Ducati is looking to the future, and last summer, at WDW, the new Panigale V4 S was in fact unveiled. The road version serves as an appetizer to the V4 R that we will see in World Superbike in a year's time.
At the end of March, Michele Pirro will in fact carry out the first tests with the latest evolution Superbike, after which he will pass the ball to the riders, who will begin to gain confidence ahead of 2026.
Of course, there is no shortage of new features on the new bike, above all the double-sided swingarm. In fact, this evolution, which marks a breaking point with the single-sided swingarm, will allow the rear end to become stiffer, while offering better weight distribution.
So they have been working hard in Ducati, and it was really close that there was not another not insignificant new feature on the V4. What is it? The seamless gearbox. According to what we have learned, the initial idea was in fact to transport the MotoGP-style transmission to the Superbike, consequently favoring gear changes without interruptions in the flow of power between engine and wheels.
It was an idea that was tantalizing, but would then have had to contend with particularly high costs in the marketplace, eventually going to the end customer. This was one of the main reasons that blocked the choice related to the seamless gearbox, which would have guaranteed an additional step in terms of performance.
Who knows... maybe, in the future, it will come under discussion again....