2024 · Supersport · A variant of the Panigale V4
Differences between the standard Panigale V4 and the S
Italian Fire, Actually Rideable
This generation of the Panigale V4 is Ducati's flagship, built around the 1,103 cc Desmosedici Stradale V4 that makes 216 hp at 13,000 rpm and 91 lb-ft. On the S you get semi-active Öhlins suspension and an aluminum twin-spar frame, wrapped in a rider-aid suite with a six-axis IMU underpinning the cornering-aware electronics. What sets it apart isn't just the number — it's how cleanly that performance is packaged into something you can actually lean on. This is the benchmark the rest of the supersport class measures itself against, and it earns the position on hardware, not badge.
It rides like a focused tool. The 33.5 in seat puts you high and forward, and a 4.5 gal tank returning about 36 mpg leaves you roughly 160 mi before you're hunting for fuel — this is a machine for canyon runs and track days, not commutes and tours. It rewards a rider who already has skill and wants more precision, and it ages on engineering that holds value because it's genuine. The honest caveat: there's an open recall on the rear brake hose, so confirm the campaign work is done before you sign anything.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 216 hp (159 kW) @ 13,000 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 91 lb-ft (124 Nm) @ 9,500 rpm |
| Displacement | 1103 cc |
| Engine | V4 |
| Bore × stroke | 81 × 53.5 mm |
| Compression | 14:1 |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Fuel system | Fuel injection |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Frame | Aluminum twin-spar |
| Fork | Upside-down (USD) |
| Front brake | 330 mm |
| Rear brake | 245 mm |
| Front tire | 120/70-ZR17 |
| Rear tire | 200/60-ZR17 |
| Seat height | 33.5 in (850 mm) |
| Fuel capacity | 4.5 gal (17 L) |
| Fuel economy | 36 mpg (US) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Connectivity
Drivetrain
Lighting
Safety
Thumb the starter and the V4 settles into a hard, metallic idle that tells you exactly what you've bought — this is one of the best-sounding engines on sale, and it only gets better the higher it spins. The riding position is all business: a long reach to the bars, high pegs, your weight over your wrists at a stop. You feel the heat off that V4 in slow traffic, and the seat is firm. But get it moving at real road pace and the bike shrinks around you. Ground clearance is enormous — you run out of nerve long before it runs out of lean. The semi-active suspension keeps things composed over broken pavement that would unsettle a lesser chassis, and the whole machine feels light and direct beneath you, the way a proper Ducati should.
The Panigale V4 S (DA-3-S) builds on the standard Panigale V4: the upgraded hardware, the key spec changes and where its character shifts. The full ride, specs, scoring and verdict are all right here on this page.
| Spec | Standard Panigale V4 | S | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seat height | 32.7 in | 33.5 in | +0.8 in |
I've spent years listening to where riders actually talk about this bike — YouTube comments, forum threads that run for pages, conversations in the paddock, and the emails and messages owners send me directly. Pool all of that together for this Panigale V4 and one pattern comes through clearly: the performance genuinely backs up the looks, and the electronics let people lean on it, but the bike asks for real commitment in return.
The engine is what riders bring up first and most often. They describe a thrilling top-end rush with torque that comes on linearly, the kind of pull that keeps it honest against full-blown race bikes on a track day. The chassis earns nearly as much praise. Owners consistently report razor-sharp handling paired with stability they trust, with the semi-active suspension on the S keeping things composed and fast corners feeling effortless. A few add that it flicks into turns easily and feels light on its feet, and that the front end gives the kind of feedback that lets them carve a line with confidence.
The rider aids come up again and again, and the tone is the same across the board: they work without getting in the way. Riders point to multi-stage traction control, slide control, wheelie control, cornering ABS, and launch control all running in the background, doing their job without dulling the experience. The recurring sentiment is confidence — owners feel they can explore the bike's performance on road and track because the safety net is there and it's seamless.
The gripes are just as consistent. The committed riding position is the most common one — low clip-ons, high pegs, and weight on the wrists that wears on people over longer rides or if they're less flexible. Heat is the other steady complaint: in slow city traffic or at a standstill, riders feel the V4 radiating warmth onto their right leg, thighs, and the seat, enough that stop-and-go riding gets uncomfortable. Several also note there's no cruise control, which they miss on longer highway stints.
Rear brake hose thermal damage
The rear brake hose can be damaged by heat from the exhaust manifolds due to insufficient thermal shielding, leading to brake fluid loss and sudden rear brake failure. Ducati issued recall campaigns 25V-013 (initial fix) and 26V050 (expanded fix replacing the thermal shield with a longer, more protective version).
Where this Ducati Panigale V4 pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the Panigale V4 is actually built for.
This is exactly your tool. The chassis precision and adaptive suspension let you chase apexes and brake points all day, and the electronics are there to catch you when you push past your own skill.
Made for Barber Motorsports Park · WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca · Circuit of the Americas
Built for your Sunday on the Crest. Sharp handling and endless lean make it sing through tight canyon runs — just keep the short fuel range in mind when you plan the loop.
Made for Angeles Crest Highway · Coronado Trail / US 191 · Highway 1 / Big Sur
On the Dragon's tight, repeating corners it's precise and composed, ideal for skill work over outright speed. The committed riding position is the price you pay for that focus.
Made for Back of the Dragon · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this Ducati Panigale V4. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
