2021 Ducati Panigale V4 SP First Look Preview

Ducati is giving trackday riders one more model to drool over in the 2021 Panigale V4 SP. This up-spec Panigale is outfitted with a raft of premium components, all aimed at minimizing weight, improving power, and providing incredible on-track performance. The 214 hp SP is dressed in Winter Livery (derived from the look used in MotoGP and SBK championships) and will cost $37,000.

Editor’s Note: Read what it’s like to ride the 2020 Panigale V4 S in the 2020 Ducati Panigale V4 S Review First Ride.

The V4 SP packs a Euro 5-compliant 1,103cc Desmosedici Stradale engine, which hits peak horsepower at 13,000 rpm and yields 91.5 pound-feet of torque at 9,500 rpm. It gets a higher-grade billet aluminum STM EVO-SBK dry clutch for more precise gear changes, particularly during aggressive downshifts. There is also an open clutch cover made from carbon fiber, just one of the many carbon fiber elements incorporated into the machine.

Others include Superleggera V4-derived carbon wheels, carbon fiber winglets, and a carbon fiber front mudguard.

Brembo Stylema R front brake calipers also come from the Superleggera V4. The front brakes are operated using a Brembo radial master cylinder with MCS, and the brake lever can be adjusted with a remote adjuster on the left grip, as is common on racebikes.

Other upscale touches include a billet steering head with personalized numbering, special V4 SP badging on the seat, adjustable billet footpegs with carbon fiber heel guards, adjustable seat settings, mirror hole covers made from billet aluminum, and a license plate holder removal cover.

The suspension equipment is borrowed from the V4 S, including an Öhlins NIX 30 fork, Öhlins TTX 36 rear shock, and Öhlins steering damper controlled by the Öhlins Smart EC 2.0 system.

It’s outfitted with the full range of Ducati electronics, including EVO Cornering ABS, Ducati Traction Control EVO3, Ducati Slide Control, Ducati Wheelie Control EVO, Ducati Power Launch, Ducati Quick Shift EVO 2, Engine Brake Control EVO, and Ducati Electronic Suspension EVO.

The massive variety of setup configurations is managed through a new riding mode that gives the rider the chance to quickly compare different configurations on track. Race riding mode includes two mapping options that are compatible with individually set parameters as well. Ultimately, the electronics elements have been refined to provide solutions to just about any issue you might face on track, be it rear-wheel slippage on corner exit, smoothing power delivery on roll-on in the middle of a corner, dealing with questionable grip conditions on track, and the like.

All parameters and performance measures can be analyzed on Mac or PC computers after the fact thanks to the Ducati Data Analyzer+ with GPS, which comes equipped on the bike as well. You’ll have information on bike trajectory, rpm, throttle position, front brake pressure, traction control intervention, and much more.

In other words, if you’re in the market for a bike that will change your trackday experience for the better, the 2021 Panigale V4 SP is the motorcycle for you.