Ducati Streetfighter V2 S First Ride Review

Sometimes you have to take a step back to move forward. That seems to be the direction Ducati is taking with the 2025 Streetfighter V2. You see, unlike other new motorcycle launches these days, which follow the concept of ‘the more, the merrier’, Ducati has decided to go in the opposite direction with the new iteration of its middleweight roadster. The twin motor has been significantly downsized, resulting in a loss of over 30 horses from the Streetfighter V2’s arsenal. Yet, Ducati insists that this is the best-ever version of its street naked.

As they say, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and, thankfully, a couple of weeks ago, I got the opportunity to verify Ducati’s bold claims about its new Streetfighter V2. My destination? The stunning landscapes of Almeria, Spain, where I spent an entire day carving through some magnificent mountain roads on the new SFV2. What I discovered after a full day of riding was…

Add Lightness

… that there is a replacement for displacement, after all. It’s called adding lightness. You see, while the new SFV2’s twin motor has been downsized from 955cc to 890cc, the motorcycle has also undergone a serious diet. It has lost a whole chunk of weight – it now tips the scales at 175kg (V2 S), making it 18kg lighter than before. Impressively, 9.5kg of that weight loss comes from the engine alone.

Speaking of which, the engine features a number of changes – it gets intake variable timing (IVT), and the desmodromic valves have been ditched for conventional finger followers and springs. The latter may seem like a downgrade, but the move was made to reduce costs and increase service intervals for valve clearance. The IVT, on the other hand, helps shovel 80% of the engine’s 93Nm of torque between 4,000rpm and 11,000rpm, which was quite evident on the racetrack-like roads of Almeria. Despite being short on power compared to its predecessor (118bhp vs 151bhp), the lightness and torque delivery make up for the deficit, as the Streetfighter V2 shoots out of corners with the same kind of urgency as the old version. It doesn’t lack performance for sure. That said, there’s also no denying that it doesn’t have the punch-in-the-face effect or drama of the old engine. On the flip side, the new motor feels super smooth and linear – quite un-Ducati-like. The upshot of this, however, is that you have a motorcycle that you can ride hard and fast, right from the go. You can whack the throttle open as soon as you like, without worrying about the engine’s torque pouring in a quick burst. It flows in a measured and refined manner. That’s not to say it’s a tamed beast, though. It’s still a big brute of a motorcycle, and if you haven’t dialled in the electronics just right, it won’t shy away from lifting its front wheel or scaring the living daylights out of you when provoked. And, yes, those twin underseat exhaust pipes sound absolutely glorious, especially on the overrun.

The new chassis complements the engine beautifully. There have been some small yet significant upgrades – the rear frame is now made of cast aluminium, and there’s also that dual-sided swingarm that the world is still raging about. The wheelbase is longer and now measures 1,493mm – only 3mm shorter than the Streetfighter V4. The V2 S version we tested was equipped with fully adjustable Ohlins suspension. All the changes combined result in a motorcycle that feels supremely light and nimble. There’s a newfound level of surefootedness in the way the Streetfighter goes in and out of corners. The front end is wieldy and super communicative. It tips in beautifully without feeling nervous or twitchy. Similarly, the Brembo M50 brakes are a godsend, as they allow you to shed speeds quickly and confidently. And in case you do overcook or run out of talent, there’s always those Ducati electronics to fall back on. There’s a raft of settings and modes to fiddle with, along with a new TFT display to sift through menus easily.

Out on the streets, the V2 is a bit of a mixed bag. While it is roomier than the outgoing version – the handlebar is wider by 30mm – it can still get uncomfortable if you ride at city speeds for long durations. Or maybe I’m being unfair, for all I really wanted to do with it was pound it around the twisties.

Verdict

The Streetfighter V2’s agility and lightness are the two key factors that stood out for me. For new riders moving up from a smaller motorcycle, the Streetfighter V2 would feel like the perfect upgrade. Make no mistake, it’s still going to keep you on the edge of your seat, but not in an uneasy or scary way. Truth be told, when you ride it hard and fast, especially on twisties, it feels no bigger than a KTM 390 Duke. It simply shrinks around you.

Is there any potential deal breaker? Well, like almost all Ducatis, its high sticker price may deter buyers. The current version already retails at around ₹20 lakh (ex-showroom) in India, so expect the new version’s price to be north of it. That’s an eye-watering amount for a middleweight naked that’s now down on power and cubic capacity. However, objectively speaking, if there’s one Ducati that you can extract the full performance and your money’s worth from in India, it has got to be this. Now, suddenly, it doesn’t seem all that exorbitant, does it?

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What I discovered after a full day of riding was that there is a replacement for displacement, after all. It’s called adding lightness

It’s easy to ride the Streetfighter V2 hard and fast, but make no mistake, it’s still going to keep you on the edge of your seat