Ducati presents its 2018 line-up at gala pre-EICMA launch show

Posted

by

 

There’s the much-awaited V4 superbike (that’s more MotoGP-for-the-road than anything we’ve seen before) and a Scrambler 1100 that’ll get your juices flowing.
The global event on Sunday evening was hosted by Claudio Domenicali, CEO of Ducati Motor Holding, who unveiled a host of new bikes including a 1100 Scrambler and V4 MotoGP bike for the road (well, track, really… let’s be honest….).
Domenicali said: “Ducati is a global brand with a solid Italian core: sporting spirit, excellence in design, a love of beauty and a capacity to arouse great passion and build unique experiences.
2017 will, in fact, be the best in our history, the culmination of eight straight years of growth.
The first 2018 bike to be revealed was the Ducati Scrambler 1100 (above). The Scrambler 1100 also comes in a Special version, which draws its inspiration from the custom world, and a Sport version.

Ducati Scrambler 1100 main as-standard features

Ducati Scrambler 1100
• Colours
o “’62 Yellow”, with black frame and black seat
o “Shining Black”, with black frame and black seat
• Equipment
o Steel teardrop fuel tank with interchangeable aluminium side panels
o Low seat (810 mm) for perfect at-standstill manoeuvrability
o Wide handlebars for a more relaxed riding position
o Round headlight with glass lens and DRL
o Diffused LED tail light
o Dual-element LCD instrument panel
o 1,079cc air-cooled L-twin engine
o Machine-finished aluminium belt covers
o Twin spar steel Trellis frame and aluminium subframe
o Double-sided swingarm
o 10-spoke wheels in light alloy, 18″ at the front and 17″ at the rear
o Enduro-derived Pirelli tyres optimised for the Ducati Scrambler
o Bosch Cornering ABS
o Traction Control
o 3 Riding Modes (Active, Journey and City)
o Under-seat USB socket to recharge mobile devices

Article continues below…
Advert

Enjoy everything More Bikes by reading the monthly newspaper, Read FREE Online.

 Also on stage was the Scrambler Mach2, the Desert Sled with a never-before-seen black livery and the new Street Classic.

 
The launch continued with the 959 Panigale Corse, which maintains the tradition of Ducati twin cylinder sport bikes. Characterised by new, exclusive components and an eye-catching livery, this bike was ridden onto the stage by SBK rider Chaz Davies, who arrived in Milan directly from Doha, in Qatar, where he had just completed the last round in the SBK world championship, finishing an impressive second in both the race and the championship.
Another new 2018 bike presented during the Ducati World Première was the Multistrada 1260. Mounting the new Ducati 1262 cm3 Testastretta DVT (Desmodromic Variable Timing) engine, it also features a new chassis set-up, more modern electronics and a re-style that includes side ‘wings’ and sportier-looking wheels. The Ducati “multibike” comes in several versions: the S version offers semi-active suspension and S D|Air – which maximises safety thanks to integration with an airbag-equipped jacket – while the Pikes Peak (above), the sportiest Multistrada version, features Öhlins mechanical suspension and forged aluminium wheels.
During the evening Claudio Domenicali also showcased the Multistrada 1200 Enduro Pro, set to play a pivotal role in DRE (Ducati Riding Experience) Enduro 2018 courses, and the XDiavel.
The undisputed star of Ducati World Première 2018 was the S version of the new Panigale V4 (above), the factory bike that comes closer to being a MotoGP prototype than anything ever seen. Ridden onto the stage by talented test rider Michele Pirro, this is the first mass-produced Ducati bike to mount a 4-cylinder engine derived directly from the Desmosedici GP.
The new Ducati supersport family is a concentrate of technology, style and performance. Constituting a new chapter in the company’s history, it also includes the exclusive, limited-edition, individually-numbered Panigale V4 Speciale.
The Panigale V4 Speciale – with dedicated livery, titanium exhaust and billet aluminium components – was ridden onto the stage by non other than top-class tester and Ducati ambassador Casey Stoner, the perfect grand finale to close out the event.

The Ducati Panigale V4 family:

Panigale V4, £19,250 (approx)

  • Ducati Red with grey frame and black wheels
  • 43 mm Showa Big Piston Forks (BPF), fully adjustable
  • Sachs monoshock, fully adjustable
  • Sachs steering damper
  • ABS Cornering Bosch EVO; Ducati Traction Control EVO (DTC EVO); Ducati Slide Control (DSC); Ducati Wheelie Control EVO (DWC EVO); Ducati Power Launch (DPL); Ducati Quick Shift up/down EVO (DQS EVO); Engine Brake Control EVO (EBC EVO)
  • Race, Sport, Street Riding Modes
  • 5″ TFT dash
  • Braking system with Brembo Stylema monobloc calipers
  • Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP tyres

Panigale V4 S, £23,895 (approx)

In addition to the base model, the V4 S gets:

  • Ducati Red with grey frame and black wheels
  • Suspension and steering damper with Öhlins Smart EC 2.0 system
  • Öhlins NIX-30 forks
  • Öhlins TTX 36 shock absorber
  • Öhlins steering damper
  • Aluminium forged wheels
  • Lithium-ion battery
  • Cast Magnesium alloy front sub frame

Panigale V4 Speciale, £34,995 (approx)

In addition to the V4 S, the V4 Speciale gets:

  • “Speciale” colour scheme with grey frame and black wheels
  • Carbon fibre front/rear mudguards
  • Machined-from-solid top yoke with identification number
  • Dedicated handle grips
  • Adjustable foot pegs
  • Carbon fibre heel guard
  • Carbon fibre cover swinging arm
  • Racing articulated levers
  • Racing fuel tank cap
  • Brake level protection
  • Full racing titanium Ducati Performance by Akrapovič exhaust system
  • Racing screen
  • Machined-from solid mirror replacement plugs
  • Ducati Data Analyser+ GPS (DDA + GPS)
  • Bike cover

Advert

Enjoy everything More Bikes by reading the MoreBikes monthly newspaper. Click here to subscribe, or Read FREE Online.

Newsletter Signup