VOLUME ISSUE AUGUST , P97
dictive. Where I had previously
short-shifted into third, I began
holding second—and holding it
longer still.
The V4 R carved through Cop-
pice with huge speed and lean
angle. A touch of the shifter, a
slight lift onto the wider part
of the tire, and the motorcycle
drove forward in third with brutal
force. As confidence grew, the
throttle opened earlier, even in
the lower gears. The chassis
delivered clear information while
the electronics quietly cleaned
up small mistakes.
Donington seemed to shrink
further with every lap. The V4 R
feels as though it needs some
-
where vast and flowing, like
Italy's Mugello circuit, to fully
stretch its legs.
Braking With an
Invisible Assistant
Fortunately, the Ducati has the
braking performance to match
its acceleration. Brembo Hypure
calipers grip 330mm front rotors,
and the brakes need to slow only
411 pounds of motorcycle before
fuel and rider are added.
In ABS 1, antilock intervention
is minimized, and the combined-
braking system switches to
Track Plus. The rider can ignore
the rear pedal because Ducati
Vehicle Observer and the motor
-
cycle's supporting electronics ap-
ply the rear brake automatically.
The system can even add a
brief pulse of rear brake after
the rider releases the front lever,
helping tighten the line toward
the apex. It replicates a tech
-
nique MotoGP riders perform
instinctively.
violent burst of acceleration.
Melbourne to Goddards barely
qualifies as a straight.
Through the descending
Craner Curves, caution is under-
standable. But the acceleration
away from the Old Hairpin is so
immediate that the rider's brain
struggles to keep pace. Gear
changes arrive in rapid succes-
sion, yet every shift is precise.
The engine and drivetrain seem
almost frictionless as the revs
flood upward and braking mark-
ers rush into view.
After the first session, I
returned to the pits wired like a
child on Christmas morning. The
V4 R delivers an intoxicating
first hit and immediately makes
you want another.
For the second session,
we selected Slick A mode. It
provides full power, reduces
electronic intervention toward
its minimum and engages ABS
1, the most aggressive track-
oriented braking configuration.
With the electronic safety net
loosened, the motorcycle's physi-
cal character became clearer.
The mechanical Öhlins suspen-
sion communicated grip beauti-
fully, making it easier to carry
speed and trust the front tire.
My biggest mistake in the
opening session had been shift-
ing too early. Most superbikes
reach peak power somewhere
between 12,500 and 13,500
rpm. Ducati's own V4 S peaks
at 13,500. The V4 R, by contrast,
delivers its maximum power
at 15,750 rpm and continues
beyond 16,000.
Revving a liter-class motor-
cycle that hard initially feels
unnatural. Then it becomes ad-
