2026 Ducati Panigale V2 S Review | Phillip Island Track Test

Much has already been said about Ducati’s move to a smaller, lighter, less powerful Panigale V2. First, there was disbelief, then outrage that Ducati would step away from a track‑focussed, high‑output L‑twin, the very thing the brand built its Superbike reputation on. Years of success on booming twins, often with Aussies at the bars, had set a clear expectation.

Then came acceptance. The folks back at Borgo Panigale HQ are not silly after all. They’d seen the numbers. Looked at the trendlines. Had to make some decisions.

My guess? Sales of the older Panigale V2 were dropping below the critical sales mass. A lot of buyers had moved to the barn-storming V4, which, thanks to Ducati’s class‑leading electronics, is nowhere near as intimidating to ride as the spec sheet suggests. More differentiation was required.

Ducati Panigale V2 S

The other problem was that achieving maximum performance from the old 955 cc Desmo engine meant heat. An arse-frying amount of it on the road. And an appropriately race-focussed ride position. I found the old bike to be a bit of work around town. It only made sense to me and worked best above 8/10ths on your favourite bit of tarmac, or on track – where admittedly it was very, very, seriously brilliant at delivering grins.

Ducati also had what many saw as a gap in its lineup: a proper mid-level sports bike.

They do not anymore.

2026 Ducati Panigale V2 S vs old Panigale V2

After sampling the new Panigale V2 at Phillip Island, I think they’ve made the right call. While it’s not as outright potent as the outgoing model on the track, it’s probably not as far behind as you might think… and is night and day more usable, more comfortable and more nimble. The new model’s performance is noticeably more accessible and easier to pedal.

So what we now have, in terms of topline numbers, is as follows:

The big change: power is down. Ducati’s lightest ever twin. An 890 cc non-Desmo L2 engine pushing out 120 hp at 10,750 rpm and 69 Nm at 8,250 rpm. (That compares to 955 cc, 155 hp and 104 Nm in the old model).

Ducati Panigale V2 S

The counterargument, weight is also down. At 176 kg (wet minus fuel), it is an astonishing 14 kg lighter than the outgoing V2. That’s massive. It has a real-world impact on handling and agility.

The S variant I rode comes with Ohlins NIX30 43 mm fork and Ohlins shock. And like the big V4, it has moved back to a double-sided swingarm (less weight, more control).

Ducati Panigale V2 S

It has pretty much all the latest Ducati tech you’d expect – six‑axis IMU, cornering ABS, traction and wheelie control, engine‑brake control and quickshifter. But not the awesome Race eCBS brake‑by‑wire blended braking setup from the V4, which, in layman’s terms, will trail-brake the rear for you automagically for tighter cornering.

Ok, that’s the background out of the way.

What’s the Panigale V2 S like on track?

Any day at Phillip Island is a good day. The gang at Phillip Island Ride Days always run a good show. Even if you have to sit out the first couple of wet sessions amid thunderous rain. Luckily, the track dries fairly quickly, and we were able to get out before lunchtime and form an impression of the new ‘little’ Panigale.

The first impression when you throw the leg over is that it feels low, and the reach to the bars is comfortable without being overly racy. With a seat height of just 837 mm and a slimmer profile than the V4, it offers an easy, non-intimidating standover. At just over 180 cm tall, I don’t find it cramped at all, and I’d imagine that those a little shorter would feel right at home.

Ducati Panigale V2 S

The tank shape isn’t as sculpted as I’d expected (or I’d have liked to be honest – Aprilia’s RS660, though not a direct competitor, takes the win there for sculpted tank perfection).

Seat foam is surprisingly comfortable, too. There’s a slight step in the foam built in that you feel at first, but it disappears on the move. That comfy seat, combined with a really compliant rear shock, provides a level of comfort that the old bike can only dream about.

Ducati Panigale V2 S

Turn the key, and the dash feels very Ducati. It’s clear, well laid out, and easy to use. I cycled through the settings and with a couple of sessions already missed to the aforementioned rain, decided on the following: Full power, Wheelie Control on, TC set to three of eight (eight being most intrusive), throttle set to Dynamic, engine braking at minimum. Time to get at it.

Rolling out onto the circuit, the riding position feels a little unfamiliar at first. Even though it feels quite low, I still feel like I’m sitting on top of the bike. That feeling doesn’t last long, though, and I’m soon feeling comfortable.

I’m immediately impressed with the corner entry and turn-in. Beautifully agile yet controlled. The quick right-to-left flick from MG to turn 11 is almost too easy. It comes over nearly weightlessly and drops straight down on its side for my favourite turn at The Island. Just magic. Look for the apex and wind on the throttle…

Overall, you can’t help but notice how smooth and stable the bike feels. Everywhere: entry, mid corner, exit. It’s planted. And that progressive rate spring in the shock is far more supple than you’d imagine without it being overly soft.

As I started to push on a little, it became clear that there was still a lot left in it – I’d misjudged the V2 S’s capability… A few too many full-power bikes were holding me up in that medium group for my liking – getting a decent, clear lap was challenging.

2026 Ducati Panigale V2 S Test – Motorcycle Review

Time to go up into the next group…

I had so much fun over the remaining two sessions in the faster group. Now able to get some clearer laps. Corner speeds came up. Exit speeds came up. Braking points stretched deeper. And all the while, the ‘little’ V2 had my back. Pushing me on with barely a moment. I felt totally in control. Not chasing the bike.

After looking at the tyres and chatting to the PIRD lads, we added some preload and rebound to the rear for the last session. I’m normally pretty harsh on tyres at PI (moreso when I’m a bit rusty and not holding as much corner speed as I should be), but the rear was holding up really well. So it told me that the Diablo Rosso IV tyres, the Ohlins shock and the electronics were all working together really nicely.

Ducati Panigale V2 S

The TC in particular was super nice, and I finally found the berries to consistently trust it out of Siberia and 11. That’s a first for me. Call me old school. Even after there’d been a bit of oil dumped right on the racing line… And yes, that first lap riding across a dirty dust line had the heart rate up…

Adding a little more preload and rebound to the rear helped things even further, giving me more feedback under brakes into turn four, with the Brembo M50 Monoblocs offering plenty of bite and good lever feel, too. It runs a six-axis IMU and has three levels of ABS setting adjustability, so they aren’t mucking about. I do wonder if they’ll offer the fancy Race eCBS from the V4 S as an option, because I was seriously impressed with that setup.

Ducati Panigale V2 S

The preload also had a positive effect on dialling up the feedback mid-corner. Especially through 11, where I could feel the side of the tyre quite nicely. Super communicative. Yet still super smooth and comfortable. I had to ask if the bump at Lukey was still there or not because I hadn’t noticed it…

By that third session, corner speeds were pretty reasonable, and the engine’s flexibility was starting to shine. I was using fifth through turn 12 and exiting there at a little over 200. I was running out of revs in third coming out of Southern Loop, which was a little problematic running road pattern shift – I probably could have and should have been using fourth through there instead. One to try next time!

In the era of 200-plus hp superbikes, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that 120 hp isn’t going to be all that exciting. Well… I hate to be the one to tell you, but the ‘little’ V2 is actually up about 8 hp on the mighty 996 and has almost exactly the same torque (0.3 Nm more, if you’re counting). And the 996 was roughly 20 kilos heavier.

2026 Ducati Panigale V2 S Test – Motorcycle Review

From a power-to-weight perspective, it comfortably shades what used to be Ducati’s ‘top dog’ Superbike. More importantly, the V2 is a hundred times better behaved. Better fuelled. Smoother. More usable. Near faultless quickshifter. Much better electronics and handling.

The only place I was really looking for more power was at the top end. Most noticeable down the main straight, where things started to tail off around the 230 km/h mark. About the same as my old 600 racebike, which made slightly less power and noticeably less torque. I reckon most people would be comfortably faster on the V2. And do it much more easily.

And for me, that’s the big win for the little Panigale.

Panigale V2 S final thoughts

The latest Ducati Panigale V2 S is just so easy to ride. Super forgiving. Super flexible. The engine feels a little more old-school-forgiving-twin than high revving to make maximum power at all costs race engine. Way easier to tip into corners or change lines than the big bikes, and it’s just less tiring overall. Both physically and mentally.

Ducati Panigale V2 S

A full Termi system drops roughly 4.5 kg and adds about 5-6 hp, some of it up top, but with benefits everywhere – including a much healthier soundtrack. That would put it pretty close to perfect as a serious mid-level option for those who want to do the occasional track day and still have a much more comfortable bike to ride on the road every other day.

Ducati Panigale V2 S

And while the drop in power over the outgoing model will be a bit of a negative for some, the flip side is that moving to a smaller, lighter, simpler non-Desmo engine also extends your valve service intervals to 30,000 km. I think they have made the right call.

Ultimately, sales will confirm it either way. At just over 27 grand for a usable road-going sportsbike that is serious fun on track, I think they should sell a bunch. That’s around half the price of a V4 S… Half. In Ducati terms, it’s about as close to a bargain as a Panigale gets. It’s probably the best value bike in their lineup.

I was so impressed that I told the PIRD guys they should seriously consider getting some for their hire fleet. I think they’d be a big success for those riders who aren’t quite ready to step onto a 200 hp bike just yet. Or even those more experienced riders who have been there, done that, and just want to have a bit of fun without having to work so hard for it.

We like the Panigale V2 S because:

• Super usable, well‑balanced package at a sharp price
• Flexible engine with plenty of grunt from low rpm, with a healthy, wide midrange
• Lightweight engine and chassis make it easy to change direction and adjust lines mid-corner
• Surprisingly comfortable ride from the progressive‑rate Ohlins rear shock

The Panigale V2 S would be even better if:

• Race eCBS was available as an option
• The tank shape was more sculpted for a stronger mid‑corner lock‑in
• Budget for the full Termi system – let’s be honest, you’d have to tick that option

Ducati Panigale V2 S

2026 Ducati Panigale V2 S Specifications