Living with the V4 - post your experiences

I haven't ridden the V4 I will be riding one in mid july .

What I find fascinating is that no one who switched or upgraded from the twin to the V4 - has any thing like nostalgia, longing, regrets, or fond memories for the L2 twin panigale. "please post up if you're out there".

I love my bike and can't imagine getting rid of it. So for this reason I'm taking a vacation after my vacation to go ride one of the V4's and see for myself .

I got a V4 Speciale and kept my 1199S as well, and while the V4 does everything very well and is easier to ride in most ways, I still have a fondness for the 1199. The 1199 just feels more satisfying to ride, it is more uncivilized and in some manner more exciting. The V4 is just fast all over and very well behaved but for me less exciting.

Just my opinion.

Macattack said:

I haven't ridden the V4 I will be riding one in mid july .

What I find fascinating is that no one who switched or upgraded from the twin to the V4 - has any thing like nostalgia, longing, regrets, or fond memories for the L2 twin panigale. "please post up if you're out there".

I love my bike and can't imagine getting rid of it. So for this reason I'm taking a vacation after my vacation to go ride one of the V4's and see for myself .

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I do miss the v twin low end torque every now and again; however, this is quickly outdone by the V4 being a much easier to ride motorcycle and the top mid to top end rush is galaxy class starship fast.

The Avidmoto said:

I do miss the v twin low end torque every now and again; however, this is quickly outdone by the V4 being a much easier to ride motorcycle and the top mid to top end rush is galaxy class starship fast.

Click to expand...

What he said!

The V-twin left corners like you'd been fired out of a cannon, the V4 is more like a Saturn 5 rocket, starts slow and just keeps building and doesn't stop

I came from a 2015 R which had a throttle which was an on/off switch and generally it wanted to kill you on most occasions

mordor said:

I got a V4 Speciale and kept my 1199S as well, and while the V4 does everything very well and is easier to ride in most ways, I still have a fondness for the 1199. The 1199 just feels more satisfying to ride, it is more uncivilized and in some manner more exciting. The V4 is just fast all over and very well behaved but for me less exciting.

Just my opinion.

Click to expand...

Interesting comment. I have had my 1199 for over six years now with 23,000 miles on it (I have two other bikes that get the big miles). I'm 66 years old and would not have bet I would love the bike as much as I do. I agree with you!

Well I have had the V4S for a few months now and I am certainly in love with the bike, more so than my long gone 1199S, but I do miss the former bike as well.

I felt she had more feeling from the front end of the bike, but I'm not sure if that was due to my love of the new Dunlop Q4's or a significant difference in front frame or the frame design of the 1199.

I would certainly consider getting an older 1199S as a stable mate, but would probably get a 1198SP or 1098S as well.

The bike continues to draw crowds and stares: girls, bums, young kids, old men, old women and even folks who hate bikes.

My theory is that its so damn good looking and the sound still gives off a "feeling" to strangers and lovers alike.

I am anxious to put on a pair of slip-ons and have settled on the Arrow's as they are the least expensive and look ok. Would love to go with Akra's but I'm not keen on the price as of yet.

Regarding a tune or up-map, I am working with Boulder Motorsports to source that, but if Rapid Bike would ever get busy a release the new module for the V4 series. I had the RB for the 1199s and loved it. Though BMS said they would rather have some "other" type of tune.

My experience with the V4S has been super happy...

My former 1199 Tricolore was, in most ways, the most raw of the Panigales I have owned. It was uncivilized, beautiful, revolutionary, and mean.

The 1299 tamed down the 1199's short comings slightly, the ... was sexy, but the wide front lost some of the 1199's svelte beauty.

I was nervous about the V4... until I rode it. Yes the 1X99's character is missing a little, but make-no-mistake, the V4 is completely Ducati. The 1199 felt like a toy, the 1299 felt like a refined toy, the V4 feels like a motorcycle that still likes to have fun.

The note (with the Akras) is raw and amazing, the bike changes direction easily, the handling has more feel, and time warp rush of power is mind numbing once the tach sweeps past 9k.

I feel like the V4 makes more power than the 1199 did at every RPM, and the low RPM throttle response if far better. The 1299 corrected some of the 1199's low-rpm torque deficit with the extra displacement, but by the time you notice the digital tach needle has swept into the go-range and the V4 is flying.

Everything thing I thought I would miss about the twin cylinder Panigales... I don't Not even close.

Hi guys seems like a common story.
I had a 1199S since new and put over 30,000kms on it plus many track days. Great bike, loved it but it took me a whistle to get it the way I wanted.
I kept it when I got my speciale V4 as I thought I would want both.
The V4 is so good I love it riding it, so my 1199S got lonely in the garage. Finally sold it and moved on with the whole Panigale thing.
I do have other older Ducati’s which gives my twin fix, but really, I could just have the V4.

By the way I’m 60 years old. Still doing track days! The V4 at the track is asimply sensational.

I've had her (2018 V4) about a year now. The mirrors are crap. I broke one walking past and grazed it with my hand and it snapped off. The bike is hands down the fastest I've ever been on and the most capable.. but I hate commuting with it. Bear in mind I haven't yet made it in to Ducati to get the recalls and updates done. It's been a busy year and I've had to travel alot for work and so Ive got less than 600 miles in the seat. I will say that at 6'2 and 280lbs I may be outside the design range for the typical Duc rider (lets be honest, I am) but the only thing I can really complain the most about is the heat. I may scoop up a cheap Hayabusa for commuting and save this beauty for canyon days.

-San Diego, CA