- Ducati launched the Superleggera V4 Centenario to mark its 100-year anniversary with 500 units
- The bike features carbon-ceramic brake discs, a first for road-legal motorcycles
- It weighs 173 kg wet, reducible to 167 kg with an optional track kit
Ducati is well-known for celebrating milestones with exclusive models, often bearing names with a history behind them. Continuing the tradition, the Italian marque has introduced the Ducati Superleggera V4 Centenario as a celebration of completing 100 years. To keep it exclusive, the automaker has limited production to 500 units. That seems fair considering the fact that it is the most extreme bike to come from the house of Bologna.
Maintaining the reputation of the Superleggera name, the barely road-legal bike comes with a host of firsts. All of it is wearing a crown of nearly 250 horsepower. More on that later. To begin with, the bike comes with carbon-ceramic brake discs, which is a first for a road-legal bike. Borrowed from the world of MotoGP, these allow riders to have sharper turns and require less effort to control the machine.
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The word Superleggera itself means "super light," justifying the name, the bike comes with a frame, subframe and wheels all made of carbon fibre. The result is a wet weight of 173 kg without fuel. If that's not light enough, the bike comes with a track kit, which can bring the weight down to 167 kg. Imagine being in the saddle with nearly 250 hp, throwing you around.
At the heart of the motorcycle is a new 1,103 cc Desmosedici Stradale R engine, which kicks out 228 hp on the road trim. The power increases to 247 hp, to be precise, if the rider opts to slap on a race exhaust. This translates to a power-to-weight ratio of 1.48 hp per kg. The number is quiet enough to keep it edging the race-bike category. Meanwhile, the torque output is limited to 117 Nm.
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To achieve the power output, the engine has been fine-tuned with lighter components, modified geometry, manually adjusted desmo timing, and enough titanium to make your wallet weep. Additionally, the gearbox has been redesigned to prevent accidentally shifting into neutral when braking hard into a first-gear turn.
To support this mind-boggling output, the Centenario comes with an Ohlins NPX fork with carbon fibre sleeves, extending the list of firsts for a road bike. The rear end gets a TTX36 GP shock. Goes without saying that the setup comes with all kinds of race-ready adjustments needed on a motorcycle of this calibre.
The Panigale's already bold aerodynamic design has been enhanced as well, with wings and side panels taken directly from Ducati's racing program. These features are intended to create downforce even when the bike is leaned over, contributing to its capability to perform well on the track, not just in straight-line speed.
In terms of aesthetics, it sports a new "Rosso Centenario" paint scheme along with a deeper red that pays homage to Ducati's history while also connecting to its contemporary racing machines. Additionally, there's a Tricolore edition, limited to 100 units, for those who find the standard version insufficiently exclusive.