Cycle World tests the Aprilia RSV4 Factory, BMW M 1000 RR, and Ducati Panigale V4 SP2 head-to-head in a racetrack shootout, naming the best superbike of 2022.
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The only things required in the modern-day superbike are the essential go-fast elements of mass horsepower, wicked handling, and a heck of a lot of technology developed at the highest levels of racing. Anything else? Scrap it. Extra interferes with the ultimate goal of the ideal lap time. This is the category that has revolutionized outright road-going motorcycle performance as we know it.
It’s what has made superbikes so super. And every so often, one of these machines comes along and defies the perception of what is possible on two wheels, completely changing our expectations for a high-performance race-bred streetbike. To put things in perspective, a former Cycle World staffer purchased a late-’70s Suzuki GS1000, leaving it in the crate, convinced that performance of such an astonishing level would not be outdone. Boy, was he wrong.
Era-defining motorcycles like the legendary 1986 GSX-R750 followed with its remarkably low weight, high rpm, and unflinching sporting focus for the period. Other milestone machines include the wicked 1998 Yamaha YZF-R1, then the fabled 2005 Suzuki GSX-R1000 otherwise known as the K5, and more recently the technologically sophisticated 2015 Yamaha YZF-R1. Each represents a new realm in conceivable performance relative to its period and was built with the rules of production-based Superbike racing in mind, in order to win on Sunday and sell on Monday. Because if you want a great racebike, you have to start with a great streetbike...
Full story here: https://www.cycleworld.com/story/motorcycle-reviews/aprilia-rsv4-factory-vs-bmw-m-1000-rr-vs-ducati-panigale-v4-sp2-comparison-test/
Motorcyclist Shirts: https://teespring.com/stores/motorcyclist
Shop Products We Use: https://www.amazon.com/shop/motorcyclistmagazine
See more from us: http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/
--
The only things required in the modern-day superbike are the essential go-fast elements of mass horsepower, wicked handling, and a heck of a lot of technology developed at the highest levels of racing. Anything else? Scrap it. Extra interferes with the ultimate goal of the ideal lap time. This is the category that has revolutionized outright road-going motorcycle performance as we know it.
It’s what has made superbikes so super. And every so often, one of these machines comes along and defies the perception of what is possible on two wheels, completely changing our expectations for a high-performance race-bred streetbike. To put things in perspective, a former Cycle World staffer purchased a late-’70s Suzuki GS1000, leaving it in the crate, convinced that performance of such an astonishing level would not be outdone. Boy, was he wrong.
Era-defining motorcycles like the legendary 1986 GSX-R750 followed with its remarkably low weight, high rpm, and unflinching sporting focus for the period. Other milestone machines include the wicked 1998 Yamaha YZF-R1, then the fabled 2005 Suzuki GSX-R1000 otherwise known as the K5, and more recently the technologically sophisticated 2015 Yamaha YZF-R1. Each represents a new realm in conceivable performance relative to its period and was built with the rules of production-based Superbike racing in mind, in order to win on Sunday and sell on Monday. Because if you want a great racebike, you have to start with a great streetbike...
Full story here: https://www.cycleworld.com/story/motorcycle-reviews/aprilia-rsv4-factory-vs-bmw-m-1000-rr-vs-ducati-panigale-v4-sp2-comparison-test/
Motorcyclist Shirts: https://teespring.com/stores/motorcyclist
Shop Products We Use: https://www.amazon.com/shop/motorcyclistmagazine
See more from us: http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/
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SportsTranscript
00:00 Superbikes are the pinnacle of motorcycling technology.
00:04 It's here that manufacturers push the boundaries of performance,
00:07 taking everything that they've learned of racing at the highest level
00:10 and delivering models that we can all enjoy.
00:13 Beside me is the Aprilia RSV4 Factory,
00:17 the winner of Cycworld's last Superbike shootout.
00:19 Next is the BMW M1000RR,
00:23 Motorrad's homologation special aimed at world Superbike competition.
00:28 And finally, the Ducati Panigale V4 SP2,
00:32 Bologna's ultimate track day weapon.
00:34 We're here at Thunderhill Raceway Park
00:36 and we've fitted each of these machines
00:38 with the latest and greatest Pirelli Diablo Superbike Slick.
00:41 We're here to find out which is the best Superbike of 2022.
00:46 (Music)
00:50 (Music)
00:54 (Music)
00:57 We are back after two excellent days of testing
01:22 and alongside me I got in-market editor Bradley Adams
01:25 and senior editor of Motorcyclist Magazine, Adam Waheed.
01:29 Man, this was a really fun test.
01:32 Woo-wee, what a blast.
01:33 These are some incredible motorcycles.
01:35 Absolutely, absolutely.
01:36 These are seriously the most premium Superbikes you can buy.
01:39 Yeah, yeah, they feel like race bikes.
01:41 You know, I think all the manufacturers have done a good job
01:43 of taking all the technology packaging
01:46 and up into something that is, you know, technically street legal
01:48 but just incredible motorcycles right around the track.
01:51 Right, they're more track focused than anything.
01:53 The amount of progression we've seen in the Superbike class
01:55 in this last few years, it's like,
01:57 it's unbelievable how high performance these vehicles are.
02:00 Just go buy them.
02:01 We weren't even at one-tenth of the capability
02:05 of any of these bikes when you were.
02:07 Yeah.
02:08 But it's just, it's really amazing how high performance they are.
02:11 Absolutely.
02:12 And when you're going to speak Superbikes, you got to talk power.
02:14 Yeah.
02:14 And these motorcycles made a lot of it.
02:17 To get it out the Aprilia,
02:19 the biggest horsepower that is 189.7,
02:22 almost 190 horsepower stock.
02:24 No modifications.
02:26 Other motorcycles, the Ducati Panigale V4 SP2
02:29 was 182 horsepower and the BMW 179.
02:34 Now, I know you guys had some interesting comments
02:36 about how these bikes made power
02:39 or maybe where they didn't starting at the BMW.
02:42 Yeah.
02:43 That really interesting dip that we've seen even on the S1000RR
02:46 is now on the M1000RR
02:48 but between six and eight thousand.
02:50 That really kind of made you ride it like almost like a two-stroke you could say.
02:53 Yeah.
02:54 Yeah, it definitely changed your riding style a little bit.
02:56 You had to ride around that which is unfortunate.
02:58 I think when you spend this much money on a motorcycle,
03:01 on a modern motorcycle,
03:02 I think, you know, I understand,
03:04 you know, regulations on bikes and the emission stuff
03:07 that they have to deal with
03:08 but it is tough when you spend this much money on a motorcycle
03:10 and you do have to kind of adapt to it
03:12 because of, you know, a bit of a shortcoming.
03:15 Totally.
03:15 And how do you adapt to it?
03:18 Yeah, so for me, there was a couple places at Thunder Hill
03:21 where you actually had to go down an extra gear
03:22 compared to other motorcycles
03:24 and it was sections of the track
03:25 where maybe I would not have been going down.
03:27 In this case, it was into first gear, you know,
03:29 because it makes a little bit more work
03:30 as you get off of the corner
03:32 and you have to kind of short shift
03:33 and get to the gears a little bit
03:34 so you're not spinning the tire up too much.
03:35 But if I left it in second gear
03:37 coming off of those tight left-handers,
03:39 it was too soft.
03:40 It helped to get that nice drive coming off in first gear
03:42 but it's a little bit more work
03:44 which on these bikes you're already working a lot,
03:46 you know, to manage them.
03:47 Absolutely.
03:48 And on the other opposite side of it is the Aprilia
03:50 which made the most horsepower
03:52 but didn't really feel like it did.
03:53 It was so linear
03:55 that getting off the corner was really kind of easy.
03:58 Yeah, I was surprised that it made the most amount of horsepower
04:01 about your experience.
04:02 It did back in 2019 too, you know.
04:05 It's the Aprilia has really never been a slouch
04:08 since they went to the 1100cc format,
04:11 you know, and even more so with the extra torque
04:13 the engine has now.
04:14 But it was interesting because, yeah,
04:15 even though it is the fastest,
04:18 it didn't feel the fastest.
04:20 And I remember we were talking about that one section
04:22 in Thunderhill, the double lefts.
04:24 Mm-hmm.
04:24 On the other bikes you grab fourth gear
04:27 going in that second left.
04:29 Yeah, right.
04:29 On the Aprilia, it wouldn't pull fourth gear.
04:31 Right.
04:32 Even though it's got good mid-range,
04:34 it just, I don't know if fourth gear was too tall
04:36 or if the mid-range is a little bit flatter than the other bikes
04:39 but you had to have it in third gear and rev it out.
04:42 Yeah, I think there was a couple of things.
04:43 I mean, I think the gearing is a little bit taller
04:45 because I actually noticed that as well
04:46 going up the front straight.
04:47 Yep.
04:48 On the Aprilia.
04:48 Same thing.
04:49 But, and I know looking at the dyno charts
04:51 that peak torque comes in like a thousand rpm
04:54 higher than the other bikes.
04:55 Yep, you could feel that.
04:57 Yeah, it's kind of sneaky how fast the bike is
04:59 or you just don't really realize that, again,
05:01 that it is the most powerful bike of the group.
05:03 Totally.
05:04 And there are other things.
05:05 I think the weight plays a little bit of a role in that too.
05:07 I know you measured all the bikes.
05:08 Yep, absolutely.
05:11 Aprilia's got a little bit more weight on it, right?
05:12 A little bit more weight.
05:13 But going back to that, let's keep talking power.
05:15 Power, power, power.
05:16 The Panigale V4 SP2 is kind of right there in the center,
05:21 182 horsepower.
05:23 But you guys felt the power of the Panigale.
05:24 My God.
05:26 It's eye-opening.
05:27 That thing just melts your face off.
05:29 Like every time I ride that bike,
05:31 I literally feel like the engine's going to explode
05:35 because it's just revving and revving.
05:37 And when it's revving, it's not just making noise.
05:40 It's building power and shooting forward.
05:42 Like, thank God they put that big green light on the dash
05:46 so you know when to shift.
05:47 Because if it wasn't for that, you would just be--
05:49 keep revving it and revving it and revving it and revving it.
05:51 Also, I think one of the big things there--
05:53 I think one of the things I really like about that power
05:56 plant is the power delivery is so linear.
05:58 I mean, you have it from the second
05:59 you open the throttle coming off the corner,
06:01 and then it just continues making power all the way through.
06:03 And it had mid-range.
06:05 That bike never has mid-range.
06:06 It had mid-range.
06:07 Like it would pull third gear, pull lower gear.
06:09 Yeah, really direct from the time
06:11 you roll off the corner.
06:12 And then, yeah, I think in the highest power mode,
06:14 which I like.
06:15 I don't know if it's--
06:16 They have the full, the high, and the low.
06:18 Yeah, yeah.
06:18 You know, it's funny.
06:19 I started off in low, and the thing fell fast.
06:22 And then you just keep ramping up and going higher.
06:24 And you get into the highest power mode,
06:26 and you get to the end of the front straight,
06:28 and it's just like everything is flying past you so quick.
06:31 It's just an incredible experience.
06:33 And just like we talked about this before,
06:35 but just that's what really separates Ducati
06:37 from the other manufacturers, just that sound.
06:40 And that character.
06:42 You know, I was watching "Motor GP" this weekend.
06:44 The "Motor GP" bikes that those guys are riding,
06:46 they sound--
06:48 what I'm watching on television, they
06:49 sound just like that bike we rode, just like it.
06:53 It's an emotional experience.
06:54 Like from the second you fire--
06:55 Very visceral.
06:56 --this SP2 up, and with the dry clutch and everything,
06:58 just that sound.
06:59 And then it's firing on the two cylinders,
07:01 and then you click it into gear.
07:03 And it's just like that whole thing just--
07:05 It's a very raw package.
07:06 Yeah, it is.
07:07 Yeah.
07:08 You know?
07:08 Kudos to Ducati.
07:09 I mean, they've been talking the talk for a long time
07:12 about them and racing, but they're walking the walk.
07:15 They always have, and they always will.
07:16 Right.
07:17 You know, we talk about power, and it's still
07:20 a very rideable motorcycle.
07:22 You can hustle the thing around a racetrack,
07:23 and it doesn't feel like it's out of hand.
07:26 Well, I think that also lends itself to the electronics
07:28 package that they have as well, right?
07:30 Well, they took a big step forward for the 2022 model
07:33 year with that V4, V4S.
07:35 You know, I got to ride it at the intro this past winter,
07:39 and I didn't really realize how much of a step forward
07:43 that was until we rode them with the other bikes.
07:46 Absolutely.
07:47 I'm like, wow.
07:48 Just like their torque saturation maps,
07:51 they're improved, the electronics.
07:53 If there was a most improved superbike from 2019,
07:56 when we rode them last time, that would be the bike.
07:58 Are you talking about electronics or kind of--
08:01 Just the whole package.
08:02 The whole package.
08:02 But I think you look at the Ducati dash,
08:04 you can see exactly what setting each of the systems are in.
08:07 The green light.
08:08 Sorry, that.
08:09 Yeah, it's little stuff actually, too.
08:11 Like the Ducati representatives talked to us
08:14 about the way they ended up on that layout, right?
08:16 And so it was actually some of their riders,
08:18 their GP guys actually, talking about the benefit
08:21 of having these systems, and they're color-coded.
08:23 And when a system activates, that color stays on.
08:26 It stays solid for a little bit, so you know, hey,
08:28 the system's working, versus just a little light flashing
08:32 or something at you, which I think
08:34 is credit to them working with their superbike teams
08:37 and their GP teams to understand kind
08:39 of what's working on that end.
08:41 Yep.
08:41 In action, what did that feel like on the track?
08:44 How was the traction control?
08:45 How was the slide control?
08:46 Engine brake?
08:47 I would say overall, the Ducati just feels very refined.
08:50 Everything feels very refined.
08:52 You can feel some of the action.
08:53 I remember at Thunder Hill, turn one is a big place.
08:56 You start to get a little bit of a--
08:57 the front wheel starts to come up over a rise.
08:59 And so you can feel the wheelie control activate.
09:01 And I remember there were a couple laps,
09:03 the front wheel starts to come up,
09:04 and you feel just a nice little cut that
09:06 keeps it from coming up any higher.
09:08 And then there's an next little cut
09:10 to drop the front tire back down.
09:11 There's like one very aggressive cut
09:13 that slams the front wheel back down.
09:15 So the biggest thing that I noticed there
09:17 was it keeps you driving forward.
09:20 It doesn't like bring an end to the whole party
09:23 and just be like, hey, we're going to keep this safe here.
09:25 You're still driving forward, which
09:26 I think helps with lap times.
09:27 And I know that at the test, you were commenting
09:32 on the other side of it with the Aprilia,
09:35 feeling maybe a little bit more rudimentary,
09:37 maybe a little inconsistent with that sense.
09:40 Yeah, I mean, it's tough to say.
09:41 I hate to say any of these systems are rudimentary,
09:43 because they've done such a good job of refining them
09:45 over the years.
09:46 We're splitting hairs.
09:47 Yeah, yeah.
09:48 I think the biggest thing for me is the systems
09:51 didn't feel as consistent.
09:54 And I guess what I mean by that is lap after lap,
09:56 I felt like maybe it was going to-- it responded
09:58 a little bit differently.
10:00 There's probably something to the rider element of that,
10:03 too, where maybe I'm not being as consistent lap after lap.
10:06 And it's giving the systems different data.
10:08 For sure, like with the Ducati, I
10:10 felt like I knew exactly what it was going to do each time.
10:12 And with the Aprilia, there was a couple of laps in a row,
10:15 I remember, where the front end would start to come up.
10:17 And I thought, OK, the system should
10:18 start bringing this back down.
10:20 And it would go a little bit higher that time
10:22 than the time before.
10:23 Yep.
10:24 Interesting.
10:24 So maybe just not quite as consistent for me.
10:27 I felt like I didn't have as much faith lap after lap.
10:29 So I know exactly what this is going to do.
10:31 Where does the BMW sit now in all that?
10:34 Well, BMW-- I mean, for me, it was
10:36 kind of hard to get a good gauge on that BMW
10:38 just because of that second and third gear HP map,
10:42 where you've got the torque flat spot.
10:44 And you have to ride the bike-- we
10:46 talked about it-- all the way to first gear,
10:47 all the way to fifth gear, all the way to fourth gear.
10:50 A lot of work.
10:51 And when you're given that thing to beans,
10:54 that thing makes crazy power.
10:56 And it kind of hits hard compared to the other bikes.
10:59 There was a time I remember distinctly,
11:01 I came out of like turn two, and I'm giving her the beans,
11:05 and it's not really going.
11:06 And it felt like it was hesitating,
11:08 like some kind of track control or something.
11:11 So I just pushed that minus two button right there
11:14 on the left-hand side switch gear.
11:15 Minus two, minus two, minus two.
11:16 Go down to minus whatever, four or something from baseline.
11:20 Yeah, the minus four is about where we were riding most
11:22 of the time.
11:22 I love the on-the-fly finite DTC adjustment.
11:26 The Aprilia has it, and it's really easy
11:28 to use with this paddle shifters.
11:29 Ducati has it now too, but it's a little bit more hokey-pokey.
11:32 You got to make sure you're in the right menu.
11:34 I like that the Aprilia and the BMW
11:37 have a dedicated button that always does that.
11:40 Doesn't matter what mode you're in.
11:41 You push down, it's going to give you less traction control.
11:44 You press up, it's going to give you more traction control.
11:46 And that's a big deal.
11:47 It's a small thing, but I will say, like, the BMW,
11:49 the way the dash is laid out, it's a little bit harder,
11:52 I think, to see what the setting and stuff.
11:54 So I do remember, again, it's a small thing.
11:56 But as you're riding and you wanted to adjust the settings,
11:59 it took a little extra focus to, OK, click,
12:01 make sure I've got the new traction control
12:03 setting that I want.
12:04 And again, goes back to, I think,
12:06 something Ducati's done really good
12:07 is designing the dash layout where everything's
12:10 very readily apparent.
12:11 And Aprilia too.
12:12 They've kind of gone the opposite end,
12:13 where you just see the traction control and wheelie control
12:15 setting in the bottom left.
12:16 But it's a nice big readout, and it's very easy to access.
12:19 Well, that display was a big update for Aprilia.
12:21 In a way, I almost like the Aprilia display
12:24 a little bit better, at least when you're
12:25 navigating the menu in the pits.
12:28 Because that dang Ducati, like always,
12:30 you have to go in the menu, take your setting, exit, go out,
12:34 go out.
12:35 You know, the Aprilia and the BMW, they just save it.
12:38 You don't have to go out of the menu, go out of the menu.
12:41 And it just makes for less poking around
12:44 when you're in between sessions.
12:45 Yeah.
12:46 Well, let's talk about the action of these things
12:48 on the racetrack too.
12:49 I know we've touched on the Aprilia, the Ducati.
12:52 We've touched a little bit on the BMW.
12:54 I know one thing that everyone is really kind of talking about
12:57 was the ability to adjust engine braking on these bikes
13:00 for quarter entry.
13:02 Hallelujah.
13:02 Quarter entry.
13:03 And the BMW made maybe the biggest impact.
13:06 Yeah.
13:07 Although I will actually say, yeah, the Ducati too,
13:10 I made some changes there, which I guess we'll get into--
13:12 Big difference.
13:12 --in a second.
13:13 But yeah, the BMW, it was funny.
13:15 At the end of the day, you know, we were kind of going
13:17 in between some settings.
13:19 I mistakenly asked for a different setting
13:21 on engine brake control a little bit.
13:23 It was freewheeling in a little bit more,
13:24 and it's incredible the difference you notice.
13:27 It's one thing to have those settings
13:28 and to be able to maximize the potential of the bike.
13:32 It's just nice to see the refinement of these systems
13:35 where they're making a difference, right?
13:37 You can change a setting and you immediately
13:38 notice the difference.
13:39 And I think that--
13:40 There's a big range of adjustment
13:41 in these motorcycles.
13:42 You know, if you're someone who hauls a lot of butt
13:45 and you want that extra bit of momentum, no engine brake.
13:48 Right.
13:49 You know, if you're like us and you
13:51 need a little bit of help slowing down the vehicle,
13:54 lots of engine brake.
13:54 Yeah.
13:55 There's a lot of difference in that setting.
13:57 Well, I think it's going to help you get into the corner,
13:59 right?
13:59 It's all about corner entry.
14:00 And then once you're in, we got to talk chassis.
14:02 All of these bikes have phenomenal chassis.
14:05 And the Ducati and the BMW even have carbon fiber wheels.
14:09 The Aprilia is the only one here that does not
14:12 have carbon wheels, and they just have just forged the wheel.
14:15 Yeah, right.
14:16 Right, just.
14:16 But a big thing we were talking about at the test
14:19 was the difference in effort to get these things
14:23 around the racetrack.
14:24 I know that the Ducati and the BMW
14:26 are a bit more precise and maybe easier
14:29 to get through transitions, whereas the Aprilia is
14:32 significantly heavier, plus the lack of those carbon wheels.
14:36 You feel that getting around the racetrack.
14:37 Yeah, the Aprilia is definitely not--
14:39 it doesn't feel heavy when you're riding it,
14:41 but compared to those two bikes, it's--
14:43 like you kept saying that, oh, it feels a little sluggish.
14:46 And again, I can't say the Aprilia is sluggish
14:49 because it's not, but compared to those bikes,
14:50 it kind of is a little bit.
14:52 Yeah.
14:52 Yeah, you get on that Ducati, and even just on your out lap,
14:55 you go through some of the tighter sections,
14:57 and the thing just goes right to the bottom.
14:59 And it makes a difference when you're
15:00 riding around at speed on these bikes,
15:02 especially you get into a tighter section.
15:04 Like Thunderhill has a couple of tight little transitions,
15:07 and it's just easier to get right to the bottom.
15:09 That next-- you make that side-to-side transition.
15:12 And then even like turn two at Thunderhill,
15:14 big sweeping wide left-hander, and you
15:17 want to get to the bottom, get to the apex
15:19 as you're about to finish off the corner.
15:21 And you don't have to put a bunch of weight into it
15:23 or anything.
15:23 It just goes right to the bottom.
15:25 That Ducati loved to be leaned over.
15:27 It just wanted to be leaned over.
15:28 It's pretty confidence-inspiring.
15:30 If I may add, cycle world testing legend Don Kanae
15:34 dragged his elbow for the first time at 61 years old.
15:39 It's pretty impressive.
15:40 It likes being leaned over.
15:41 That's the bike to do it on, for sure.
15:43 The chassis-- and again, we keep going back
15:45 to feeling these GP or World Superbike routes
15:49 in these bikes.
15:50 And I think the Ducati, you feel it most in the chassis.
15:53 I mean, it's still a handful.
15:54 It's still a lot of motorcycle, but they've
15:56 done a really good job developing the chassis.
15:58 I still really like, though, the BMW.
16:01 I really appreciate how precise that bike felt.
16:05 It was very precise.
16:06 And where you put it on track, it's
16:09 almost like if a Japanese manufacturer made
16:12 the best inline-four precise superbike,
16:16 then that would be the bike.
16:17 Very traditional.
16:18 Instead of a Japanese bike, BMW did it.
16:20 Yeah, very traditional kind of chassis feel to it.
16:23 Gives you a lot of confidence.
16:25 I think you could--
16:27 I'd argue you could almost be a little bit more consistent
16:29 on the BMW.
16:31 It's very precise, man.
16:32 I thought so.
16:33 Yeah.
16:33 Very precise.
16:34 The Ducati, you put the wrong input into it or something.
16:36 And I think you'll definitely feel it.
16:38 And it does feel a little bit stiffer overall
16:41 between chassis and suspension.
16:42 Where the BMW is a little bit more forgiving.
16:45 Well, I think when we talk consistency, too,
16:48 is that the BMW is the only bike here that doesn't
16:51 have semi-active suspension.
16:53 Strictly Marzocchi front end, Marzocchi rear end,
16:56 and this is what you got.
16:58 It's a racing front end.
16:59 Whereas I know that most of the time,
17:01 you guys were riding in manual modes anyway.
17:03 But this is a very traditional racing-inspired suspension.
17:08 Yeah, and you could tell they've been developing
17:10 this bike for a long time.
17:11 They're pretty happy with their settings
17:13 and where they know things should be,
17:15 and the geometry and everything on it.
17:16 So I think they've got a really good base set up.
17:19 And it's a very confidence-inspiring motorcycle.
17:21 I really like the suspension action on that BMW.
17:23 That was the thing that was probably
17:24 one of my favorite features of that bike,
17:27 was just when you got on the brakes,
17:29 that front end would just go down and then stay there
17:33 and come up.
17:33 And it was so controlled.
17:35 It was really impressive.
17:37 Now, what about the Aprilia?
17:38 Because I heard a lot of talk about a weave or wallow,
17:43 especially on corner exit, where that thing just
17:46 kind of felt like it became unhinged, if you will.
17:49 Yeah, I mean, we definitely struggled a little bit
17:51 with the bike feeling soft in the rear
17:53 and when you've got as much power.
17:55 Well, it's kind of an issue that's exacerbated
17:57 by the throttle connection.
17:59 It's a little bit sharper than the other bikes.
18:01 And then combine that with the rear end, which
18:03 felt a little bit softer.
18:05 And the second you'd crack the throttle,
18:07 you'd kind of load the rear a little bit more.
18:09 And you had the tendency to slide the rear a little bit
18:12 more, once you put that load to it.
18:14 It definitely wasn't as planted, I would say.
18:16 Now, I think you ended up-- by the end of the day,
18:18 we adjusted the suspension a little bit,
18:20 added some compression, I think, to the rear.
18:22 And that helped, for sure.
18:24 But yeah, it was really interesting,
18:25 because we were riding the Aprilia,
18:28 and I couldn't believe coming into turn one,
18:30 right before you were about to brake,
18:32 the bike was real floaty.
18:34 It was hard for me to even actuate the brake,
18:36 because when I started actuating the brake,
18:38 you're like, oh!
18:39 And then it would feel like it kind of
18:40 wanted to endo a little bit.
18:41 And I'm like, god, this is so weird.
18:43 So I asked the Aprilia guy to make
18:46 some mechanical changes to the suspension,
18:48 and that didn't change anything.
18:50 And then, after riding the Ducati a little bit,
18:53 I went-- and the Ducati worked so good,
18:56 I went in the settings menu, and I'm like, oh,
18:58 what are the Ducati settings?
18:59 Oh, they're all maxed out.
19:01 No wonder the Ducati's working so good.
19:02 So I went on the Aprilia at the very end,
19:05 and I maxed out all the damping settings on that thing.
19:08 And that gave a lot more favorable feel.
19:11 We talked about the nice fixed suspension on the Beemer,
19:14 but kudos to Ducati and Aprilia with their semi-active
19:17 suspension systems and how much range of adjustments
19:21 in that machine just pushing buttons.
19:22 - Absolutely.
19:23 - You know, it's nice when you own a bike like that,
19:25 where you can just go in the dash,
19:26 you maybe don't have to have a screwdriver,
19:28 and kind of get lost in those settings there.
19:30 - Yeah, it was neat, and maxing out that settings really--
19:33 I noticed a difference, it was much better.
19:35 - Yeah.
19:36 - So, yeah, it was neat.
19:37 - One thing really cool about the Aprilia this year,
19:39 compared to RSV4s in the past,
19:41 which I remember some earlier generation RSV4s,
19:45 we would just grind the fairings down.
19:46 Like, the ground clearance was pretty minimal
19:49 on those things, and they've done a good job
19:51 with this latest generation bike.
19:52 It's got a little bit more ground clearance.
19:54 I think it's like 1.5 degrees on both sides,
19:56 and that's obviously helped quite a bit.
19:58 It's nice, you know, to not be scraping
20:00 your expensive fairings.
20:02 And then along those lines,
20:03 they've made some ergonomic changes too,
20:04 which overall, I think, helps the bike.
20:07 You feel a little bit more comfortable,
20:08 and being a taller rider,
20:09 that bike was always relatively comfortable,
20:12 but the changes they've made allow you,
20:14 I think, a little bit more freedom.
20:15 - Totally.
20:16 That was a cozy bike for me to ride.
20:18 I really like the ergonomics package on that bike.
20:20 - Yep, yep, yeah.
20:21 I think the seat's a little bit lower as well,
20:23 so you kind of, before you kind of felt like
20:25 you were up on top of the thing.
20:26 - Yep, foot peg's a little lower for us tall guys.
20:28 - Yeah, I know it's an ergonomic thing,
20:30 but I think it definitely plays a role
20:31 in being able to hustle the thing around a racetrack.
20:34 - Absolutely, and when we talk braking performance
20:36 of all of these three,
20:38 Ducati has the best brakes by far,
20:40 both in terms of power and feel,
20:43 and I want to hear about that.
20:44 But then we also struggled with sort of the ergonomics there
20:47 and not really being able to latch on
20:50 and hold yourself to the tank,
20:52 and all your pressure's going through your wrist
20:54 under that hard deceleration.
20:56 - Yeah, yeah, did you have that problem on the Ducati,
20:58 trying to get things slowed down?
21:00 - Well, yeah, it's so funny,
21:02 'cause we went to that press introduction,
21:04 and they're like, "Yeah, we reshaped the fuel tank
21:07 "so it's easier to maneuver against."
21:09 And when we were riding at Jerez,
21:11 I'm like, I never thought anything of it,
21:14 but to be fair, at Jerez, it's pretty flowy, dude.
21:17 You're not really grinding on that fuel tank,
21:19 besides that one stopping area on the backside of the track.
21:23 But at Thunder Hill, you're always braking heavily.
21:27 - There were a couple sections, yeah.
21:28 - There was a couple times where I thought
21:29 I was gonna fall off the motorcycle.
21:31 - I always did.
21:32 - I was gonna grab onto it, oh, I'm gonna fall off!
21:34 So it's interesting how they said they took a step forward,
21:38 but that skinniness in the rear of that fuel tank,
21:41 I didn't like that as much at Thunder Hill.
21:43 - Yeah, yeah, it's funny you see some shots of GP bikes
21:47 and stuff and what they've done.
21:49 For different riders, everyone has a different feel
21:51 in the way the bikes are set up,
21:52 but it definitely seemed like some of the pads
21:55 that you see on GP bikes,
21:57 you'd benefit to have that on the Ducati,
21:58 'cause yeah, there's a couple of times
22:00 on the first session out on the bike
22:01 trying to get adapted to it,
22:03 and you'd come in, slam on the brakes,
22:04 and my whole body's going forward,
22:06 my feet are coming off the pegs.
22:08 - Totally.
22:09 - Yeah, it's a lot.
22:10 - Yeah, when you pair the best braking performance
22:12 of the group with that, you're gonna run into that issue.
22:16 On the other side of the fence,
22:17 Aprilia had pretty soft brakes.
22:20 - Yeah, a lot of initial brake.
22:22 - And it kinda required more lever pull for longer,
22:25 which might have to do with the significant extra weight
22:29 that it carries in comparison to the others, but.
22:31 - Yeah, it's a good point.
22:32 Definitely, it's a little bit more weight to it,
22:35 and that probably does play a role,
22:36 but it definitely doesn't seem like the pads
22:38 have as much bite.
22:39 I'm sure it's a combination of things
22:41 in their braking system compared to the others.
22:43 It's noticeable how much sharper the brakes are on the BMW,
22:46 and then I think the Ducati's even a step above.
22:48 - The BMW has those in-branded Nissan calipers,
22:51 and it's kinda the same story
22:53 as every even S1000RR in the past,
22:55 is that it has that almost over-aggressive initial bite.
22:59 - They were really aggressive on the M1000RR.
23:01 I've never really experienced a pad combination
23:04 on a production motorcycle that had that much bite.
23:07 It was hard for me to almost brake on that bike
23:10 because I'd brake, and I'm like, oh my God,
23:12 I stopped already, I should be stopping up there.
23:16 Just 'cause those brakes, initially,
23:18 they just bite really hard.
23:20 - Yeah.
23:20 - You know, it's a very unusual feeling
23:22 for someone who doesn't ride on racing brakes,
23:24 who just rides street bikes all the time.
23:26 - Well, absolutely, does the Ducati stand out.
23:29 These are premium superbikes,
23:31 and the fit and finish of all of these motorcycles
23:34 is incredible, but especially the Ducati.
23:36 For 39,500 bucks, man, it's a lot of money,
23:40 but you're getting a lot of motorcycle.
23:42 - It looks boss, especially in that slick black paint job
23:45 it has with the carbon fiber wheels, it looks boss.
23:47 But so, that BMW, the intricate machining
23:51 on the engine covers, on the swing arm,
23:54 that bike's really well put together, too.
23:56 - Yeah, I think one of the things we talked about,
23:59 like, I'm trying to understand and think about
24:01 how these manufacturers develop these bikes.
24:04 I think one thing with the Ducati,
24:05 it feels like they co-developed it with the race teams.
24:09 It feels like they were out developing this bike
24:11 alongside as they're doing World Superbike testing.
24:14 Whereas the BMW kind of feels like maybe they studied
24:16 what the World Superbike team was doing, came back,
24:20 made some nice parts, and took some of that data,
24:22 and kind of built a nice bike.
24:23 - Yep, and you know, I'm gonna keep saying this,
24:25 but on the other side of the spectrum, the Aprilia,
24:28 yes, it's cheaper, it's only $26,000.
24:31 - It's a great deal.
24:32 - In terms of fit and finish and quality
24:35 in comparison to the other two motorcycles,
24:38 even in a short time frame of the last couple years
24:41 of it winning the Saiga World Superbike Shootout,
24:44 it's grown old in many ways.
24:46 - Yeah, yeah, I don't think the all black,
24:48 I mean, it's got some gold touches on it,
24:50 but that kind of all black paint scheme and everything,
24:52 I don't think does it any favors.
24:54 It's got a lot of the similar lines, yes,
24:55 you've got the kind of built-in winglets and stuff now,
24:58 but very similar shape that it's had for years now.
25:02 - It's a great bike, no doubt,
25:04 and exceptional value in the segment,
25:05 but look at the, one of the things that really irks me
25:09 about that Aprilia, besides the welds,
25:12 the welds kind of irk me too,
25:13 but if you look at the top clamp yoke,
25:17 where the Aprilia logo is,
25:19 it's like stamped on there with a sticker sideways.
25:22 Like it's not even lined up.
25:24 - That's a good buy, I didn't know what to say, yeah.
25:25 - Like look at the Ducati and the BMW,
25:27 like look at how everything's mounted, the fit and finish.
25:31 Like those bikes are meticulously crafted by a guy.
25:35 Like, oh, I'm gonna meticulously craft this vehicle,
25:38 where the Aprilia looks like they just like,
25:39 oh, just throw it through the assembly line,
25:41 there it is, done, you know?
25:44 You're spending, of course, it's, you know,
25:46 many thousands of dollars less expensive
25:49 than the BMW Ducati,
25:50 but I think if you're a real high-end person
25:53 who wants the very best,
25:55 not only in terms of performance,
25:57 but just like looking at it when it's in your garage,
26:00 that's where that BMW and Ducati stand out.
26:03 - I think that we've, you know,
26:05 as collectively as a group,
26:06 we've all come to say that for $39,500,
26:10 the Ducati is the bike to have.
26:12 Of this group, it is the motorcycle to have.
26:14 Where would you guys place the other two?
26:17 BMW Aprilia, Aprilia BMW, where do those sit?
26:21 - I'd think the BMW over the Aprilia.
26:23 I mean, both of those bikes overall are very solid packages.
26:27 The BMW feels like it offers a little bit more,
26:29 again, in terms of fit and finish.
26:30 - Oh yeah.
26:31 - And I think in terms of performance, too.
26:32 I mean, yeah, the Aprilia does make a little bit more power.
26:35 The BMW is, it has some of that sharpness
26:38 that feels like it's missing from the Aprilia.
26:40 The BMW kind of has a little bit more
26:42 of that aggression to it,
26:42 which I think is something that stands out in this class.
26:45 - Absolutely.
26:47 All right, Adam, your pick.
26:49 Aprilia, BMW, BMW, Aprilia.
26:51 - For me, I'm a value-driven guy.
26:55 I really like what the Aprilia offers for its MSRP.
27:00 It's a really good value.
27:01 I love my BMW S1000RRs,
27:04 and this bespoke M1000RR makes me want it even more,
27:09 but I just can't ignore just the real good value
27:12 that Aprilia offers.
27:13 It checks a lot of boxes for me,
27:15 just the sound, the power, electronics.
27:18 Yeah, it doesn't look quite as bespoke as the other bikes,
27:22 but I'm gonna have an extra 10 grand in my pocket
27:26 to go burn at my favorite restaurant,
27:28 so that'll be pretty good.
27:30 - Or the track day.
27:31 - Yeah, or the next track day.
27:32 Yeah, you can buy a lot of Ferrari Diablos
27:34 Supercorsa slicks with that, with MGs.
27:36 - Absolutely.
27:38 There you guys have it.
27:39 The Ducati Panigale V4 SP2 is the winner
27:43 of this year's Cycle World Superbike Shootout.
27:45 For $39,500, that's a lot of money,
27:49 but you get a lot of motorcycle.
27:50 Phenomenal power delivery,
27:52 an excellent electronics package,
27:55 and a chassis that balances it all out.
27:57 Yes, the ergonomics could be improved a little bit.
28:00 The tank shape could be revised
28:02 to keep some pressure away from your wrists
28:04 on the hard deceleration,
28:06 but overall, seriously, a remarkable motorcycle.
28:09 If you guys like this video, give us a like.
28:11 Comment, we wanna hear from you,
28:13 and subscribe to the Cycle World YouTube channel.
28:15 Head over to CycleWorld.com, read the full story,
28:18 and we'll see you guys next time.
28:20 (motorcycle engine roaring)
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