Go through Ducati ' s superbike range and there ' s a missing link - where virtually every other model is available in both base and Öhlins-damped ' S ' forms , there ' s no S version of the Panigale V2 . Now that ' s effectively been remedied , but instead of a succinct ' S ', the new model wears the unwieldy title of Ducati Panigale V2 Bayliss 1st Championship 20th Anniversary . Officially , it ' s a ' numbered edition ', although there isn ' t a cap on how many will be made , and of course it marks two decades since Bayliss took the first of his three Ducati-riding WSB titles aboard a 996R in 2001 . The Panigale V2 might be Ducati ' s entry-level superbike these days , but it ' s fitting that the Bayliss branding should be on a V-twin , as he rode three generations of Ducati twins to |
the superbike championship , the 996R , 999R and 1098R in 2001 , 2006 and 2008 respectively . Changes compared to the normal Panigale V2 include the addition of |
Öhlins suspension , with NIX30 forks and TTX36 shock , as well as an Öhlins steering damper . The normal dual seat is swapped for a single seat unit , and a Li-ion battery helps cut 3 kg |
from the weight for a kerb mass of 197 kg . Cosmetically , the bike gets paintwork to reflect the 2001 WSB colours , complete with Bayliss ' number 21 , which is also embroidered on the seat . A carbon and titanium silencer cover , a decal of Bayliss ' signature on the tank and a numbered plaque on the top yoke complete the updates . Power and torque are unchanged at 155 hp and 76.7 lb ft respectively , and as usual for Ducati , there ' s an extensive electronics package including cornering ABS and traction control , wheelie control , engine braking control and an up / down quickshifter , all accessed via a 4.3 in TFT dashboard . In Italy , the bike sits neatly between the € 17,990 Panigale V2 and the € 23,790 Panigale V4 , with a price of € 20,990 . |