It’s no secret that the Ducati’s legendary L-Twin powered 1299 Panigale will soon be replaced by a V4 engine superbike. Ducati will bid adieu to its flagship model with the 1299 R Final Edition which will be unveiled at the WSBK round at Laguna Seca, California, US on Friday, July 7, 2017. Ducati was able to sell the Euro-III 1299 Panigale with the help of derogation or end of series exemptions.
The 1299 Panigale’s successor is scheduled to arrive some time next year and we’ve stumbled upon the first ever images of the upcoming superbike from Ducati’s stable. The new engine will be based on Ducati’s 1000cc Liquid-cooled, 90° V4, evo desmodromic DOHC motor that propels their MotoGP machine.
The spied motorcycle does not appear to be much different than the outgoing 1299 Panigale but that’s most probably to keep finer details under wraps till Ducati tests the new V4 engine. The chassis would undergo some modifications to accommodate the new V4 engine. Just like the 1299 Panigale, the test mule was equipped with an underbelly exhaust. We expect the new motorcycle to get refreshed design and we may see the production spec motorcycle to debut at this year’s EICMA motorcycle show in Milan, Italy.
Claudio Domenicli has already dropped hints about the upcoming V4 superbike, stating that it is getting much, much closer to production. Speaking at Ducati MotoGP team presentation, Domenicli said that the engine development that Ducati has made in MotoGP has been exceptional. He added that the engine is very reliable, very light, compact and has a lot of interesting technology. He also said that the upcoming motorcycle will not be an exotic bike like the Desmosedici, but a high-end sports bike.
As aforementioned, the motorcycle is expected to be launched in 2018 and we may hear some more details at the 2017 EICMA motorcycle show in Italy. While we wait for some more details, let us know your views about the upcoming V4 powered Ducati through the comments section below.
Images Via MaxxMoto