2022 Ducati Panigale V2 Review

Ducati’s 2022 Panigale V2 ($17,395) continues the line of midsize-plus sportbikes from the famed Borgo Panigale factory. Every few years Ducati updates its models with a number of nice improvements, generally following the design of its flagship superbike model, and that sort of evolution is what we’re looking at here.

Editor’s note: We have reported on the Ducati Panigale V2 during the Previewing The All-New 2020 Ducati Panigale V2 and The 2020 Ducati Panigale V2 Is Better Than The Panigale 959 articles.

This handsome streetbike continues to follow the form of the sensational-looking Panigale V4, the current design of which debuted for the 2018 model year. We love its look. We don’t know how Ducati designers do it, but almost every time the company comes out with a new superbike, its looks are stunning. Ducati always stands apart from its competition in its sleek, racy styling, its proper proportions, and the fact that these Italian bikes look like nothing else; the V2 continues that tradition.

Ducati’s familiar 955cc Superquadro L-twin, named for its gigantic cylinder bore, makes a repeat appearance here. That 100mm bore is paired with a short piston stroke, so this engine configuration likes to rev—and needs to rev as well; it has to be spinning at a high rpm to deliver usable performance.

Back in the old days, Ducati L-twin engines offered a lot of immediate low-to-midrange torque. The super big bore/short stroke configuration has changed that, and the Panigale V2 demands a different riding style. That said, while this engine won’t give you much acceleration off the bottom or through the midrange, keep it singing on the pipe and this beauty will get you where you’re going plenty fast. An electronic quickshifter makes it easy to work the six-speed gearbox, a necessity here as frequent shifting is required to keep this bike in its powerband and accelerating to its full capabilities. Whether it’s your style or not, the high powerband is certainly exhilarating.

With a full 4.5-gallon tank of premium fuel, this bike weighs in at 441 pounds, so no, it’s not exactly the lightest sportbike out in the market. Still, it handles very well, and we love how sharp it steers. Riders who primarily want a bike that loves to turn will find its performance quite satisfying. It’s helped greatly by its Pirelli Diablo Rosso II tires, which offer versatile performance on the road and track alike, heating up quickly and performing very well in the rain.

The Panigale V2 still uses the older-style Showa BPF fork, and there’s no shame in that; we love this front suspension, which debuted on the Suzuki GSX-R600/750 for the 2011 model year. It has an extremely wide range of adjustment, with damping adjusters atop each fork leg and preload adjustment at the bottom, a familiar arrangement that means it’s very easy to adjust.

This suspension performs well for the road, its intended home, and still delivers decent comfort with a good degree of road holding on the racing circuit. Still, the versatile Showa BPF fork, love it though we do, is getting a little bit long in the tooth for the hardcore sportbike arena. Realistically, if trackdays are the goal, a higher-specification fork would give a sharper damping response when getting after it at the racing circuit. Yet we were impressed by the bike’s love for medium-to-high-speed corners, where the bike really shines.

Unsurprisingly, the Panigale V2 is, in typical Ducati form, a racy road bike; the clip-ons are low, the seat is high. We appreciate that the textured footpegs have good grip against the soles of the rider’s boots. We also like the seat’s handsome suede-like pseudo-Alcantara fabric covering, which keeps your rear end in place when you’re hustling through the canyons. That’s where this bike really shines.

Hydraulic triple disc brakes, as usual, keep speed in check. We wish the brakes felt sharper; squeezing the lever gave the feeling that the brakes lacked a degree of initial bite. Owners might consider installing racier pads.

The Panigale V2′s electronics package is similar to its bigger brother’s; adjustable power modes, Ducati Traction Control, independently adjustable wheelie control, and engine-brake control. We value the wide range of adjustment. For instance, there’s a notable difference between maximum and minimum engine-braking settings; riders can select a more aggressive engine-brake mode setting to help slow the bike at speed.

Three-way adjustable ABS is also standard. The lowest ABS setting (Level 1) disables the rear ABS, if you’re the kind of person who wants to slide the rear of the bike or lock up the rear wheel.

For $17,395, there is a lot of plastic on this motorcycle, and frankly some of the bodywork feels cheapish, most notably the mirror stalks. Ducati could also do a better job in the fit and finish department. The Ducati SuperSport 950 S we recently tested carries a lower MSRP but felt better put together. It is worth noting, however, that Ducati stands behind its new motorcycles with a two-year unlimited-mileage warranty.

After turning a few laps at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway during a session-free SoCal trackday, we couldn’t help but think that this motorcycle, with its high-strung engine and capable chassis and suspension, rides very much like the old Panigale 899. Ducati might not like that comparison, but it’s true. Despite a lot of considered and deeply thought out changes over the years, the Panigale V2 still feels like that old bike. And that’s absolutely not a bad thing.

We definitely enjoyed our time on the Ducati Panigale V2. Still, despite the flash body panels and electronic gizmos, this motorcycle doesn’t feel much different than the original Panigale 899 or the Panigale 959. Its engine displacement may be nearly a liter, but realistically, this is more like a 600cc or 750cc midsize sportbike. That isn’t a bad thing; it’s just a tweener. It doesn’t quite have the brute accelerative force of a literbike, but there’s more pep in its step than an old-school inline-four 600.

If price is your only consideration, you might be better served picking up an older, well-cared-for Panigale 899 or 959; the performance envelope of the Panigale V2 isn’t vastly different from its forebears. But if you’re the kind of rider who needs the flashiest, prettiest thing on the road from Ducati, this $17,395 Panigale V2 could certainly be the ride for you.

Helmet: Shoei RF-1400

Jacket: Alpinestars SP-5 Rideknit

Gloves: Alpinestars Chrome

Pant: Alpinestars X Diesel AS-DSL Shiro Denim Jean

Boots: TCX Rush 2 Air