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/1496288
RIDE REVIEW I 2023 DUCATI STREETFIGHTER V4 S P104 pers that offer the kind of braking power normally reserved for proper race bikes, all reside on the 2023 edition. What's new is that the show rolls on the new Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV Corsa rubber we tested recently at Mugello. Subtle changes have been made to the riding position with a reshaped gas tank offering a handy 0.26-gallon capacity increase and allowing the rider to grip the outer edges better when braking. This is a good thing indeed as the ride from the Ohlins is quite stiff, even on standard settings, so any increased ability for the rider to hold himself under brakes better is welcome in my book. The Streetfighter is a tiring motorcycle to ride fast for long periods. The lack of any form of wind protection, the extreme performance of that motor, and the cornering forces generated by the chassis—especially with the Pirelli Superbike slicks we rode with at the track-only launch at the Andalucía circuit in Spain—make for a truly immense motorcycle. It's also extremely comfortable. The seat foam is a generous 2.4 in. thick, more than double that of the Panigale. The cockpit feels like you're sitting more on an office chair than the fastest naked bike in the world, and the rider triangle of seat-to-peg, peg-to-bar, bar-to-seat distance means riders of six feet tall and higher won't be contorted into unwelcome shapes like they are on the Panigale. To that end, one of the testers in Spain noted it was too roomy for his 5'9" frame, which made me laugh as there was finally a bike designed around my frame and not his. I'm sorry that this review has degenerated into a glowing piece for Ducati, but I genuinely find this bike very difficult to fault. Aside from the fact it costs $27,595 MSRP and doesn't come with heated hand grips or cruise control (either or both would be great, thanks Ducati), everything else about this motorcycle is absolutely first class. It's expensive as hell—when you throw the extra pipe at it, you're not getting much change out of $40,000—but it's also a serious object of desire that's hard to pass up. Is too much of a good thing, you know, too much? Most of the time I'd agree with you, but on this one, I've got to admit, sometimes too much just isn't enough. CN 2023 DUCATI STREETFIGHTER V4 S ($27,595) ENGINE: Desmosedici Stradale 90° V4, rearward-rotating crankshaft VALVETRAIN: 4 Desmodromically actuated valves per cylinder FUELING: EFI COOLING SYSTEM: Liquid DISPLACEMENT: 1103cc BORE X STROKE: 81 x 53.3mm POWER (CLAIMED): 208 hp @ 12,750 rpm TORQUE (CLAIMED): 90.4 lb-ft @ 11,500 rpm ELECTRONICS: Three Riding Modes, Power Modes, Cornering ABS EVO, Ducati Traction Control (DTC) EVO 2, Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC) EVO, Ducati Slide Control (DSC), Engine Brake Control (EBC) EVO, auto tire calibration, Ducati Power Launch (DPL), Ducati Quick Shift (DQS) up/down EVO 2, Full LED lighting with Daytime Running Light (DRL), Ducati Electronic Suspension (DES) EVO with Ohlins suspension and steering damper, Quick adjustment buttons, Auto-off indicators TRANSMISSION: 6-speed CLUTCH: Wet multi-disc CHASSIS: Aluminum alloy "Front Frame" FRONT SUSPENSION: Öhlins NIX30 43mm fully adjustable fork with TiN treatment, electronic compression and rebound damping adjustment with Öhlins Smart EC 2.0 event-based mode REAR SUSPENSION: Fully adjustable Ohlins TTX36 unit, electronic compression and rebound damping adjustment with Öhlins Smart EC 2.0 event-based mode, Aluminum single-sided swingarm FRONT-WHEEL TRAVEL: 4.7 in. REAR-WHEEL TRAVEL: 5.1 in. FRONT BRAKE: Dual 330mm semi-floating discs, radially mounted Brembo Monobloc Stylema four-piston calipers with Cornering ABS EVO REAR BRAKE: 245mm disc, twin-piston caliper with Cornering ABS EVO Last generation digital unit with five-inch TFT color display FRONT TIRE: Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa II 120/70 ZR17 in. REAR TIRE: Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa II 200/60 ZR17 in. SEAT HEIGHT: 33.3 in. WHEELBASE: 58.6 in. RAKE: 24.5° FUEL CAPACITY: 4.49 gal. WEIGHT (WET, CLAIMED): 434 lbs. S P E C I F I C AT I O N S