Ducati launches special edition Panigale V2

Ducati pays tribute to Troy Bayliss with a special edition Panigale V2 1st Championship 20th Anniversary and launched the motorcycle in India.

Ducati announced the launch of a special edition motorcycle, the Panigale V2 Bayliss 1st Championship 20th Anniversary, priced at Rs 21.3 lakh (ex-showroom India). This celebratory bike reminisces the Ducati 996 R on which Troy Bayliss won his first title. It is characterized by a dedicated livery and special components by Öhlins. 21 has been a magic number for Ducati ever since Troy Bayliss sculpted it with his victories in motorcycling history. Precisely in 2021, twenty years after winning the 2001 Superbike World Championship, Ducati paid homage to the legendary career of the Australian rider by dedicating this special motorcycle to him.

The special edition PanigaleV2 will be produced in a numbered series, which celebrates the first of the three World SBK titles won by Bayliss: the Ducati Panigale V2 Bayliss 1st Championship 20th Anniversary. Bayliss and Ducati Corse in the Superbike World Championship together achieved 52 victories, 94 podiums and three world titles in 2001, 2006 and 2008 with three different motorcycles - the 996 R, the 999 R and the 1098 R. Bayliss is the only motorcycle racer in the history of the sport who has won a MotoGP and World Superbike race in the same season (2006).

Bayliss contributed to the naming and graphics on the motorcycle with his autograph reproduced on the fuel tank, while the billet aluminium triple clamp shows the name of the bike and the progressive numbering of the unique model. Mechanically, Ducati has chosen to equip the Panigale V2 Bayliss 1st Championship 20th Anniversary with Öhlins components in the form of the NX30 front fork and TTX36 rear shock to achieve the best performance on track, claiming to make the motorcycle more precise and offering the rider greater feedback. The motorcycle is also equipped with an adjustable steering damper, self-cleaning brakes and clutch pumps with smoke grey oil tanks. Compared to the standard version, the Panigale V2 Bayliss 1st Championship 20th Anniversary is 3 kg lighter, thanks to the adoption of a lithium-ion battery and the choice of the single-seater configuration that explicitly recalls the look of the original race bike.

The Panigale V2 is powered by the 955cc Superquadro 90-degree L-twin motor with a maximum power of 155bhp at 10,750rpm and 104Nm of peak torque produced at 9,000rpm. The chassis is based on a monocoque frame, while the elegant and sporty design is inspired by the Panigale V4. The electronic package includes Bosch supplied cornering ABS, electronic quick shifter, engine braking and wheelie control (Ducati Quick Shift, Ducati Traction Control, Ducati Wheelie Control, Engine Brake Control). All the controls are integrated into the three Riding Modes (Race, Sport and Street) that can be modified using the 4.3" colour TFT dashboard.