Streetfighter V2 and V4 SP join Ducati 2022 range
By Ben Purvis
Has written for dozens of magazines and websites, including most of the world’s biggest bike titles, as well as dabbling in car and technology journalism.
11.11.2021
A brace of new Ducati Streetfighters will join the line-up in 2022 to extend both the top and bottom of range – with the Streetfighter V2 providing an entry-level option while the Streetfighter V4 SP adds a new layer above the existing V4 S.
Let’s start with the smaller machine, which is sure to be a strong seller as it combines the mechanical elements of the Panigale V2 with on-trend naked styling to effectively revive the original Ducati Streetfighter recipe.
While it sits at the bottom of the Streetfighter range, don’t be fooled into thinking it’s a beginner’s bike. With the 955cc twin from the Panigale V2 making 153hp and a dry weight of just 178kg, its figures are within spitting distance of the old 1099cc V-twin Streetfighter.
Like the bigger Streetfighter V4 models, the V2 shares most of its parts with its faired Panigale counterpart, in this case the Panigale V2. That means the Superquadro engine is in exactly the same state of tune as the sports bike – Ducati doesn’t detune its naked offerings like many of its rivals – and the chassis is the familiar aluminium monocoque that relies on the engine for most of the bike’s structural strength.
Of course, there are changes that go beyond the mere removal of the fairing. Up front there’s a Streetfighter V4-style nose, complete with a V-shaped strip of LED running lights above the main headlights, and behind those sit wide, high bars instead of clip-ons. The seat unit is a carry-over from the Panigale, but features a wider, more deeply padded cushion, while the pegs are repositioned to suit the more upright riding stance.
The 153hp peak power arrives at 10,750rpm, while max torque of 74.8 lb-ft is reached at 9,000rpm, but without the full fairing and accompanying high top speed of the Panigale, the Streetfighter’s gearing is changed with two fewer teeth on the rear sprocket. As a result, acceleration should be even more fierce than on the faired bike.
The suspension is again familiar to Panigale V2 owners, with identical 43mm Showa BPF forks and a Sachs shock, but the single-sided swingarm is 16mm longer on the Streetfighter to provide more stability.
Similarly, the five-spoke wheels are Panigale components, but feature Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV rubber instead of the Diablo Rosso Corsa IIs of the faired bike. The brakes are again identical with the exception of the pads, which are tailored to give a less aggressive bite from the Brembo M4-32 Monobloc calipers and 320mm discs.
It's a Ducati, so you can take it as read that there’s a massive suite of electronic rider aids to call upon. As on the Panigale V2, these include cornering ABS and traction control – the firm’s ‘EVO’ versions, which include the ability to slide the rear wheel into corners on the brake. There’s also wheelie control, an up/down quickshifter and engine brake control as standard. Three riding modes – Sport, Road or Wet – give pre-sets for all these features, with deeper adjustments also available via the 4.3in TFT dash.
Tempted? The Streetfighter V2 reaches dealers in December, although you’ll only be able to get it in red.
Ducati Streetfighter V2 | A New Fighter in Town
Fighter state-of-mind. Bold and essential. The Streetfighter V2 is crafted with hard work and dedication, to bring out your very best.
If 153hp isn’t mad enough for you, the 2022 Streetfighter V4 SP is coming in January next year to stand as the most extreme naked bike that the firm has ever offered.
Based on the Streetfighter V4 S, it has the same 208hp Desmosedici Stradale engine, but it’s packed into a higher-spec, lighter bike in the form of the V4 SP and gains a dry clutch. Wet, including fuel, the SP tips the scales at just 196kg, which is 3kg less than the current range-topping V4 S, but more significant is where much of the savings are made – in the wheels.
The SP uses carbon-fibre rims, like those on the Panigale V4 SP, that are 1.4kg lighter than even the S’s forged alloys, and since the reduction is on rotating parts, the effect is greater than the bare numbers suggest. Ducati says that the wheels’ inertia is reduced by 26% for the front and a massive 46% for the rear, improving acceleration, braking and cornering performance. Since it’s un-sprung mass that’s reduced, it also should help the suspension cope better with bumps.
Speaking of suspension, it’s the electronic Ohlins Smart EC 2.0 kit from the Streetfighter S, and the rest of the bike’s electronics are similarly high-end, including pretty much every rider aid imaginable.
The SP’s styling is similar to the normal Streetfighter V4 S, but the bike’s livery takes a leaf from the Panigale V4 SP, using the same ‘winter test’ black paintwork with a brushed aluminium fuel tank. The Pangiale SP also donates its adjustable, billet aluminium foot pegs, Brembo Stylema R calipers, weight-saving lithium-ion battery, and carbon front mudguard.
2022 Ducati Streetfighter V2 and V4 SP Prices
The 2022 Ducati Streetfighter V2 will start at £14,995 while the range topping Streetfighter V4 SP will set you back £28,495.
New Ducati Streetfighter V4 SP | Time Fighter
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