P104
RIDE REVIEW I 2025 DUCATI PANIGALE V4 S
mechanical change in behavior
that comes from back shifting at
high rpm, you might get a little
confused.
Of course, you've got variable
engine braking control within the
Ducati's electronics, so you can
alter it if you wish. I ran my EBC
in level two of three, only trying
the least and most engine brake
once before settling on the
middle ground.
There's another electronic
gizmo that makes the Panigale
a "skill booster," and that's the
advent of the new Race eCBS,
Ducati's combined braking sys
-
tem that activates the rear brake
at the same time as the front.
This is far from your standard
Honda Gold Wing system that
just adds rear brake when you've
used the front. The Race eCBS
system uses, again, info from
the IMU, lean angle and front
brake pressure from the astound
-
ing Brembo Hypure front brake
calipers, to determine the correct
amount of rear brake to apply for
a given corner.
There's three levels to the
system, but in its proper race
setting, you can feel the back of
the bike squat as you get on the front
brake and begin to turn in, effectively
locking out the rear suspension and
helping you pull the chassis into
the apex. It's a fantastic system if
you, like me, struggle to use the rear
brake while on track.
The good news is the system
doesn't mind if you are an adept rear
brake user. If you ask for 15 bar of
pressure via standing on the rear brake
pedal and the system would only
electronically give you 10 bar, you'll get
your 15 bar. Overall, the system allows
for up to 15.5 percent of braking force
to be applied on the rear of the bike.
Levels one to five are designed for
track riding, with combined braking is
active on levels one and three, in the
two different Track Plus and Track
modes. Levels six and seven are
dedicated to road riding.
(Top) The new
6.3" dash is
something else.
It'll tell you
everything from
your lean angle to
even how much
power and how
much torque the
bike is making
in real time.
(Bottom) The
double-sided
swingarm might
be controversial,
but the proof
is in the ride.
There's more feel,
more grip, more
acceleration that
meets the ground
and thus, faster
lap times.
