It has not even been a couple of months since Marc Marquez lit up the MotoGP 2025 season opener in Thailand and painted the Chang International Circuit. And now we are here to do the same at the 2025 Ducati Panigale V4S review ride. So, review… ehh? The 2025 Ducati Panigale V4 S is the best superbike money can buy today.

There you go. That’s your review. That is all you need to hear. But I know how it all works. It is like one of those movies where you already know what is going to happen and who did it, but you’d still like to watch it unfold. You already have the decision made, but you need one (one too many) more person to corroborate. So, allow me to, well, corroborate. 

Before I do, a little about me, because before you hear me out, you need to know where my thoughts are coming from. So, my name is Sunny, also known as The Motographer from the xBhp motorcycling platform and print magazine in India. 

Here’s one with Mr Siddhartha Varma, Marketing Director, Ducati – Asia Pacific & India

And here’s one with the legend himself- Sir Alessandro Valia

I own the stunning 2022 Ducati Streetfighter V4 S. I’ve taken it on the track a few times– it’s one of the most brutal nakeds out there, essentially a naked Panigale V4 S. I also have a Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R as my dedicated racetrack motorcycle. Other than these two, I also own a Triumph Rocket 3 R, a Suzuki Hayabusa, and a Ninja H2. 

Those are the ‘kind’ of motorcycles I own, so now, onto the kind of rider I am. Primarily and by preference, too, I am a long-distance tourer. To that end, I have ridden in 77 countries on motorcycles. More than 20 of them were done on a Ducati Multistrada. You can read about them here.

This is from my roadtrip called Run to the Midnight Sun. Read about it here.

Also, in one of those roadtrips, I covered 20,000 km across Australia on a Ninja H2 and a 1299 Panigale. Other than that, I have done some “certified” endurance rides too including 4 Iron Butts with the most recent one being a 1,700 km ride in 15 hours on a BMW M 1000 RR in Germany. 

In the context of this review, though, the last time I rode on a racetrack was over a year ago. I rode my ZX-10R at the Buddh International Circuit in India. There you go then. That’s me. Plenty of riding experience, but a little rusty on the racetrack. 

When the first Panigale V4 was launched, I rode it at the Sepang International Circuit. It was incredible. Now, we are here at the Chang International Circuit, so let’s see how the latest Panigale treats me. 

The very first iteration of Panigale’s V4 era… ridden at Sepang by yours truly. Read more here.

Despite owning a bunch of motorcycles, I genuinely feel the 2025 Panigale V4 S sits at the top of the food chain when it comes to track-ready motorcycles. Here’s why: First, it offers MotoGP bike performance for the road. 

Andrea Iannone set a lap time on this bike at the Misano Circuit that was MotoGP-level. It would have qualified him for the MotoGP grid! Just imagine how wild it is that you can now buy a MotoGP-spec bike, practically.

Andrea Iannone in action at the Race of Champions held at the World Ducati Week 2024. (Photo from Ducati)

Then there’s exclusivity and rarity. It’s expensive, and it takes a certain mindset to go beyond the café runs and really push this bike on the track. But it’s still going to sell like hotcakes.

Even though this is a 1100cc bike, Ducati has refined the motorcycle and its software so much that it might just be the easiest 200+ bhp machine to ride hard on a track. Add to that the insane weight reduction and distribution, and you forget it’s a monster. Its electronics practically help you mimic a pro rider till you become one yourself. The eCBS engages the rear brake for you on the track and does much more.

The best test ride experience ever. The best way to try this motorcycle isn’t a test ride at your local dealership but through a DRE experience. That’s how I did it as part of the media. They choose the best locations and the best trainers from around the world. Once you ride the Panigale here, there’s no going back to any other bike.

Let’s start with the looks. This bike is a looker, no doubt about that. The 2025 Panigale V4 has a few visual changes, but they come with major functional improvements. The biggest? They ditched the single-sided swingarm for a double-sided one. That might disappoint those who bought this bike purely for its aesthetics, but Ducati engineers had one goal: to make it faster and better handling than the last one. And the single-sided swingarm was holding them back.

The new hollow symmetrical swingarm has 37% less lateral stiffness and a revised rider footpeg position, now 10 mm more inward. This results in lean angles over 60 degrees. For context, MotoGP bikes lean up to 65 degrees. Surprisingly, the new swingarm-forged rear rim assembly is 2.7 kg lighter and more effective at putting down power. Plus, it lets Ducati retain the underbelly exhaust. The new bike is also longer than its predecessor– a real engineering win.

The front is broader for 4% less drag and more room for the rider to tuck in, which makes it less tiring on long straights. The overall design blends the iconic 916 front with side profiles that borrow from current MotoGP bikes. I love it.

There’s a dip in the tank that fits your helmet chin perfectly, and trust me, it made a huge difference on the track. The tank tapers toward the seat, with a recess that makes it easier to grip. Textured surfaces on either side help you lock in, especially during lean angles and heavy braking.

The seat is 1.5 inches longer and 2 inches wider. I noticed it on the track—it’ll translate to even better comfort on the road. When riding fast and shifting positions quickly, it really helps.

The new 6.9-inch full TFT display has an 8:3 aspect ratio, showing you everything from G-forces to lean angles.

Ducatis have always combined stunning looks with matching performance. The Panigale V4S is now far easier to ride on track than the older big V-twins like the 1198R. More sales for Ducati, yes, but also a machine that truly honours the “race on Sunday, sell on Monday” motto. This 2025 Ducati Panigale V4 S, the seventh-generation Ducati superbike since the 1988 851, is the easiest, most powerful, and closest thing to a MotoGP bike yet.

It almost felt like an iPhone launch, didn’t it? Ducati has finally shattered the invisible barrier of making a 200+ bhp bike actually easy to ride.

The revised 2025 Desmosedici Stradale engine, derived from the GP bike, is 1 kg lighter. It’s a 1103cc, 90-degree Desmo V4 with a counter-rotating crankshaft that balances the gyroscopic forces of the wheels, giving more precision in tight corners. It also helps reduce wheelies under hard acceleration and stoppies under heavy braking.

The 70-degree crank pins require a twin-pulse firing order, giving it that distinctive MotoGP sound. The biggest win? Ducati made the engine Euro 5 compliant while increasing the power.. Even if it is just half a bhp. The stock 2025 Panigale V4 S produces 216 bhp at 13,500 rpm and 120.9 Nm of torque. Spend an extra ₹14 lakhs on the Akrapovič Ducati Performance racing exhaust, and you’ll bump that to 228 bhp while shaving 6 kg off the bike’s weight!

One of the key reasons this Panigale is faster is the redesigned chassis. We talked about the swingarm already. The front frame is 750g lighter and has 40% less lateral stiffness.

The Öhlins NPX/TTX suspension has been re-tuned for more comfort on the road and quicker hydraulic response for better precision.

And let’s talk about brakes. The Panigale V4 S is the world’s first superbike equipped with new Brembo Hypure callipers. They let you brake later and with more confidence, dispersing heat more effectively.

Combined with the new Race eCBS system (developed by Bosch and Ducati) simulates pro-style rear braking, even delaying brake engagement like a seasoned racer. There’s a ‘post-run’ feature that keeps the rear brake active even after you’ve released the front lever.

We all know Bosch plays a massive role in making bikes like the Panigale and Multistrada safer, especially with their six-axis IMU systems. But now they’ve taken it further with the Race eCBS system and the Ducati Vehicle Observer (DVO).

Think of the DVO as a built-in virtual control room. It takes inputs from 70 sensors and uses racing algorithms to assess forces, predict load conditions, and dynamically manage everything from traction control to eCBS levels and maybe even engine braking.

A shout-out to the new Ducati Quick Shifter as well. It feels so much cleaner now, with less rubbery feedback and shorter travel.

Now, performance means nothing without grip. The Panigale’s new Pirelli tyres give you insane lean angles and better torque management, delivering WSBK-level performance.

The old Panigale got a bit twitchy on worn tyres. But this new one? Thanks to DVO and smart electronics, it remains composed and confidence-inspiring, even on used rubber. That’s a big win for both safety and cost savings (tyres aren’t cheap!).

So if you can afford it, look no further than the 2025 Ducati Panigale V4 S. It’s not just your ultimate partner for any ride or café stop—it will elevate your track riding, push your limits, and make you a better rider, every single time.