THE THOROUGHBRED

Ducati's sharpest production bike yet is built for on-track domination

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Some bikes exist to be ridden. The 2025 Ducati Panigale V4 R exists to be chased. The Italian marque's latest evolution of its WorldSBK-derived missile feels less like a motorcycle and more like a weaponised heartbeat.

At its core sits the 998cc Desmosedici Stradale R V4 powerhouse. In its standard form it pushes out 218 bhp and 11.8 kgm of torque, and with the racing exhaust and Ducati's racing oil it climbs to 239 bhp. Those figures aren't just impressive, they are intimidating. The lighter pistons and new crankshaft supposedly make the engine's response more progressive and similar to similar to the Desmosedici GPs used by Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia.