Next Bike Sdn Bhd, the official distributor for Ducati teased that Ducatists in Malaysia could expect to see the limited-edition Ducati Panigale V4 25˚ Anniversario 916 in the flesh as early as during the first half of 2020.
The Ducati Panigale V4 25˚ Anniversario was launched last week at Pebble Beach, California, in the presence of ‘King’ Carl Fogarty, four-times winner of the World Superbike Championship with Ducati in the 1990s.
To commemorate the Ducati 916’s 25 th anniversary, this limited-edition Ducati Panigale V4 25˚ Anniversario will consist of only 500 individually numbered bikes and will sport an original livery and exclusive racing components.
The Ducati team paid further tribute to the 916 during the 2019 Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) race at Laguna Seca last weekend when Alvaro Bautista and Chaz Davies’ bikes took to the track with a special livery inspired by the graphics of the Panigale V4 25°Anniversario 916.
The Ducati 916 was destined to transform the world of motorcycle design and to make fans all over the world fall in love. Uniquely stylish, elegant, light and technologically innovative, the 916 is a true pillar of Made in Italy motorcycles.
Design Details on the Ducati Panigale V4 25˚ Anniversario 916
The new Panigale V4 25° Anniversario 916 is characterised by livery inspired by the Ducati 996 SBK, winner of the 1999 World Superbike Championship with Carl Fogarty. The graphics, based on Ducati Red, are distinguished by the number holders of the front and the fairings, where the World Champion’s number “1” is proudly placed.
The lower part of the tank is crossed by a black stripe that extends to the frame and to the side extractors; it accentuates the side view’s dynamism and evokes the side panels of the 996 SBK’s carbon air-box side body panels.
The black colour is also found on the lower fairings and headlight housing, making the two front air inlets visually wider and more threatening. The rider seat exhibits the same colour combination as the bike, with a clear separation between black and red that extends to the rear buffer.
Stickers that reproduce the “Shell” and “Foggy” logos are available to apply on the side fairings and at the base of the Plexiglas respectively; these two details were designed to further strengthen the visual connection with Carl Fogarty’s 996 SBK.
This version’s racing look is completed by the magnesium-forged Marchesini Racing wheels, the Akrapovič titanium silencer and the several carbon and billet aluminium components.
Single-seater configuration
The tail of the Panigale V4 25° Anniversario 916 is in a single-seater version to highlight the bike’s “ready-to-race” character. Its wing design is inspired by an aerodynamic spoiler and incorporates a full-LED tail light functionally divided into two parts, according to the tradition of Ducati sportbikes. The double red arch of the parking light makes the Panigale V4 unmistakable, just like its aggressive look.
“Diamond” tank
The plasticity of the “diamond” tank, a Ducati trademark, assists the rider at all stages of track driving. Thanks to its muscular shape it is possible to lean completely into the most extreme corners, lower the helmet for maximum aerodynamic efficiency in the straights and offer a strong lateral grip on the knees when braking deep into corners. It extends under the seat to lower the centre of gravity, thus leaving a portion of the subtail visible.
Front Frame
The “Front Frame”, left visible, becomes an integral part of the bike, giving it a tight fairing, practically custom tailored. It relies on the Desmosedici Stradale engine, a load-bearing component. This solution represents the evolution of the Monocoque structure and was born by making use of the experience gained in MotoGP. Compared to the Monocoque, the “Front Frame” makes it possible to decouple the torsional and lateral stiffness so as to achieve the proper amount of pliability with respect to the stresses on the frame, better absorbing uneven road conditions in the curves and ensuring the necessary stability.
All this translates into a superior agility and precision that provides the rider of the Panigale V4 with an easier and less tiring control. The main difference in the layout compared to traditional solutions is the use of the engine as a structural element for the entire frame. The “Front Frame” features a compact frontal structure weighing only 4 kg, secured directly to the upper semi-casing of the front bank and to the cylinder head of the V4’s rear bank, the engine block also serving as a connection point for the rear suspension and pivot point for the single swinging arm.
The most important advantage of the “Front Frame” is the use of the Desmosedici Stradale engine to achieve the desired rigidity, making it possible to significantly reduce the extension of the main frame – and therefore its weight – achieving a superior rigidity/weight ratio. To this advantage is added the fact that the reduced length of the uprights running alongside the engine has made it possible to design a compact motorcycle, especially where the rider sits. The chassis is completed by the lightweight front subframe made of magnesium and the chill-cast aluminium seat support, secured on the top to the “Front Frame” and at the bottom screwed onto the cylinder head of the rear bank. The rear suspension exploits levers attached to the Desmosedici Stradale engine by forged aluminium. The levers react to the movements of an aluminium cast single-sided swinging arm.
