POWER PLAY

A 216-bhp bike in the hands of an amateur can have serious consequences... unless it is the new Panigale V4 S

- Manaal Mahatme

People often say my 'job' is a dream come true — and they're right. It was mine once, too. The privilege of riding a new motorcycle every week, discovering unfamiliar roads and cultures, and trading thoughts with some of the sharpest minds in the industry — how could that not be anyone's dream? And yet, somewhere along the way, what once felt unreal began to feel like routine. The excitement hadn't faded but it had settled into something quieter, like background music you no longer need to turn up to enjoy.

That was, until the invitation to ride the Ducati Panigale V4 S at the Chang International Circuit landed in my inbox. Suddenly, the old feelings came flooding back — the excitement, the impatience, the fear of being too slow, and worse, the terror of crashing a ₹ 36.50 lakh engineering marvel. Though I had tested and even raced on tracks before, this was my first time wrestling with a multi-cylinder bike. Thinking about it even now gives me goosebumps and brings a grin to my face — but on the day of the ride, it was nothing but nerves.

The paddocks were a sea of movement — riders bustling, engines firing up, the unmistakable roar of multiple Desmosedici Stradale V4s warming for battle. A streak of cold sweat slid down my spine. Thankfully, this was a DRE (Ducati Riding Experience) Academy session, and we were grouped with instructors who would guide us and make sure we got the full taste of Borgo Panigale's finest.