Ducati Streetfighter V2 Review: First Ride

Ducati’s Streetfighter V2 gets rid of the Panigale’s fairing and race-ready seating position in favour of usability. And the results are impressive…

The Streetfighter range is one of the most appealing in Ducati’s lineup, to me personally at least. Sure, you let go of some of the Panigale’s pizzazz, and even some of its high-speed manners due to the lack of fairing and a windshield, but what you get in return is a crotch rocket that you could actually ride every day.

In terms of styling, the Streetfighter V2 hits it out of the park. It borrows a lot of muscle from the bigger Streetfighter V4, and looks almost erotic in Ducati Red. The Joker-inspired LED DRL, the stepped-up tail section with aero cutouts and the single-sided swingarm come together to form an absolute masterpiece. It's a motorcycle Leonardo da Vinci would be proud of. And perhaps one he could ride fairly easily too.

As compared to the V4, the Streetfighter V2 aims to be a more manageable motorcycle. It is a couple of kilograms lighter, has two fewer cylinders and has a lot less power to deal with. With 151bhp @ 10,750rpm and 101.4Nm @ 9,000rpm from its 955cc Superquadro engine though, the Streetfighter V2 is still packing a KO punch. Ducati has also given the Streetfighter a shorter final drive ratio as compared to the Panigale (15/45 vs 15/43), to give it more torque at lower speeds. This translates to effortless, explosive performance on the road.

Open up the throttle at any speed, in any gear, and the Streetfighter surges forward. There’s a hint of hesitation below 3,000rpm but you cross that mark fairly quickly and after that, the world is a blur. The Streetfighter V2 races to the redline, its pace increasing in ferocity as the revs climb. Throttle pinned, shift up, and the relentless performance continues. Sheer lunacy. If you’re not careful, your city’s traffic police could turn a Y-o-Y profit, even if you were the only offender the entire year. On the road, you run out of space and cojones, much, much before you run out of performance.

A motorcycle is only as fast as its brakes and while the Brembo Monobloc M4.32 callipers aren’t the most cutting-edge set of anchors around, they offer a confident initial bite followed by a strong stopping force which helps you exploit the Streetfighter V2’s power with reassurance. On the racetrack though, we would’ve liked more retardation, especially in the first few millimetres of travel from the lever.

However, the electronics package is very comprehensive – you get Ducati’s ABS Cornering EVO with slide-by-brake, DTC (Ducati Traction Control) EVO 2, DWC (Ducati Wheelie Control) EVO, DQS (Ducati Quick Shift) EVO 2, EBC (Engine Brake Control) EVO. There are also three riding modes – Wet, Road and Sport – which you can customise to your liking. And, like all modern Ducatis, the electronics work in harmony with you and the motorcycle. There are no abrupt interruptions, no slaps on the wrist. The nannies gently keep you wrapped in a blanket of safety, saving you from yourself, without ever boasting about it.

The Streetfighter V2 is also a great handler. The swingarm has been extended by 16mm as compared to the Panigale V2 which aids stability, and the Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV tyres provide massive amounts of grip through corners. Suspension duties are handled by a 43mm Showa BPF fork up front and a Sachs mono-shock at the rear. Out on the road, there’s enough compliance that you’re never uncomfortable – as long as you’re mindful of what you’re riding and where you’re riding it. On the track, you get positive feedback from the surface below, allowing you to precisely alter your inputs at the limit. 

To be honest the Streetfighter V2 is a force to be reckoned with on the track. It won our Performance Bike of the Year 2022 award for good reason. The engine, the electronics, the suspension and the chassis all come together to make a package that is approachable, yet has its limits so far out of reach for most riders that it always feels composed – no matter how hard you feel you’re pushing.

There are a few shortcomings to the Streetfighter V2 though. The first is the lack of a windscreen which makes sustained high-speed cruising a bit of a workout and at low speeds the engine produces enough heat to thaw a frozen ready-to-eat meal. Much like a recovering addict chugs alcohol after escaping rehab, the Streetfighter V2 finishes its 17-litre ration very, very quickly. The fact that there’s no fuel gauge doesn’t help its case either. 

That said, I can forgive the Streetfighter V2 for just how much it offers. The seat is wide and comfy, the suspension strikes a good balance between ride and handling and of course, you can always dial it either way depending on the use case. On the flip side, it has an addictive amount of power, with more to give whenever you wish, it will carve through a twisty road with finesse or demolish corners at the racetrack. It isn’t perfect, but very few things in life are. You must choose what compromises you’re willing to make. The Streetfighter V2? It’s a bike I’d love to make compromises for.

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