After feedback from Ducatisti the world over, Ducati have worked on a series of refinements for the modestly updated 2020 V4, which are intended to make their bonkersly fast superbike that little bit easier to ride. Eagle-eyed readers will have noticed the V4 R-esque wings adorning the V4 and V4 S, but there are quite a few less obvious alterations to the Italian stallion. The chassis has been altered to reduce stiffness, as have the springs in the suspension (although the spring preload has been increased); the centre of gravity has been raised; and the ride-by-wire throttle system and the electronic control systems have been sharpened up, which now include the DTC (Ducati Traction Control) Evo2 (said to predict wheel spin before you even feel it – impressive).
The alterations, though subtle, are said to improve the usability of a bike that has been criticised by some as being ‘a bit of an animal’. With any luck, the new V4 and V4s will have just as much character as the old ones did, but in a package that doesn’t require you to have the fitness of a World Superbike champion to get to the end of a trackday session without losing half your bodyweight in sweat.