SBK, Free engine revs in Superbike: Ducati hits 16,400!

As written in the day yesterday, one of the new features of this season of World Superbike is the introduction regarding the fuel flow limiter. At the same time, however, Dorna and FIM have granted freedom regarding the use of engine revs, an issue that has been much discussed in past seasons.

Until 2024 these were limited: the FIM could intervene to remove 250 or add as many in order to rebalance the performance of the various manufacturers on the track. Ducati had 16,100, since the 500 rpm taken away in 2023 between the Barcelona and Imola rounds following the introduction of the bike+rider weight limit has been restored.

With the introduction of free revs, the manufacturers act on the maximum delivered development of the bike based on meters. In the past, on some tracks, in order not to change the suitable gear ratio, a rider had to make an extra gear change or hold the engine at the limiter for a few seconds. Now, however, by no longer having a limited rotation, a gear change as well as having to hold the engine at the limiter is avoided.

Ducati as well as the other manufacturers, have worked to find the right compromise, considering that all the ratios need to be reviewed and reparameterized. The fact remains that the Rossa will be able to touch 16,400, which is 300 rpm more than last season. Obviously, one can push beyond that, but there is a risk of arriving at a breakage or something very similar.