If you're a superbike fan, chances are you already own, owned, will own, or have at one point in time dreamed of owning a Ducati Panigale. Indeed, when it comes to Ducati's model range, the Panigale represents the pinnacle of performance. Out of all the variants available, however, the Panigale V4 R is the one that most closely embodies a "race bike for the street."
Interestingly, there seems to be a place for a bike like the Ducati Panigale V4 R in the Asian market – a space that's dominated by small-displacement machines with utility and practicality in mind. Indeed, for a small number of diehard enthusiasts, the Ducati Panigale V4 R is the bike to have. This is evidenced by the launch of the homologation superbike in the Indian market for the eye-watering price of Rs 6,999,000, which translates to about $85,000 USD. For reference, the superbike carries an MSRP of $44,000 USD in the U.S. market.
Unsurprisingly, the reason for the Ducati Panigale V4 R's exorbitant price tag in India is due to a number of reasons – tax and import duties more than likely being the biggest culprit. Nevertheless, however, someone buying a Ducati Panigale V4 R in India will surely already have an impressive collection of vehicles to their name.
Having said that, what sets the Panigale V4 R apart from the regular old Panigale V4? Well, for starters, it has a different engine. Instead of the 1,103cc V4, the V4 R is packing a Desmosedici Stradale, 998cc, V4 engine. In a factory state of tune, this engine delivers a whopping 215 horsepower at 15,500 rpm and 77.7 pound-feet of torque at 12,000 rpm. Once you fit the Akrapovic full-race exhaust system, these figures rise to 233 horsepower and 82.6 pound-feet of torque, all while shedding five kilograms of weight versus the stock exhaust system. This means that the top-tier superbike tips the scales at just 167 kilograms.
Engine aside, the Ducati Panigale V4 R is packing a comprehensive array of race-ready goodies such as 43mm Ohlins NPX 25/30 forks, as well as an Ohlins TTX 36 rear monoshock, both of which feature full adjustability. As for the brakes, the bike is packing win 330mm front discs with Brembo Monobloc Stylema M4.30 callipers with four-piston calipers up front and a 245mm rotor with a dual-piston caliper at the rear.
Rounding up the tech package is one of the most sophisticated tech packages you could expect to find on a motorcycle. The Panigale V4 R is outfitted with four riding modes, an up and down quick-shifter, IMU-powered cornering ABS and traction control, and launch control. Said IMU also delivers cutting-edge rider aids like wheelie control and slide control. The Ducati data analyzer complete with GPS telemetry ensures you can keep track of all the data during your track sessions.
