Source: Cycle World
Ducati’s Superquadro V-2 will bow out after the 2025 Ducati Panigale V2 Superquadro Final Edition sells out its 555 limited-edition units. (Ducati/)“Final Editions” always induce a touch of sadness in the hearts of motorcycle enthusiasts. At times one has the impression of hearing a bugle playing taps. In the case of the 2025 Ducati Panigale V2 Superquadro Final Edition the despair is heavy because this represents the end of one of the most advanced high-performance V-twins in the history of sportbikes. This platform was regarded as the pinnacle of engineering and many thought it would endure forever as a mark of excellence, regardless of the many displacements that were produced from “middleweights” to open-class machines.The Superquadro V-2 started service in the 2012 Panigale 1199. | Photo: DucatiThe Panigale V2 Superquadro entered service in 2012 in the Panigale 1199. It replaced the 1,198cc V-twin that preceded it and that was ridden to the World Superbike title by Carlos Checa in 2011.The 1198 Testastretta represented the ultimate evolution of the original Ducati Pantah 500 that Fabio Taglioni had designed back in the late ‘70s. Over the years, the Desmoquattro engine that powered the original 916 kept growing from 916cc, to 955cc and then 996cc. The 2001 996R, featured the first Testastretta (narrow head) engine in 998cc displacement, followed in 2002 in all the open-class superbikes (998, 998 S). The 999cc engine started life in 2002 in the short-stroke 998R. The 998cc and 999cc Testastretta engines then continued life in the controversial Pierre Terblanche–designed 999 models.In 2007, the 999 was put to bed, while a rule change in World Superbike allowed the V-twins to displace 1,200cc. This ushered in the 1,099cc-powered 1098, which eventually grew into the final 1198 before the Panigale was introduced. That last 1198 Testastretta featured a 106mm bore and 67.9mm stroke and generated 180 hp at 9,750 rpm in the “R Corse” version.Between 1994 and 2011, the Desmoquattro and Testastretta engines dominated the World Superbike series, winning 11 of 18 rider’s titles and 15 of 18 manufacturer’s crowns. But there was a new solution on the horizon.Carlos Checa won the World Superbike Championship in 2011 on the final edition of the 1198 Testastretta.The Panigale 1199 V-2 represented a radical departure from that championship-winning 1198 Testastretta, sporting radically oversquare measurements with a 112mm bore and 60.8mm stroke and generating more than 200 hp at 11,500 rpm. Peak torque was a claimed 99 lb.-ft., but arrived at a peaky 10,200 rpm. Combined with its new unibody chassis the Panigale didn’t make life easy for former champion Checa, who retired after the 2013 season.The Panigale 1199 V-2 was more compact, its cylinders in-block with the crankcase and the aluminum bores pressed in from the top and Nikasil treated. All castings were created by Vacural technology. A massive forged crankshaft was used and turned on Clevite CL-112 plain bearings. The distribution train used a Hy-Vo chain that allowed more precise and constant valve phasing than the toothed belt of the 1198 Testastretta. Compared to the 1198, the Panigale was better in almost every aspect, but it had lost a lot of that torque that it was renowned for.Chaz Davies winning on the Panigale 1199 V-2 at Laguna Seca. | Photo: Cycle World ArchivesWelshman Chaz Davies was ultimately the man who would get the best out of the Panigale 1199 V-2 and won 23 World Superbike races on it between 2015 and 2017. But just as the V-2 Panigale was hitting its stride, Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali was already preparing for its replacement, the Panigale V4.The 1299 Panigale Final Edition. (Courtesy of Ducati/)In the meantime, work continued on the twin, and took another step forward when it became the 1299 Panigale. Already using a huge 112mm bore, few expected that instead of increasing the stroke that Ducati would enlarge the bore farther, but that’s exactly what happened, growing to a massive 116mm (4.56 inches, larger than a 454 V-8′s bore). Stroke remained unchanged at 60.8mm. The result was a claimed 205 hp at 10,500 rpm and 107 lb.-ft. of torque at 8,750 rpm. The Panigale twin had reached its apex.The Ducati 748 was the first of the company’s middleweights aimed at World Supersport success. (Cycle World Archives/)As has been the case for decades, Ducati has a “middleweight” version of its superbike, which started with the 748, then 749, 848, 899, 959, and Panigale V2. In 2013, Ducati started production of the smaller version of the Panigale V2, the 899 Panigale. That masterpiece of downsizing displaced 898cc with a 100mm bore and 57.2mm stroke and made a claimed 148 hp at 10,750 rpm, and 73 lb.-ft. of peak torque at 9,000 rpm. To keep this smaller Panigale in check with Euro 4 emissions while not losing performance, the engine’s stroke was increased to the same 60.8mm of the 1199 to bump displacement to 955cc. Claimed power jumped to 157 hp and 79 lb.-ft. in this Final Edition.The 2025 Ducati Panigale V2 Superquadro Final Edition represents the end of the line for the Superquadro V-2. (Ducati/)Fortunately for Ducati, new next-gen rules in Supersport racing—both at the world and domestic racing levels—have enabled the “middleweight” Panigale V2 that powers this Final Edition to compete against the lower-displacement inline-fours. After winning the MotoAmerica Supersport title with Josh Herrin in 2022 and the World Supersport championship with Nicolò Bulega in ‘23, the bike has once again had great results in 2024. Aruba.it Racing’s Adrián Huertas has won eight of 12 races in World Supersport this year, while in MotoAmerica Supersport, Rahal Ducati Moto’s PJ Jacobsen recently took his fourth and fifth wins of the season at the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca round and is a close second in the championship.It remains to be seen what will replace the Ducati Panigale V2 in Ducati’s lineup, but there has been a long history of middleweight sportbikes from Bologna, so we’ll keep our fingers crossed that the tradition continues. Could it be a new twin? A baby V-4? We’ll likely find out this fall, so stay tuned for the next chapter in Ducati’s story. In the meantime, Ducati is about to launch an updated version of the open-class Panigale V4, which you can read about here.
Full Text:
Ducati’s Superquadro V-2 will bow out after the 2025 Ducati Panigale V2 Superquadro Final Edition sells out its 555 limited-edition units. (Ducati/)
“Final Editions” always induce a touch of sadness in the hearts of motorcycle enthusiasts. At times one has the impression of hearing a bugle playing taps. In the case of the 2025 Ducati Panigale V2 Superquadro Final Edition the despair is heavy because this represents the end of one of the most advanced high-performance V-twins in the history of sportbikes. This platform was regarded as the pinnacle of engineering and many thought it would endure forever as a mark of excellence, regardless of the many displacements that were produced from “middleweights” to open-class machines.
The Superquadro V-2 started service in the 2012 Panigale 1199. | Photo: Ducati
The Panigale V2 Superquadro entered service in 2012 in the Panigale 1199. It replaced the 1,198cc V-twin that preceded it and that was ridden to the World Superbike title by Carlos Checa in 2011.
The 1198 Testastretta represented the ultimate evolution of the original Ducati Pantah 500 that Fabio Taglioni had designed back in the late ‘70s. Over the years, the Desmoquattro engine that powered the original 916 kept growing from 916cc, to 955cc and then 996cc. The 2001 996R, featured the first Testastretta (narrow head) engine in 998cc displacement, followed in 2002 in all the open-class superbikes (998, 998 S). The 999cc engine started life in 2002 in the short-stroke 998R. The 998cc and 999cc Testastretta engines then continued life in the controversial Pierre Terblanche–designed 999 models.
In 2007, the 999 was put to bed, while a rule change in World Superbike allowed the V-twins to displace 1,200cc. This ushered in the 1,099cc-powered 1098, which eventually grew into the final 1198 before the Panigale was introduced. That last 1198 Testastretta featured a 106mm bore and 67.9mm stroke and generated 180 hp at 9,750 rpm in the “R Corse” version.
Between 1994 and 2011, the Desmoquattro and Testastretta engines dominated the World Superbike series, winning 11 of 18 rider’s titles and 15 of 18 manufacturer’s crowns. But there was a new solution on the horizon.
Carlos Checa won the World Superbike Championship in 2011 on the final edition of the 1198 Testastretta.
The Panigale 1199 V-2 represented a radical departure from that championship-winning 1198 Testastretta, sporting radically oversquare measurements with a 112mm bore and 60.8mm stroke and generating more than 200 hp at 11,500 rpm. Peak torque was a claimed 99 lb.-ft., but arrived at a peaky 10,200 rpm. Combined with its new unibody chassis the Panigale didn’t make life easy for former champion Checa, who retired after the 2013 season.
The Panigale 1199 V-2 was more compact, its cylinders in-block with the crankcase and the aluminum bores pressed in from the top and Nikasil treated. All castings were created by Vacural technology. A massive forged crankshaft was used and turned on Clevite CL-112 plain bearings. The distribution train used a Hy-Vo chain that allowed more precise and constant valve phasing than the toothed belt of the 1198 Testastretta. Compared to the 1198, the Panigale was better in almost every aspect, but it had lost a lot of that torque that it was renowned for.
Chaz Davies winning on the Panigale 1199 V-2 at Laguna Seca. | Photo: Cycle World Archives
Welshman Chaz Davies was ultimately the man who would get the best out of the Panigale 1199 V-2 and won 23 World Superbike races on it between 2015 and 2017. But just as the V-2 Panigale was hitting its stride, Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali was already preparing for its replacement, the Panigale V4.
The 1299 Panigale Final Edition. (Courtesy of Ducati/)
In the meantime, work continued on the twin, and took another step forward when it became the 1299 Panigale. Already using a huge 112mm bore, few expected that instead of increasing the stroke that Ducati would enlarge the bore farther, but that’s exactly what happened, growing to a massive 116mm (4.56 inches, larger than a 454 V-8′s bore). Stroke remained unchanged at 60.8mm. The result was a claimed 205 hp at 10,500 rpm and 107 lb.-ft. of torque at 8,750 rpm. The Panigale twin had reached its apex.
The Ducati 748 was the first of the company’s middleweights aimed at World Supersport success. (Cycle World Archives/)
As has been the case for decades, Ducati has a “middleweight” version of its superbike, which started with the 748, then 749, 848, 899, 959, and Panigale V2. In 2013, Ducati started production of the smaller version of the Panigale V2, the 899 Panigale. That masterpiece of downsizing displaced 898cc with a 100mm bore and 57.2mm stroke and made a claimed 148 hp at 10,750 rpm, and 73 lb.-ft. of peak torque at 9,000 rpm. To keep this smaller Panigale in check with Euro 4 emissions while not losing performance, the engine’s stroke was increased to the same 60.8mm of the 1199 to bump displacement to 955cc. Claimed power jumped to 157 hp and 79 lb.-ft. in this Final Edition.
The 2025 Ducati Panigale V2 Superquadro Final Edition represents the end of the line for the Superquadro V-2. (Ducati/)
Fortunately for Ducati, new next-gen rules in Supersport racing—both at the world and domestic racing levels—have enabled the “middleweight” Panigale V2 that powers this Final Edition to compete against the lower-displacement inline-fours. After winning the MotoAmerica Supersport title with Josh Herrin in 2022 and the World Supersport championship with Nicolò Bulega in ‘23, the bike has once again had great results in 2024. Aruba.it Racing’s Adrián Huertas has won eight of 12 races in World Supersport this year, while in MotoAmerica Supersport, Rahal Ducati Moto’s PJ Jacobsen recently took his fourth and fifth wins of the season at the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca round and is a close second in the championship.
It remains to be seen what will replace the Ducati Panigale V2 in Ducati’s lineup, but there has been a long history of middleweight sportbikes from Bologna, so we’ll keep our fingers crossed that the tradition continues. Could it be a new twin? A baby V-4? We’ll likely find out this fall, so stay tuned for the next chapter in Ducati’s story. In the meantime, Ducati is about to launch an updated version of the open-class Panigale V4, which you can read about here.
