R engine, Euro 5+ approved but still pushing an incredible 218 hp (208.4 hp in US spec). That’s before you bolt on the racing exhaust — which unleashes up to 239 hp and a top speed north of 330 km/h. Until now, numbers like that were strictly MotoGP territory.

MotoGP Tech Hits the Streets
The new Panigale V4 R isn’t just a horsepower headline. Ducati Corse has fed the bike a steady diet of race-bred upgrades, including:

  • MotoGP Corner Sidepods – first time ever on a production bike, generating ground effect grip mid-corner.
  • Ducati Racing Gearbox (DRG) – with neutral below first gear, just like the GP machines. No more missed shifts when braking deep into a corner.
  • New aero package – larger biplane wings, 25% more downforce at 270 km/h, delivering ridiculous stability on the brakes and through fast sweepers.
  • Öhlins NPX25/30 fork + TTX36 shock – full racing suspension with endless adjustability.
  • Brembo Hypure calipers + 330 mm discs – designed to cope with race-level braking forces.

Performance You Can Feel
Ducati has trimmed the kerb weight to 186.5 kg (dry), reworked the ergonomics for better tuck and control, and fitted Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa V4 tyres. The result is a superbike that’s faster, tighter, and easier to handle — even at the limit.

Electronics have taken another step forward too. The V4 R features Ducati’s new Vehicle Observer (DVO) system, which constantly calculates grip, brake force, and engine braking in real time. Add in cornering ABS, traction control, wheelie control, slide control, and multiple riding modes (Race A, Race B, Sport, Road, Wet) — and you’ve got MotoGP-level rider aids in your hands.

Limited, Numbered, Legendary
Like every R before it, the new Panigale V4 R is a numbered series, with each bike carrying its model name and serial number on the steering plate. It’s a direct descendant of the legendary 996R of 2001 — a bike that set the benchmark for superbike homologation machines.

The 2026 Ducati Panigale V4 R will arrive in Europe this November, with other regions — including New Zealand — expected to follow soon after.

With its combination of heritage, MotoGP trickle-down, and outrageous performance, the V4 R isn’t just another superbike. It’s Ducati’s ultimate statement of racing technology — available to anyone with the skill, the cash, and the courage to tame it.