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/1546306
P100 RIDE REVIEW I 2026 DUCATI PANIGALE V4 R For riders who rarely use the rear brake on a superbike because their attention is already overloaded, the system is remarkable. You can hang a leg into a corner, MotoGP-style, with your right foot away from the 'peg, and the motorcycle still manages rear braking. Whether the credit belongs to the aerodynamics, electronics, brake hardware or their integra - tion, the stopping performance is breathtaking. By the third ses- sion, I was becoming ambitious enough to feel the rear edge sideways under braking into God- dards and Redgate. ABS 2 applies less rear brake, while ABS 3 leaves rear-brake control to the rider. Another setting permits controlled brake-induced slides, similar to Ducati's super- moto systems, although it is more useful for drama than lap times. Electronics That Don't Erase the Rider The V4 R's rider aids are excep- tionally sophisticated, but the motorcycle never feels remote. Old-school qualities—chassis flex, mechanical grip and suspen- sion feedback—remain present beneath the electronic support. That balance represents a meaningful advance over the previous V4 R. The outgoing model is devastatingly fast, but it can be physically and mentally demanding. At times, it feels as though the rider is simply hang - ing on, which discourages reduc- ing electronic intervention. The 2026 V4 R overflows with feedback. Its connection to the pavement is unusually intimate, not only under acceleration but also during trail braking and through the middle of a corner. After lunch, we installed a new rear tire, and the improve- ment was instantly apparent. The same was true whenever we adjusted the suspension or rider aids. The V4 R communicates each change clearly rather than hiding it beneath layers of software. By late afternoon, the front tire had endured a full day's punish- ment, yet it continued to inspire confidence. I wasn't talented enough to deliberately slide the front, but I could sense that available grip had declined by perhaps 10 to 20 percent. That information traveled through the chassis with impressive clarity. On a nearly empty track, riding a thoroughly used V4 R, I could simply enjoy the experience. The 6.9-inch TFT display helps by presenting live information without becoming distracting. Rider-aid indicators illuminate when the systems activate, while a large lap timer, sector splits and clear gear display provide the essentials immediately. On worn tires, the slide-control indicator flickered while acceler- ating out of Coppice, and wheelie control intervened exiting both hairpins. Yet I could barely feel either system operating. That is what makes Ducati's latest electronics so effective. The warning lights reveal that the safe- ty net is present, but the interven- tion does not interrupt the experi- ence. It's like testing a climbing harness before leaving the ground: (Left) Ducati's race-spec dry slipper clutch is standard fitment, as is the customary Ducati dry clutch rattle. (Right) The hollow swingarm debuted on the 2025 Panigale V4 S and is used once again on the V4 R. The days of the single-sided swingarm on Ducati superbikes are over.