Ducati has launched the Panigale V2 in India for a price of Rs 16.99 lakh, making it Rs 1.70 lakh than the Panigale 959 it replaces. It is however more powerful, lighter, better equipped with electronic aids and most importantly, a lot more friendly.
After waiting for month and a lot of anticipation, Ducati has finally launched the Panigale V2 in India for a price of Rs 16.99 lakh (ex-showroom India). The new Ducati Panigale V2 is thus Rs 1.70 lakh more expensive than the motorcycle it replaces, the Ducati Panigale 959. To put it in another way, the Panigale V2 is only Rs 1.50 lakh cheaper than something like the BMW S 1000 RR which is a much more serious motorcycle. Yes, it is quite expensive for what it is but you will probably forgive it for being a Ducati and more so, for being a baby Panigale.
Ducati unveiled the Panigale V2 almost a year back, just before the EICMA 2019. In terms of design, the Panigale V2 is a great departure from the Panigale 959 and a lot closer to Ducati’s flagship superbike, the Panigale V4. And that clearly was the aim. The Panigale V2 looks almost identical to the larger Panigale V4 in almost all design aspects and that’s only a great thing. There’s no denying that its a sensational looking motorcycle. The triangular headlamp setup, the sleek lines and even the air scoops are all directly lifted from its elder sibling.
Underneath all that skin, the mechanical elements however aren’t all that different from the Panigale 959. It still uses the same 955cc L-Twin engine but it has obviously been reworked upon to meet the stricter emission norms. The engine is now lighter than before and it churns out 155PS and 104Nm of torque. That’s 5PS and 2Nm more than the older Euro 4/BS4 motor. The engine continues to come mated to a 6-speed transmission and it also comes with a slip-and-assist clutch and a bi-directional quickshifter.
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Ducati however did go the length to improve the riding experience of the Panigale V2 with better electronic aids this time to make it a lot more friendly. The Panigale V2 gets a 6-axis IMU, a couple of riding modes, lean-sensitive traction control, cornering ABS, and wheelie control. Of course the electronic suite is not as expansive as on the Panigale V4 but its still well equipped as most other motorcycles in this segment do not come with even most of these aids. Ducati has also tweaked the monocoque frame for better ridability.
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For suspension duties, the Ducati Panigale V2 uses Showa Big Piston Forks at the front while the rear gets a Sachs monoshock. Although the suspension is identical as before, they have been mounted slightly differently. All these small changes on the motorcycle add up to bring about a great difference in the dynamics of the motorcycle and also makes it a lot more friendly. Ducati had opened bookings for the Panigale V2 in India a while back, so deliveries are expected to begin very soon.
