Who is excited about the Ducati V4?

Is it me, or does the front fairing look kinda like a fooking hyabusa?!? Oink! Please say this isn't what we've been waiting for in a Ducati V4. May be keeping my Aprilia. Did they hire the BMW team to design this thing? :-(

This bike looks...well, just ordinary! It no longer has that premium, exclusive look to it.
It looks like a cheap Japanese bike.
On some occasions I would just look at my Panigale and marvel at its beauty. Out of all the bikes I ever owned, I could never find anything I didn't like about the Panigale. It was like staring at fine art. This bike could pass as a cheap looking Suzuki.

SingleSided said:

This bike looks...well, just ordinary! It no longer has that premium, exclusive look to it.
It looks like a cheap Japanese bike.
On some occasions I would just look at my Panigale and marvel at is beauty. Out of all the bikes I ever owned, I could never find anything I didn't like about the Panigale. It was like staring at fine art. This bike could pass as a cheap looking Suzuki.

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Yep, I think you just hit the nail on the head. Sure it may have a trick engine that may sound good (I've not heard anything other than video's so I'll not judge yet) but I don't think it's going to be a real head turner.

I see where the rear cylinders are and where the rear shock is. There are two exhaust pipes coming out of the rear cylinders. How do they get past that rear shock absorber? :/

So all has fell quiet around the V4 of late, the odd comment here or there........ feels a little deflated almost.

I found this while surfing earlier, about the first 15 mins is all you need for the V4 section. I have to say it pretty much sums up how I'm feeling about it all just now.

Worth a listen:

News podcast episode 13: The new Ducati V4 | MCN

Mutt1979 said:

So all has fell quiet around the V4 of late, the odd comment here or there........ feels a little deflated almost.

I found this while surfing earlier, about the first 15 mins is all you need for the V4 section. I have to say it pretty much sums up how I'm feeling about it all just now.

Worth a listen:

News podcast episode 13: The new Ducati V4 | MCN

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Thanks for posting that. Very, very interesting to hear.

Mutt1979 said:

So all has fell quiet around the V4 of late, the odd comment here or there........ feels a little deflated almost.

I found this while surfing earlier, about the first 15 mins is all you need for the V4 section. I have to say it pretty much sums up how I'm feeling about it all just now.

Worth a listen:

News podcast episode 13: The new Ducati V4 | MCN

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Thanks Mutt. Interesting to hear, though I feel they are only really echoing what we've all pretty much already said. However, I think Ducati learnt a huge lesson from the negative responses that the 999 received when unveiled and a bike offering such a huge step change for them, in terms of the first mass produced V4 they intend to clearly tout as their new flagship model, would I feel be marketed using somewhat more intricate tactics, one of which would be to "expose" it in what people might be led to believe to be it's final incarnation. As I said I think the spy photos thus far are of a real bike, just not the one with the bodywork or final features that will see the light of day in November, given the lengths they went to to mask the true shape and design of the 1098. Why would they drop the ball so badly having learned the hard way before with "leaks". The photos of the development 1098 (in David Bull's book) show very clearly that they went to some extreme lengths to throw people of the scent and I believe these photos are yet one more example of the efforts they are going to, to lead people down the garden path, knowing how hungry people are for information and the ease with which such photos can hit the net in minutes. TJ might disagree with me, but then no one (himself included) is actually prepared to deny or confirm if these photos are representative of the final design or not, only that they are genuine photos of a real bike. To my mind, the factory has either lost the plot if these pictures really do tell the whole story or they are sitting there biting their lips knowing they have a design firmly under wraps that will have people selling their kidneys for, come the new year.

The best we can hope for is (post dealer conference coming up soon) that you might get a nod to the fact that these photos bear no resemblance or what we see is what we'll get, which will backfire on them in terms of pre-orders before the launch. I dont expect them to divulge its actual appearance but an indication as to the accuracy of the images we've seen, might go a long way to settling the arguments/discussions surrounding what is probably a pivotal bike for the company.

topolino said:

The best we can hope for is (post dealer conference coming up soon) that you might get a nod to the fact that these photos bear no resemblance or what we see is what we'll get, which will backfire on them in terms of pre-orders before the launch. I dont expect them to divulge its actual appearance but an indication as to the accuracy of the images we've seen, might go a long way to settling the arguments/discussions surrounding what is probably a pivotal bike for the company.

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For the love of god I hope you're right.......

However, regardless of the final skin they graft over the top I think that mechanical structure is now set in stone. I have issue with that rear sub frame and how it bolts on to the bike, the lines are just completely incoherent. The seat is then askew because of that and the cheap plastic mess to the rear of the seat looks awful.

I'm not so certain that a different fairing and a good set of wheels is going to fix that.

A point worth noting in that podcast was around the cost. I think they are bang on the money with those figures, though I'll be waiting for the R personally. And that's where the V4 falls apart for me. While I discounted the FE for it's styling, I could afford one but it would be my upper limit I have to admit. The V4 R is going to be on par price wise. So that said £35k for the V4 = 120 NM of torque vs the FE = 142 NM of torque I know where my money is headed

New photos in MCN today, will try and post up a link or some images soon, unless someone else can.

Well we finally get a decent picture of the front. These from Casey Stoner's test in Valencia.

https://scontent-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.ne...=576bd175d78871fce7e53bdf8cc5eb39&oe=5A45C78F

Looking a lot better.

topolino said:

New photos in MCN today, will try and post up a link or some images soon, unless someone else can.

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I can add the pic
Looks nice with the 1199 nose

The front nose pic looks better but the fairings still make it look like a blowfish to me. Really can't avoid that though with a wider engine. Only seeing it firsthand will really let us know whether we'll like it or not.

Looks better, but I was REALLY hoping it would look closer to the Moto GP style vs the Panigale....

We shall see my friends... We shall see...

that looks good because Stoner's pulling wheelies and backing into corners.

I've been told by a UK dealer (I cannot disclose who) that the last three leaked colour pictures (which were taken in a developmental area of the Bologna factory) were most likely doctered in house (some extremely good PS skills here to still give an air of authenticity) or more likely, pre-production bodywork has been fitted (as has been muted many times) before they were "leaked" onto the net. All part of the game and we at least know that the real bike is considerably thinner than these images show the bike to be. When I spoke to the dealer he said that at a glance you could not differentiate it's proportions from those of a Panigale V-twin. The tank is also I am told much more slender than the images we've seen so far. It's not yet clear where exactly the battery sits under the tank, but from what I have been told it is located towards the front of the tank, so most likely it is housed under the forward detachable top panel thus not encroaching into the airbox volume under the tank itself. The side fairings incorporate the extending spars (still not keen on those) but again, as with all of the pictures I showed him, he concurred that the actual bike is much more flowing and petite in terms of bodywork and styling. Music to my ears. He really wasn't prepared to say more than that and he's been asked a lot about it since returning to the UK from the conference. I know the dealers have to respect the NDA and TBH, I don't really want to rain on their unveiling parade, but a few morsels of info now and then can't hurt!! Incidentally from a servicing point of view the nose fairing is more of an eyebrow panel now, since the side fairings make up the enclosure/air ducting around the headlights, making it much quicker to remove I would imagine.

I'm over the looks thing, we are stuck with it. My only small hope is that the tank and fairing is more like the Supersport where it meets the tank and less Yamaha R1 with the complete up and over shroud. I could live with the Supersport look.

More importantly in the spy shots is the way Stoner was hooning around on that thing. This is where my main focus is now and how well it performs and stacks up against the others....... in fact, no one else has anything even close to this yet.

I will be waiting for the R model though.

Mutt1979 said:

I'm over the looks thing, we are stuck with it. My only small hope is that the tank and fairing is more like the Supersport where it meets the tank and less Yamaha R1 with the complete up and over shroud. I could live with the Supersport look.

More importantly in the spy shots is the way Stoner was hooning around on that thing. This is where my main focus is now and how well it performs and stacks up against the others....... in fact, no one else has anything even close to this yet.

I will be waiting for the R model though.

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Just my 2cents , but doubt it will be a big leap on the current crop. They are all so damn good, it's best to buy the one you like the looks of.
But hey, it's just my opinion .
If I like its looks, I'll get one. Find the bike tests are more for amusement than actual practical use.

So after all the panic, drama, and ........ speculation. People are now doing a big 180 degree turn and now after more spy shots suddenly the naysayers think it might all turn out ok.

Where was the faith ?

bradp51 said:

So after all the panic, drama, and ........ speculation. People are now doing a big 180 degree turn and now after more spy shots suddenly the naysayers think it might all turn out ok.

Where was the faith ?

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Not at all.

I'm just admitting even if I don't like the look of it, the thing is going to be a fantastic piece of engineering. It still doesn't mean I will buy it, but not everyone likes progress....... I'm growing into my grumpy old man role quite well as I age

But look at the facts, a 210bhp - 225bhp, road going bike with 24,000km service intervals, plus I can see Ducati striving to keep the bike under 195kg ish. Which other manufacturer has anything remotely like this in the pipeline? Like the aesthetics or not, this is going to be one hell of a machine.