VOLUME ISSUE FEBRUARY , P95
That massive expanse of
torque means you can hold
gears longer, and you don't get
that big torque thrust at 7000
rpm that was the old motor's
trademark. The new motor is
smoother in its delivery of speed,
but it also feels a bit flat. That's
mainly due to its size (955cc to
890cc will do that), but it builds
speed very deceptively, helped
in no small part by that beauti
-
ful chassis that has shades of
250GP snappiness about it.
To prove the point, Ducati's
test rider, Alessandro Valia, did
a 1:48 lap time on a production-
ready 2025 Panigale V2 S fitted
with slicks at Circuito de Sevilla,
while the WorldSSP team was
also there with a proper kitted
2024 Panigale V2 and could only
manage a 1:46. That shows just
how damn good Valia is but also
the potential of the new V2 S.
To get the most out of the V2
S on track, you don't go hunting
for the redline. Seat-of-the-pants
shifting saw me barely scratch
-
ing the reds of the digital tach, as
I found it much more beneficial
to just throw another gear at it
and keep the motor in its torquey
happy place. Ducati claims 69
lb-ft of torque measured at 8250
rpm, which is a lot lower than
the redline at 11,000 rpm. This is
thus a new direction for a Ducati
supersport motor—high revs are
no longer the be-all and end-all,
which will doubtless translate
into a more enjoyable street bike.
Our test bike at Sevilla was
outfitted with Pirelli slicks in
the 190-section rear tire, so the
same rubber that's been used
in WorldSSP for the past few
seasons, and I have to say it
was almost too much grip for
the bike's 120 horsepower. I
say almost. You can never have
too much grip, but the Italian
tire made it almost impossible
to light up the traction control
even when it was reduced to
level one. The electronics are so
beautifully mapped on the V2 S
that you really don't notice them
in action. Try as I might, I could
only get the TC to light by being
cack-handed while leaned right
over, which, again, is a testament
to the balance of the chassis.
Ducati has fitted the quick
-
shifter inside the gearbox on
the new Panigale V2 S, and this
was a cause for concern among
some testers with somewhat
erratic performance. A few of
the riders suffered issues in
which the bike would misfire on
wide-open upshifts, with Ducati
saying that if the gears haven't
spliced correctly, it will cut igni
-
tion momentarily to allow the
cogs to mesh and to protect the
insides of the engine (like not
smashing valves into pistons).
(Left to right) Raised clip-on
handlebars make for a very
comfortable ride position. This is the
lightest Ducati L-twin motor they have
ever produced. Heat is now drawn
out of the chassis/engine combo by
the slits in the bodywork under the
tank. Brembo M50 radial four-piston
calipers and Ohlins NIX30 fork make a
formidable combination.
