DUCATI PANIGALE V4 SPECIALE
I 'll admit to living a little crazy at times and opting for the profiteroles off the specials board, regardless of the few quid extra they might cost. But whether I could justify spending £35k on a spec'd up Panigale V4 Speciale, when the perfectly good base model weighs in some £15,745 cheaper, kept me up pondering at night.
It was a question that needed an answer, and I managed to come up with one during a two-week loan of the fanciest V4 on the market. Like a kid at Christmas, minus the crappy jumper and piles of shredded wrapping paper, my life was lit up exponentially when the van doors opened and a 222bhp beauty was wheeled out before me, resplendent in a striking tricolore livery and sporting more shiny bits than you'll find in a tart's handbag.
Did I like the look of it? I loved it, especially once I'd taken the time to explore all of its intricacies. There was no ignoring the serpentine flow of the stunning titanium Akrapovic exhaust system, or the adjustable CNC-machined rearsets or the detail-stitched Alcantara saddle, which felt as nice as it looked.
For a good few moments my eyes didn't stop twitching… But then they did, and my mind started ticking. Paintwork aside, there are relatively few differences between this and the mid-range V4S, which packs the same second generation Öhlins electronically-adjusted suspension, the same wheels, the same motor and mirrors it in a multitude of other ways (including the same shaky mirrors) – all for £11,100 less.
Now call me cynical but after my brief orgy of an overview I was left ‘wanting' for some epic wow factor that, as delectably presentable as the Speciale was, kitted out with its race-inspired front brake lever guard, carbon heal plates, mudguards and an exhaust cover made from the same featherweight material, I just couldn't find. Not even the machined top-yoke with its exclusive and numbered yoke (number 108 of just 1500 in production, if you're asking) warranted the massive price difference over the V4S, or at least to my penny-pinching mind. Surely, there had to be something more to the Speciale, something that would make it a bit more, well, special. Surely giving the bike a good old throttling would help me find it?
Firstly, a word of caution; this bike is loud. Seriously loud! Alongside the race screen, a fancy bike cover and the altered mapping that comes as part of the ‘race package', you also get the funky looking titanium Akrpaovic race system and that makes the biggest of impacts; both visually and audibly. It's largely responsible for the 2kg weight saving over the V4S, and it's also the main reason the output gets cranked up by 10bhp. And the other thing it's good at is pissing off your neighbours.
Just below the hi-tech colour TFT dash, on which you'd think you could monitor the stock market and launch nukes, is a 107dB sticker that shouldn't be taken with a pinch of salt. It means it, and it also means you can wave your neighbourhood friendships goodbye. But more importantly, and devastatingly, it means trackdays are off the radar… aside from those once a year delicacies where you get to ride unsilenced. That was something I hadn't factored in, and I wasn't pleased to learn.
Still, all was forgiven after I'd taken my first ride and realised the brilliance of the beast. On the roads every V4 I've ridden has proven to be an absolute hoot, arguably even the best street bikes on the market. They're big, comfy and pack shed loads of torque. When the V4 first came out people were concerned that the motor wouldn't deliver the instant, hard hitting fix of drive that L-twins possessed. They were wrong to. Arguably, the torque isn't as intense, but that's not such a bad thing. The spread of power seems greater, and you've got extra revs at the top end to play with (thanks to a higher 14,500rpm limiter), assuming you've had your spinach and can handle the pace of this thing. V4s are rocketships, regardless of spec, as the Speciale reiterated.
Of course, this particular Ducati came laced with an extra 10bhp of madness, but I'd be a liar if I said I could notice it. What I did learn over that inaugural blast, and the many others I had, was a lack of power was never on the cards. The initial pickup did feel slightly abrupt, but once rolling the fuelling was creamier than a slice of Wensleydale. It stopped for nothing, being governed by a light and accurate electronic throttle, sporting special Speciale handlebar grips – simply lovely!
What wasn't so lovely was the motor's tendency to stall when setting off from junctions, if you were anything like meagre with throwing revs into the mix. Boothy managed the feat on a few occasions, and I couldn't stop laughing at him, mostly because he didn't know I'd been stalling it too. The clutch purchase doesn't help in this department. The Speciale gets spec'd up with Rizoma folding levers which is all well and good, but even using the span adjustment they offer you can't substantially alter the biting point of the engine, which sits not far off of the ‘bar. It takes a bit of getting used to. In Race mode, the sportiest of the three riding modes (Race, Sport, Street), I found the throttle a little too eager in town, making for a jerky ride, but switching to Sport proved a good solution. To be fair, even when out of town Sport mode never failed to deliver the drive and excitement I hoped for (I reckon it was worth an extra mile per gallon, too).
So far so good, and that's the general theme of the V4 Speciale; In fact, it's better than good – it's brilliant. But much of what I'm telling you would also relate to owners of the base or S versions. If it wasn't for the racing fuel filler or ‘Speciale' branding that stares up at you from the side of the slightly taller racing screen, I could have easily believed I was riding a V4S. With the same geometry and same firm Öhlins suspension, the Speciale felt familiar from the get-go. I liked the way it handled, proving lithe and effortless to throw around.
The stiff, minimalist chassis fought the pogos in the same way the ‘S' did, letting off a tell-tale weave when ridden hard out of bends as the carbon-clad swingarm worked hard to stabilise the package. That said it felt a largely planted bike, but a characterful one at that, mostly down to the punch of the motor. It's not normal to get fourth gear power wheelies on motorcycles, but the V4's torque would claim otherwise. And it's because the motor is so ferocious, and the frame so small and stiff, that you get these playful notions from the Ducati when you're cracking on.
I kind of liked it, but I couldn't adapt to the sheer stiffness of the ride when I wasn't striving for lap records. The Speciale was clearly designed for silky smooth race tracks, not my local back lanes. I played around quite a bit with the electronically adjustable setup, which allows you to prioritise between handling or comfort. Even with the bike on the softest of its ten settings, it still felt too hard and proved only marginally more forgiving on the rough stuff. At least that fancy saddle was comfy, albeit a little toasty at times. Whether it was down to the sleeker carbon fibre exhaust guard or even the makeup of the titanium system, the Speciale definitely felt hotter than its siblings.
In total I clocked over 400 miles on the £35k wonder weapon, which had me under its spell. Great ergonomics, sharp looks and a monstrous motor were its biggest draws, topped off by the knowledge that you were riding something more than a bit glitzy. The other things that deserve a strong mention are the flawless electronics the bike boasts, including a blipper, shifter, engine brake control and even slide control function.
On the road there's no chance you can properly grasp their potential, but everything from the traction control package to the less-invasive ABS (which can be switched off up front), proved a notch above any other brand's offerings – as has been the case for a while now on Ducatis. Hell, the Speciale even sports GPS and a data analyser so you can check out your lines, your braking pressure, lean angle and loads of other factors that you've just unleashed on your last thrash.
There's no denying the V4 concept is next level, but I'm not sure I can say the same about the Speciale when compared to the standard and V4S models. Sure I could see the bike's wow-factor, even Stevie Wonder could've, but it was near identical to that of the other two models – only much louder. As for image, yeah, it might get you a few more bras thrown your way, but no more than you could achieve by splashing out on a base model and tarting it up with a new paintjob and some glitzy bits to help you look like a racer. Personally, I'm not sold on the massive price hike, but don't let me stop you delving deep in your pockets. I think I'll stick to the profiteroles.