Test: Ducati Streetfighter V4 (2020) // First among equals - and a lot of competition
Before you is a clean 180 kilograms of charged muscle and a unique appearance - every detail on it requires many hours of engineering work. And of course - brutal 208 "horses" that simply cannot leave you indifferent, especially with a sound reminiscent of MotoGP racing cars. All this is a formula of excitement. It was possible to argue until the morning which is better - but that's all. which is the best to date, clearly. That I can sign these opening words with such confidence convinced me after just a few days of testing. Otherwise, right after buying the bike in Trzin, on the way home, I realized at least that it was good.
How good, but only after trying it on your favorite corners, on the highway and in the city. This realization opened up new dimensions for me. I have never ridden a naked motorcycle that accelerates to breakneck speed with such precision, calmness and uncompromising determination.
I admit I found it difficult to stick to the limits on this bike. Hence this is not a car for the inexperienced, let alone those who think they can do whatever they see fit on the road.... He surprised me with ease, as I drove him every day on the way to work through the city crowds. No squeaking, no disturbing heat between your legs as engine heat blows as you wait at traffic lights. I was scared of the heat from the four-cylinder V-engine, but the Italians developed an engine program that disables the front two cylinders at low revs. I admit, clever and effective.
Smart electronics also make this bike incredibly useful for everyday use.... This allows it to transfer its power to the rear wheel with exceptional precision and maximum efficiency, as well as accelerate when you ask for it. If you want to safely ride through city crowds, don't roar or get angry, but just make sure that the motorcycle remains well-groomed and calm while riding in urban conditions.
Otherwise Streetfighter V4 brutally fast... It is an undeniable fact that with a superior and precise drivetrain, you will experience the best the motorcycle industry has to offer at the moment.
Quickshifter works great. Accurately, quickly, in a fraction of a second - at all speeds. And when moving up and down, and at the same time, such a melody sounds from the exhaust that only this sound drives adrenaline through the body. When I think of my closest competitors, the Aprilia Tuono, Yamaha MT10 and KTM Super Duk come to mind.e. Do you agree that the competition in this class is pretty tough?
I remember having similar, but not so strong feelings only on these bikes. Well, Ducati goes even further, goes even further and, above all, goes more intensively! What's the secret and what's the difference?
It's mechanically speaking Streetfighter V4 trims Ducati Panigale V4 superbike... The difference lies in the engine electronics and the positioning behind the wheel, which is of course more vertical in the Streetfighter as the handlebars are taller and perfectly level. The frame, single swingarm, wheels, Brembo brakes and suspension are the same as on a superbike.
And this is exactly what you can feel when I easily keep the perfect line in long corners, while at the same time Ducati clearly hints to me that it still has huge reserves in suspension and electronics. Cornering stability is also a result of the design of the entire superbike motorcycle. The wheelbase is long, the geometry is such that it pushes the front wheel to the ground, and I mustn't forget about the thrust from the flaps.... Sure, the 208-horsepower Ducati can easily climb onto the rear wheel, but interestingly, it does it just like the Panigale.
It's not so much a rear-wheel-drive entertainment car as it is a race car that allows you to find the perfect tracks on long, winding roads. Oh, how great it would be to ride with him on the race track! I definitely need this to happen as soon as possible. Even protection from the wind is not such a problem as it seemed to me at first. Up to 130 mph, I could easily maintain an upright postureBut when I turned on the gas, I leaned forward and each time for the next few seconds experienced a real revelation of speed.
I didn’t drive more than 260 kilometers per hour for a simple reason - I always ran out of planes. In order not to go as fast as the Panigale V4 prevents the speed limit, which ends at 14.000... The Superbike version has a revs of just over 16.000 rpm, which is of course adapted for use on the race track.
But more than speed, the bike is about flex, power and torque distribution, which is actually totally useful for the day-to-day commute.
Is there anything else? Oh yes, it is the S-marked model that also boasts electronically controlled Öhlins polarized suspension and lightweight Marchesini wheels. What could Akrapovich's exhaust add to this car, I don't even dare to think, but he is already laughing at me.
Face to face: Primozh Yurman
Ducati Streetfigter V4 is close to perfect. With genes that go back to the racing world of the MotoGP and Superbike classes (hey, I'm salivating at the thought of a V4 engine and, oh, look at those front fenders), this moment is a wet dream machine. With its 210 “horses” – no matter what mode of operation the engine is in – it rides rough, sharp and sharply racing.
The first few moments make me think that this is too much, that I don't need it, that this is nonsense. What is the point in the fact that in fourth gear on the highway during hard acceleration, the front end still lifts in the air, that the red field is about 13.000 rpm, and the final speed on the road is elusive? In fact, common sense would say that I don't need it.
What about the heart? In motorism, however, emotions play an important role, not a calculating cold mind. And the heart says: Jaaaaaa! I want this, I want this red, these toxic lights, the almost unlimited electronic selection of settings for various parameters, this sharp beep and the fast gear change mode. I want it to be like an arrow leading right through the bends, I want that comfortable driving position and those great brakes.
I need these features, which I only suspect on the road, but I know they are there. Somewhere. Maybe I just touch them on the track? At the same time, however, I know that in this rush of omnipotent desire without peace of mind, which measures the tension of the right wrist and the necessary maturity associated with it, it simply does not work. But perhaps - oh, sinful thought - instead of some artistic creation as an Italian technical gem of high design, it is worth having it right in the living room of the house.
Basic data
Sales: Motocenter AS, Trzin
Base model price: 21.490 €
Test model cost: 21.490 €
Technical information
engine: 1.103 cc, 3 ° 90-cylinder V-design, desmosedici stardale 4 desmodromic valves per cylinder, liquid cooled
Power: 153 kW (208 hp) at 12.750 rpm
Torque: 123 Nm at 11.500 rpm
Energy transfer: 6-speed gearbox, chain
Frame: aluminum monocoque
brakes: 2 x 330mm semi-floating disc, radially mounted 4-piston Brembo Monobloc calipers, cornering standard ABS EVO, 245mm rear disc, twin-piston floating caliper, cornering standard ABS EVO
Suspension: USD Show Fully Adjustable Fork, 43mm Diameter, Sachs Fully Adjustable Rear Shock, Single Arm Aluminum Rear Swingarm
Tires: 120/70ZR17, 200/60ZR17
Growth: 845 mm
Fuel tank: 16 l, slave: 6,8 l / 100 km
Wheelbase: 1.488mm
Weight: 180 kg
We praise and reproach
motorcycle appearance, details
engine sound and performance
driving performance in the city and on winding roads
usability for every day
electronics and operating programs
Security Systems
small tank (16 liters)
fuel consumption, power reserve
small mirrors
final grade
There are a few motorcycles that touch you so much. Ducati Streetfighter opens up a whole new dimension and combines special features that are suitable for race tracks, daily commute and Sunday commute. It's not cheap, but every euro is spent on adrenaline, crazy driving sensations and the pleasure you get from just watching a car like this.
