Ducati Panigale V4 R vs 2019 Aprilia RSV4 vs MV Agusta F4 Claudio: Spec Comparison

With the 2018 EICMA Motor Show in full swing last week, we saw a lot of action in the uppermost crust of motorcycling. From Ducati’s bonkers V4 R to MV Agusta’s beautiful F4 Claudio and Aprilia’s stonking new RSV4, we chalk down which of these motorcycles outperform each other on paper!

Design & Features

The Ducati Panigale V4 has cemented its place among the top cream of litre-class flagships money can buy. Now, to take things up a notch, the Bologna-based company has introduced the 'R' version of the bike. Yes, the 'R' here stands for race-spec. And racey it is, with generous amounts of carbon fibre everywhere, a shortened subframe, modified bodywork for better airflow and, not to mention winglets which help in providing downforce to keep the front end down under heavy acceleration. While the bike largely looks similar to the V4 and the V4 S, these changes help it look more menacing. Electronics aid remains similar to what've seen on the V4 and the V4S, including the 5-inch TFT screen, riding modes (Race, Sport, Street), cornering ABS, traction control, wheelie control, pit limiter and lap timer.

There aren't many external changes done to the Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory. It now gets a full black paint scheme with dark graphics, which help in exposing the carbon-fibre bits on the bodywork. Speaking of which, the only new addition here is the thin carbon-fibre winglets near the nose of the fairing which help in providing necessary downforce at high speeds. As one can imagine, the electronics package here is quite extensive, with three riding modes on offer (Race, Sport, Track), traction control, wheelie control, launch control, launch control, bi-directional quick shifter and cornering ABS. All this can be controlled via an updated TFT instrument console which comes with Aprilia's V4MP multimedia system. On track outings, it now records corner by corner information and also allows you to accept or reject calls through voice commands.

If there's anyone who can turn motorcycles into a true work of art, it is MV Agusta. And what better example of this than the MV Agusta F4 Claudio, named after the man himself who started it all, Claudio Castiglioni. Created in the memory of the late extraordinaire, the F4 Claudio is covered in swathes of carbon-fibre, making it one of the most exotic bikes money can buy. And why wouldn't it look so enticing, considering that its based on the F4, the most beautiful production motorcycle to ever roll out (according to us). To help it distinguish itself from other F4's, the Claudio gets a black and gold dual-tone paint finish. Even the wheels come in the flashy gold finish. Further adding to the exclusivity, it gets cross-stitched rider seat with a Claudio logo embroidered on it. Electronics package here includes a bi-directional quickshifter, a slipper clutch, four riding modes (Normal, Sport, Rain and Custom) and IMU-controlled eight-level traction control.

Engine

Now, looking at the numbers doesn't tell the whole story here. Since the Panigale V4 R is a WSBK homologation bike, its capacity has been curbed to 998cc. However, the bikemaker has done some major performance tuning, from using lightweight engine components, a dry clutch, to electronics from Magnetti Marelli, to boost the power. As a result, the V4 R now makes an insane 221PS up from the earlier 214PS, making it the second most powerful production bike after the Kawasaki Ninja H2 (231PS). However, the torque output is now limited to 112Nm from the earlier 120Nm on the standard bike. If that's not enough, you can slap on an Akrapovic race exhaust system which further boost the numbers to 234PS. Also, thanks to an improved air intake system, the redline is now bumped up by 2250rpm at 15,250rpm.

The major change on the RSV4 comes in the form of displacement, which has been increased from 999.6cc to 1078cc. While it is still the same unit as the older bike, the bore size has been increased at 81mm. Meanwhile, the stroke remains similar at 52.3mm. This has helped the RSV4's motor to rev higher at 13,600rpm and produce 16PS more power, at 217PS. With the larger engine, the RSV4 now gets a new fuel-injection system, a remapped ECU, a new oil pump and a shiny new lightweight titanium Akrapovic exhaust to make full use of the increased power. Fifth and sixth gear is now taller, for better top speed.

The F4 Claudio gets the same engine as the F4 Reparto Corse. This 998cc inline four may be the smallest in the comparison, but makes a healthy 205PS in its road trim. Opt for a track kit and you can take the number up a notch to 212PS, which is certainly respectable. Torque figures remain at 115Nm, delivered at 9300rpm. To keep the weight down, the engine gets titanium connecting rods along with polished internals. Then there is also a titanium SC Project exhaust system for that glorious braap.

Underpinnings

While the V4 R uses the same chassis as the V4, it has now been stiffened to handle the extra power. As mentioned earlier, the subframe has also been shortened, ditching all the unnecessary elements. Not to mention, there's extensive use of carbon fibre everywhere, along with forged magnesium Marchesini M9RS wheels. As a result, the kerb weight is now 193kg, 2kg lighter than already lightweight V4S.

Surprisingly, Aprilia has decided not to update the RSV4 with Ohlins semi-active suspension as seen on the 2019 Tuono V4. It's not offered even as an option. However, the RSV4 does get new Ohlins Nix front forks along with an Ohlins steering damper. While the frame is the same as before, the swingarm has been stiffened for more agile handling. Also gone are the M50 Monoblocs, now replaced with premium Brembo Stylema callipers.

As mentioned earlier, carbon-fibre has been used quite generously on the F4 Claudio, including the dual-tone finished full-fairing. Where it isn't, the company has used titanium and biller-machined aluminium parts. As a result, the F4 Claudio is one of the lightest motorcycles on the market, weighing in at just 175kg! The suspension setup from the F4 Reparto Corse has been carried over too. However, the highlight here is the BST carbon fibre wheels, the lightest ones you can buy. They are shod with Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP wheels.

Expected Pricing

Since it's made to comply with WSBK homologation rules, the Ducati Panigale V4 R will be available only in limited numbers. And yes, it is expected to cost a fortune. Ducati might bring a couple of models here. If we had to guess, how does a Rs 60 lakh price tag sound?

Unlike the MV Agusta and the Ducati, it is more likely that we will see the updated version of the 2019 Aprilia RSV4 in India. Considering all the updates, we expect it to cost around Rs 28 lakh, making it 3-4 lakh more expensive than the standard model.

As it is with most special edition F4 models, the MV Agusta F4 Claudio too will be available in limited numbers, 200 to be precise. With each retailing for USD 83,012 (Rs 60.76 lakh), we expect to see only a couple of units being made available here.