Ducati Panigale V2 Gets A Steep Price Tag!

After waiting for months on end, Ducati has launched the Panigale V2 in India at Rs 16.99 lakh (ex-showroom India). This makes the new baby Panigale Rs 1.70 lakh dearer than the bike it replaces, the Panigale 959. In fact, for around Rs 1.50 lakh more you could have the more serious BMW S 1000 RR! Ducati had opened bookings for the bike a while back, so expect deliveries to commence soon.

It has been nearly a year since Ducati took the wraps off the Panigale V2, just days before EICMA 2019. The aim was to design a bike that was more in tune with Ducati’s flagship superbike, the Panigale V4. Hence, you see the V2 mimicking the larger Panigale V4 in almost all design aspects. The triangular headlights, the sleek lines and even the air-scoops look similar.

Underneath the new fairing though are the same mechanical elements as the old 959. The 955cc L-twin, however, has been reworked to meet new emission norms. It is now lighter and dishes out 155PS and 104Nm, 5PS and 2Nm more than what it made in its Euro 4/BS4 guise. The six-speeder remains unchanged and comes with a slip-and-assist clutch and a bi-directional quickshifter.

Ducati has been striving to improve the riding experience of its machines with each update receiving better electronic aids. The Panigale V2 gets a 6-axis IMU, a couple of riding modes, lean-sensitive traction control, cornering ABS, and wheelie control. The suite might not be as exhaustive as the Panigale V4’s but rarely does one find so many aids on a motorcycle from this segment.

The monocoque frame has received small tweaks as well. While the suspension units are the same as before (fully-adjustable Showa BPF and Sachs monoshock), they are mounted slightly differently. These small changes have altered the dynamics greatly as the Panigale V2 is a lot easier to manage than the 959. What are the changes? Head on here to read Shumi’s account of the ride experience from Jerez last November.