Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1254113
2020 DUCATI STREETFIGHTER V4 S R I D E R E V I E W P76 get their heads around how suspension works. The Streetfighter V4 S comes with Street, Sport and Race ECU modes, and these also affect how the suspension behaves—not just the different responses you get at the twist grip. Regardless of how you adjust it, the suspension offers a beautifully plush ride. Simple cruising around is lovely, especially when you combine the suspen- sion action with the comfort of the seat and the ample room you get from a rider triangle designed to accom- modate a taller pilot in relative comfort. The distance from the footpeg to the seat, and from the seat to the handlebar, means you can ride the Streetfighter for hours, so long as you don't mind filling up every other hour (more on that later). It's also nice for moving around on the chas- sis when things heat up in the corners, which they do very, very quickly on the Streetfighter. With that claimed 208 horsepower on tap, the Streetfighter is absolutely not a toy. This is easily the fastest naked bike I have ridden to date, not just in the way it accelerates (which is mind-numb- ingly quick), but how it simply devours corners, much like its clothed brother, the Panigale. But whereas the Panigale has a fragile nervous- ness to it, the Streetfighter—at least at normal road speeds, and a little above, let's be honest—is a much more poised proposition. Yes, the engine underneath you dictates your utmost attention as you hurl gears at it via the ultra-precise quickshifter, but the chassis throws waves of feedback to the rider thanks to the way the electronics meter the power delivery, the semi-active suspension, and the Brembo Stylema and radial master-cylinder. The braking power and feel are brilliant and very similar to that of the 890 Duke R. On that bike, the brakes are so good that they are almost too much for the chassis, whereas under the extra weight of the Streetfighter, they feel spot on. Under brakes and during the initial stages of turning, the Streetfighter will follow the chosen line like a faithful student, and it doesn't mind changing lines mid-corner if you screw it up. Under power is a similar experience, although trailing a rear brake doesn't hurt when trying to lay down all that power in a swift fashion. The electronics are adjustable enough that you can have the dog on a choker chain or let it run freely, but running freely will demand nothing but your sharpest focus. During my ride, I found Sport to be the ideal setting in terms of power delivery and suspension behavior, and I loved how the Streetfighter behaved when I ramped up the engine braking to its maximum level, pulling the chassis into the corner and allowing an extra level New bi-plane wings are modeled off the 2014 Desmosedici MotoGP racer and one-up the Panigale's single- wing design. No cruise control here. Bummer.