Ducati's Streetfigher V4 is GO!

✸ A stripped Panigale V4. 201kg. 1100cc. 208hp. ✸ It’s face is based on The Joker. ✸ Biplane double wings for increased aero.

It's been the worst kept secret in motorcycling and after more than a year of gossip, spy photos and rumours, the 2020 Ducati Streetfighter V4 has finally been unveiled during the Italian factory's global premier event.

According to Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali, the bike has been built with what Ducati is calling the ‘Fight Formula’ – basically, it's a naked superbike with loads of tech to make it go fast on the road.

It's certainly an aggressive looking motorcycle coming with the frame, Desmocedici Stradale motor and seat unit from the V4. That in-yourface feel is further enhanced by the minimalist full-LED headlight, which finds its styling inspiration from comic books. "We wanted the bike to look like The Joker. That face that is so recognisable from the comic books you too can see on the front of the Streetfighter V4," said Domenicali.

There are two versions of the bike, the V4 and the higher-specced V4 S.

The engine – combined with a kerb weight of 201kg (on the ‘S’ version) – takes the power/weight ratio to 1.17, and if you want to get the power output up to a dizzying 220hp then you can have the full racing Ducati Performance exhaust by Akrapovič, which not only lofts the output significantly, but also reduces the weight by 6kg.

The Wings

Because the bike is a literal handful under power, there's not only a vast array of electronics on tap to keep the front wheel under control, but two sets of wings that jut out from the shoulder of the radiator cover.

These wings help to maintain the bike's stability at higher speeds, generating 28kg of downforce at 167mph. The electronics have been lifted directly from the Panigale V4 to help the big naked stay right-side-up, but those wings aren't just for help at holding that pawing front wheel down, they also boost stability during braking at the turn-in point and throughout the corner (according to Ducati). The wings also help draw heat off the engine by increasing water and oil radiator throughflow speeds by 2% and 10% respectively.

Ergonomics

Compared to the Panigale V4, the riding position – with an aboveground height of 845 mm – gets a high, wide handlebar that, together with a 60mm-thick seat and nottucked-under footpegs, give what Ducati says is ‘Sports-style comfort during inner city rides and the control needed to tackle country roads or racetracks’.