Hello all you mysterious people on the internet.Just joined this lovely website so that I might pester you with a question or 3 about these lovely bikes.I currently own a 2008 848 which I bough new back in Aug 2008, and she currently has a bit over 13k miles on her.Currently thinking of either replacing her, or getting her a new friend to share some space in the garage.Thinking of either a SuperSport or a V2.BC.
I just traded a 2019 Supersport S with a full Akro in on a V2.I did a short comparison and posted it on another forum that I'll post below.
Supersport SSS vs Panigale V2
Here we go.
Looks/Style
The first thing I’ll mention is that almost all of the people in the large group of people that ride together never even noticed I traded bikes until I blew by them. Both the V2 and the Supersport are drop dead gorgeous - the kind of bike you turn around to look back at when you’re walking away. In the looks department I’d say it’s a draw.
Service - My dealer Argyll Motorsports is amazing - so I'd say they are equal.
Suspension- Both are well suspended bikes, with top notch dampers on both ends. The SSS has some high end Ohlins damping on each end while the V2 uses a Showa fork and Sachs shock.
As far as the action, my Supersport was not a well suspended bike until I enlisted the help of Dave Moss for some tuning guidance. The Ohlins fork felt skittish across the many tar strips on our backroads and the back end was too bouncy. The thing was ABYSMAL on rough pavement at any velocity and often speed wobbled badly while on it. At one point while travelling at a higher (very) speed a short section of small bumps nearly put me into a tank slapper. I’ll note my riding buddies Ninja ZX6R-KRT did not exhibit this disconcerting trait on the same bit of road. Mr Moss's guidance really helped, but some product manager at Ducati deserves a flogging for not putting a steering damper on the SS from the factory.
Using the settings from Moss I was able to largely tame this,but it never fully went away. Overall I’d say the SS has good suspenders that work significantly better if you take the time to tune it to your weight and riding habits.
As for the V2, Ducati seems to have nailed it right out of the box as there’s none of the SS’s poor behavior on rough patches or crossing train tracks. Off the showroom floor it’s much better for me than the SS. Both ends seem better balanced and the bike more stable. Dave’s tuning advice only improved the suspension action from its already strong starting point.
Having said all that I’m going to blame/lay the wobble at the feet of the Supersports geometry and lack of a steering damper.
My thoughts are the Ohlins on the SS are very slightly better dampers than the pair on the V2 - but only slightly.
Handling
This one's not even close. The V2s shorter wheelbase, tighter geometry, sportier riding position and lighter weight puts the V2 ahead in every corner, lane change and passing situation. As good a handling bike as the Supersport is, the V2 is just so easy to ride that it’s far ahead of the SSS in every handling arena. If I had to describe it the V2 feels like my old 1974 CR125 Elsinore, light, flickable, easy to turn and very predictable.
Comfort.
The V2 is more comfortable than I expected, and when in a tuck it has a far more comfortable, longer cockpit that allows you to hug the tank for a longer period than the SS. I felt all humped up like a dog screwing a football when in a tuck on my SS.
The SS however with its more upright seating position holds the winning hand for comfort. You can ride the SS for hours and not need to see your chiropractor afterwards.I did a 500 Km ride on it and was still fresh when I returned home - The SS is a delight on extended trips.
For their intended purposes they're equal.
Engine
Note -My SS had a full Akropovic and up map
You know that amazing torque the SS makes when you roll it on at 5000 rpm in fifth gear to pass a car? The torque that lunges you forward? The V2 has NONE of it. The Supersport pulls like a tractor when you gas it at lower RPM- If you could get the traction you could probably use the SS to pull stumps.
The somewhat noisy engine has all the torque from what almost feels like an idle, sad it stops pulling at 10,000 rpm as it would be a more enjoyable bike to whip speed with.
By comparison the V2 shows it’s race bike prowess by being scorchingly fast - when it’s on the pipe. The thing really winds and as the tach sweeps upwards it just pulls harder and harder and the sound is an aural delight. If you're not on the pipe when you gas it the bike is a bog,zap,shift proposition. Having said that when you're above 7000 rpm the V2 is an absolute beast with arm stretching acceleration. I can only imagine what a V4 must feel like as you wind it out. V4 owners must be crazy because if you need more power than the V2 you either need an analyst or a cage - maybe both.
Transmission
Hahahahahaha- My SS had the absolutely worst transmission of any of the different bikes I've owned. My 1973 Honda 50 shifted better and it's three speed auto clutch tranny wasn't renowned for its shift quality. False neutrals on the 6 to 5 downshift on the SS happened every time out. When your darting into a corner and shift down and it false neutrals it scares the crap out of you. Add the occasional miss shift under acceleration from 2-3 and the ghosty neutral in general and the Transmission is exposed as the weakest link in the Supersport chain, it's horrible!
The tranny in the V2 is a delight, it allows the rider to snick through the gears both up and down with confidence. FWIW the Hydraulic clutch on the V2 is smoother and less grabby - especially when cold.
Intangibles
The V2 has no fuel guage, what's up with that?
The V2 has MUCH better headlights than the Supersport.
I prefer the larger "dash" on the SS to the smaller unit the V2 has as well. The larger suite of nannies on the V2 give it a edge on electronic road safety.
The SS has a dimmer for the LED DRLs the V2 lacks.
They both come with excellent Pirelli tires that hook up very well.
The mirrors on the SS are beyond horrible, useless is an apt word to describe them. The V2 mirrors could be a bit wider spaced but at least they are usable.
My SS drank oil, lots of it. I was constantly topping it up after every ride. I did a 500 KM ride in August - it was full when I left. when I got home it was on the low mark.
So after all this, in my opinion this duel has no loser. Both of these red rockets are top of their class for their intended purpose. If you're looking for a short trip, flickable bike choose the V2. The SS as a touring bike with an edge is unbeatable - Ladies and gentleman, choose your weapons.
edit; I've put 3000 KM on the V2 in the last 3 weeks-You couldn't drag me back onto an SS with a team of horses. LOVE my V2.
