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    RiderBOT
    Kawasaki Australia has confirmed pricing for the 2026 KLE500, with the rally-inspired adventure bike hitting dealerships from $10,405 plus on-road costs for the standard variant and $11,605 for the KLE500 SE. Arrival is expected mid-2026.
    The KLE500 centres around a fuel-injected 451cc parallel-twin engine producing 33.4kW and 42.6Nm of torque, mounted in a high-tensile steel trellis frame. The chassis carries a 21-inch spoked front wheel and 17-inch rear, with long-travel KYB suspension (210mm up front and 196mm at the rear) and 185mm of ground clearance.
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    The standard KLE500 arrives in Metallic Carbon Gray and features a full-colour LCD instrument panel with smartphone connectivity via Kawasaki’s RIDEOLOGY app, selectable ABS, and a three-position adjustable windscreen. Seat height is 870mm, with an optional lower seat available as a genuine accessory.
    The KLE500 SE steps up to a 4.3-inch TFT colour display, a taller windscreen, metal-reinforced hand guards, a larger skid plate, and LED turn signals. It comes in Metallic Bluish Green.
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    Both variants are LAMS-approved and engineered to carry Kawasaki’s three-case luggage setup, two panniers and a top case, simultaneously via a reinforced rear subframe.
    At $10,405, the KLE500 is slightly upmarket of the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 and CFMOTO 450MT, which are priced from $9190 and $9990, respectively.

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    Spencer LeechSpencer has a keen eye for hard news, and does some of his best living on deadline day. He loves more than anything to travel on his motorcycle, and is adamant that Melbourne Bitter is a world-class lager. By night, Spencer plays guitar with Melbourne punk outfit LOUTS.
    The post 2026 Kawasaki KLE500 price and specs confirmed appeared first on INFO MOTO.
    RiderBOT
    World Moto Clash’s “open-format championship” promises anything-goes bikes and a $2.86 million purse
    A new racing concept called World Moto Clash is being pitched as a reset for motorcycle competition, binning the traditional regulations governing machine capacity and specification such as those in WorldSBK or MotoGP, in favour of letting almost anything line up on the grid.
    The project is led by Stanford Crane, described in business profiles as a serial entrepreneur across tech, sport, media and entertainment. WMC’s core pitch is that it is “an open-format championship” designed to reduce the typical barriers to entry and expand what’s eligible to race. It says there are “no bike restrictions,” and sums up the concept with the line: “if it can compete, it can race.” WMC also claims that “Performance-based classification ensures fair, exciting competition,” although a full public explanation of how that performance-based system works has not yet been outlined in detail.

    The intent is to allow everything from familiar production-based machinery through to more specialised builds. WMC’s own description includes: “Sportbikes, superbikes, naked bikes, prototypes.” With such a wide potential spread, one key question will be how the series groups bikes on track and manages differences in performance, especially if significantly different specifications end up sharing the same sessions or races – with everything from turbo sportsbikes to ex MotoGP or WorldSBK machinery theoretically possible. Those details will likely determine how close the racing looks and how predictable the results become as teams and riders learn what works best.
    The event format also remains a developing part of the picture. The schedule for the first round lists track sessions categorised as ‘Red’ or ‘Black’, without a published explanation of what separates those groups, whether that’s based on speed, machinery type, rider experience, or another factor. Similarly, WMC has spoken broadly about its approach but has not yet released the kind of technical and sporting regulations that typically clarify grid selection, progression, and how a mixed field is structured across a weekend. The series has indicated a large entry pool, with a starting field of 48 riders to be reduced to 30 for the final grid, which suggests a selection or elimination component will play a central role in shaping the final race line-up.
    Colin Edwards is managing one of the teams WMC is also leaning heavily into its prize money. It is advertising a total purse of $2,860,000 per event, describing it as “The richest motorcycle race in modern history.” The breakdown includes $1,000,000 for first place, $500,000 for second, and $250,000 for third. Additional payouts will be available further down the order as well, with even 30th place earning $10,000.
    Another pillar of the concept is a team structure branded as Super Teams. WMC says: “WMC introduces the Super Teams model,” aiming to create clearer team identities and rivalries. Three well-known American racing figures have been announced as team leaders: Colin Edwards for Texas Tornadoes, Miguel Duhamel for Vegas Venom, and Gregg Smrz for Action Stars. Details on which riders will be attached to each team, what bikes they will field, and whether teams will operate with shared equipment strategies or simply act as banners for grouped riders are still to be confirmed.
    WMC is also presenting the series as a media-savvy product as well, stating that “Reality programming, live broadcasts, and digital content” are built into its overall model.
    With its open eligibility approach, a key focus will be how WMC prevents the competition from converging around a single dominant bike package and how it maintains quality racing across a mixed technical playing field. As with any new series, much will hinge on how clearly the format is communicated to fans and whether its performance-based classification system can keep the competition balanced.
    World Moto Clash is scheduled for July 10 to 12 at Utah Motorsports Campus.
    More information is available on the official website.
    The post New racing series set to rip up the rulebook appeared first on Australian Motorcycle News.
    RiderBOT
    F1 circuit designer warns public backlash and $100m-plus price tag could derail SA’s proposed MotoGP street race
    The man who created Adelaide’s F1 circuit, Victoria’s Phillip Island and Sydney’s Eastern Creek doesn’t believe the MotoGP street circuit will be built.
    Bob Barnard, now resident in Spain and running a business building private race tracks for multi-millionaires in Europe and the US, thinks public opposition and the sheer financial cost will be too much for the South Australian Government.
    The proposed street circuit layout for the 2027 Adelaide MotoGP In a wide-ranging interview with the Oxley Bom MotoGP podcast (hosted by AMCN correspondents Mat Oxley and Peter Bom) Barnard said he expected public opposition similar to what happened when the Victorian Government started to build the Albert Park circuit.
    “Protesters chained themselves to trees,” he said. “When I built Adelaide’s F1 circuit I wasn’t allowed to take even one tree out.”
    Barnard said the proposed circuit was “a version of Albert Park” and “not related to what I built” (in Adelaide).
    He also questioned if South Australia actually needed a round of MotoGP, considering it already hosted major sports events such as the AFL Gather Round, LIV golf and a sold-out annual Motorsport Festival. As well he asked the question “Who’s paying?”, pointing out that the circuit would cost “$100 million or more”.
    However, Barnard said he understood the attraction of a street circuit: “It gives people a greater sense of the speed involved because they drive these streets themselves.
    Main pic: Barnard during the building of the famed Phillip Island circuit
    The post Adelaide Mission Impossible says Bob Barnard appeared first on Australian Motorcycle News.
    RiderBOT
    Teardrop-shaped machine could be the ultimate in aerodynamics
    There’s nothing new in the idea of a fully-enclosed motorcycle – it’s an idea that’s been tried many times before with varying success but never broken through into the mainstream. But what if a big brand like BMW made one? That’s the question posed by the emergence of a new patent application from the German firm showing just such a bike.

    Perhaps the most successful enclosed motorcycle to reach the market is the Swiss Peraves Ecomobile, launched back in 1984 with, coincidentally, a BMW engine. Its successor, the Peraves Monoracer, remains on the market today in electric form, offering 250km/h performance and a 400km range from a 130kW motor and 28.5kWh battery thanks to the remarkable aero efficiency of the smooth, narrow shape.
    BMW’s new patent aims to address one of the most obvious problems of an enclosed two-wheeler, namely how to prevent it from falling over at a standstill. After all, you can’t put a foot down. Peraves successfully uses a pair of extendable stabilising wheels, one on each side, while other tandem two-wheelers have experimented with gyroscopes, including the crazy Gyro-X concept car/bike mixture that appeared back in 1967. BMW’s patent writes off the idea of gyros due to their weight, reverting to stabilising wheels, but instead of having one on each side it features no fewer than eight, arranged in two rows of four.

    The patent suggests several versions of their deployment system, but the advantage of the eight-wheel setup appears to be the ability to be narrower than the two-wheel stabilising system used by Peraves – which places its stabilisers wide to make sure the bike remains upright even on uneven surfaces. With eight stabiliser wheels, even if one or two end up over a pothole, the BMW design shouldn’t topple over.
    The advantages of the enclosed design are spelt out in BMW’s patent: the vehicle takes up relatively little space on the road, the rider/driver is protected from the weather, and the combination of a small frontal area and smooth aerodynamics promises efficiency.

    BMW isn’t new to this idea, either. The company has previously shown a brace of narrow, three-wheeled concept vehicles that offer a similar ability to lean into corners – the 2008 Concept Simple and the 2009 Concept C.L.E.V.E.R. – and of course it had its famous dalliance with roofed scooters with the production C1 at the turn of the millennium.
    Will the new patent become a production machine? Don’t hold your breath, but as manufacturers try to find new balances of performance, range and safety, particularly from electric vehicles, perhaps its time for the teardrop-shaped enclosed motorcycle to have another shot at mainstream success.
    The post BMW patent shows enclosed bike appeared first on Australian Motorcycle News.
    RiderBOT
    New lightweight is more than just a rebodied CFMoto 450SR-S
    KTM might be owned by India’s Bajaj now but the Austrian brand has a long-running partnership with CFMoto in China and it’s from that tie-in the latest orange machine has appeared in the form of a parallel twin RC450 sports bike.
    Initially launched in the Chinese market, where multiple KTM models and engines are manufactured by KTM and CFMoto’s joint venture, this is the first time we’ve seen CFMoto components and tech appear in a KTM-branded bike. Previously the flow has gone in the other direction, with CFMoto borrowing KTM’s parallel twin LC8c engines for its 800MT, 800NK and the new 1000MT-X models.
    The donor bike in question is CFMoto’s 450SR, or more specifically the higher-spec 450SR-S model with its single-sided swingarm, which donates its 449.5cc parallel twin engine and chassis to the KTM cause. Wrapped in sharp-edged styling that’s nearly indistinguishable from that of the larger, more expensive KTM 990 RC-R, the result is undeniably appealing – but at the moment it’s unclear whether it will ever be sold outside the Chinese market.

    In KTM form, the engine’s output is upped a fraction, hitting a claimed 41kW at 10,000rpm and 40Nm at 8,000rpm, against 37.5kW at 9,500rpm and 40Nm at 7,750rpm for the CFMoto, and the orange bike is just 168kg at the kerb against a claimed 179kg for the 450SR-S.
    The bigger changes are the suspension and brakes. Where CFMoto uses KYB suspension and Brembo stoppers, the RC450 swaps both for WP-branded parts. The forks are fatter 43mm WP Apex units, adjustable for compression and rebound, and the rear shock is also WP, with adjustable rebound and preload. Since the KTM-owned WP brand has recently made the leap into manufacturing brakes as well as suspension, it’s no surprise to see that’s where the calipers are sourced – a single radial four-pot on the front grabs a 320mm disc, paired to a 240mm disc and single-piston caliper at the rear, and both are governed by Bosch cornering ABS. Like other KTMs, the rear brake’s antilock can be disabled to back the bike into corners.
    The electronics continue with traction control and three riding modes, as well as cruise control and heated grips.

    Although the chassis comes from CFMoto, the KTM’s setup is quite different, with a shorter 1360mm wheelbase, steeper 22.4° rake and less trail, and allied to the improved power that suggests it should be a sportier bike overall. In China it’s priced around 25% higher than the CFMoto 450SR-S, too.
    The bike’s chances on the export market could be stymied by KTM’s new owner, Bajaj, which is keen to manufacture a purpose-made, sub-500cc parallel twin engine for a future range of KTM models. The promised ‘490’ twin has been spotted on test before in an Adventure-style machine, and will be made by Bajaj in India rather than by CFMoto in China. One way or another, though, a small-capacity twin-cylinder KTM lineup is on the way.
    The post KTM RC450 launched in China appeared first on Australian Motorcycle News.
    RiderBOT
    Lightweight electric bike finally shows its cards
    It was back in November 2024 that Royal Enfield first unveiled its Flying Flea C6 electric bike at the EICMA show in Milan – adding the scrambler-style S6 at the same event a year later – but with production only scheduled to start later in 2026 the model’s key specifications have been under wraps until now.

    Not anymore. RE has confirmed the first key figures for the initial C6 model in the Indian market, confirming important details including the power, top speed, weight, battery capacity and range.
    Let’s take them in that order. For power, the C6 claims 15.4kW from a permanent magnet synchronous motor, putting it on par with a 125cc single-cylinder combustion engined bike. As usual for electrics, the torque figure is higher than an ICE (although there’s no multi-speed transmission to act as a torque multiplier, so don’t get ideas of neck-snapping acceleration). The C6 manages 60Nm, which promises to take it 60km/h in 3.7 seconds. Five riding modes – city, highway, rain and sport, plus a user-configurable one – tweak the response characteristics and battery usage.

    Top speed is a claimed 115km/h, again on a par with a 125cc bike, and the Flying Flea’s impressively light 124kg mass also aligns with expectations in the 125cc market.
    All good, then? Kinda. Making an electric bike light means cutting back on one thing: the batteries. The Flying Flea’s pack measures 3.91kWh, which is pretty tiny. Even the latest, 112kg 2027 KTM Freeride E uses a 5.5kWh battery, so don’t expect to go far on the Flying Flea. Under idealised, laboratory test conditions of the Indian Driving Cycle, it achieves a claimed 154km on a full charge, aided in part by a regenerative braking system that lets you feed power back into the battery by twisting the throttle the wrong way. Realistically, initial riding reports from Indian media suggest a real-world range of around 80km – little over half that ambitious claimed number. Variables like rider weight and ambient temperature will also impact that real world number, so everyone is likely to get different results, but the Indian Driving Cycle is known to be particularly optimistic.

     
    The post Royal Enfield Flying Flea specs revealed appeared first on Australian Motorcycle News.
    RiderBOT
    New electric enduro will pack more peak power, lighter weight and a bigger battery for $17,999
    KTM has released details of the 2027 FREERIDE E electric motorcycle, which has been optimised from the ground-up to be 99% new compared to the previous version.

    Performance and battery
    Performance figures are headlined by 19.2 kW peak power and 8.3 kW of nominal output, with KTM quoting more than 37 Nm of torque and a top speed of 59 mph (95 km/h). KTM says the motor itself is “a much quieter, cooler, compact unit” and that it’s fully integrated into the bike’s overall character and agility, with a focus on controllable torque and dependable delivery. The brand also claims improved efficiency, with power delivery to match combustion-engined rivals while reducing riding and maintenance effort.

    Power delivery and ride character can be tuned via electronics, with three ride modes and three energy recuperation settings designed to extend range depending on terrain and throttle use. Safety and usability are also addressed with a rollover sensor, adjustable traction control and simple LED displays for key information.
    Battery remains central to the FREERIDE E concept and KTM continues with the MX50 Lithium-Ion unit. KTM lists the battery at 63.9 lb (29 kg) and says it has been constructed in a way that means it is easily interchangeable, allowing riders to swap packs to increase travel range or keep riding while another battery is charging. KTM quotes a 5.5 kWh capacity, with the battery able to withstand over 1000 charging cycles before dropping toward 80% effectiveness.

    Weight, chassis and ergonomics
    One of the most relevant real-world numbers for Australian riders is weight, and KTM makes a point of how it’s measured. The FREERIDE E is claimed at just under 247 lb (112 kg) and KTM specifies that this includes “mounted mirrors, indicators and other street legal relevant parts,” which helps clarify that the number isn’t achieved by removing everyday equipment.

    On the chassis side, KTM says it has prioritised a light feel and agile handling by keeping the bike slim and narrow, a trait it views as fundamental to the FREERIDE E. For 2027, KTM notes that “the geometry has been altered and the wheelbase increased for more stability and more comfort”. The main structure continues to centre on a chrome-molybdenum steel frame designed around the engine and battery architecture, while the aluminium and polyamide glass-fibre subframe is used to help keep overall mass down. Seat height is listed as 35.8 in (910 mm).

    Suspension and components
    Suspension is a fully adjustable WP package, using a WP XACT USD fork and a WP XPLOR PDS shock. KTM details the fork as a light 43 mm split design, with the air capsule in the left leg and the oil damping system in the right. Adjustment is via a single air pressure valve using a supplied air pump for preload, plus clickers for compression and rebound. At the rear, KTM says a “brand-new design of the WP XPLOR PDS system provides 250 mm of travel,” with oil flow optimisation aimed at delivering more consistent damping feel. KTM also mentions new bearing seals intended to extend service intervals and reduce maintenance demands.

    KTM’s earlier information also confirms Braketec braking hardware and Michelin Enduro Medium tyres, with the overall package aimed squarely at off-road use where low noise and quick, controllable torque are key advantages.
    Availability
    The 2027 KTM FREERIDE E will be available in limited numbers in Australia and New Zealand through authorised KTM dealers from July 2026 onwards and is homologated for road use.

    SPECIFICATIONS
    ENGINE
    Electric motor: 50.4 V PMSM
    Max. power: 19.2 kW
    Rated output: 8.3 kW
    Torque: 37.6 Nm
    Max. motor speed: 12,000 rpm
    Traction battery: MX50 Lithium-Ion Battery
    Battery capacity: 110 Ah
    Charger line voltage: 90–265 V / 50–60 Hz
    Charging power: 660 W
    Charging time (80%): 360 min
    Charging time (100%): 480 min
    Secondary gear ratio: 13:50
    CHASSIS
    Frame design: Chrome-molybdenum steel frame
    Rear subframe design: Aluminium / Polyamide Glass Fiber
    Handlebar: Pro Taper, Aluminium Ø 28/22 mm
    Front brake: Disc brake
    Rear brake: Disc brake
    Front brake disc diameter: 260 mm
    Rear brake disc diameter: 220 mm
    Wheels: 1.60 x 21″; 2.15 x 18″
    Front wheel diameter: 21″
    Rear wheel diameter: 18″
    Front wheel width: 1.60″
    Rear wheel width: 2.15″
    Tyre dimensions (front/rear): 90/90; 120/90
    Tyre width (front): 90
    Tyre height (front): 90
    Tyre width (rear): 120
    Tyre height (rear): 90
    Chain: 520, Non-sealed
    Steering head angle: 65.6°
    SUSPENSION
    Front suspension: WP XACT USD Fork
    Rear suspension: WP XPLOR shock absorber with PDS
    Suspension travel (front): 250 mm
    Suspension travel (rear): 240 mm
    Fork offset: 20 mm
    Steering head angle: 65.6°
    DIMENSIONS
    Seat height: 910 mm
    Weight (without fuel): 112 kg
    Wheelbase: Fehlende Variable
    Ground clearance: 360 mm
    The post 2027 KTM FREERIDE E Unveiled appeared first on Australian Motorcycle News.
    RiderBOT
    Ducati has opened entries for the second edition of its Multistrada V4 Voyagers contest, inviting riders worldwide to submit their travel stories for a chance to win exclusive prizes including tickets to World Ducati Week 2026.
    The contest runs across six categories: The Solo Rider, The Most Adventurous, The Group Journey, The D.O.C. Journey, The Longest Journey, and Special Mention, with six winners selected by an internal Ducati jury.
    The first edition in 2025 drew participation from riders across 48 countries, from the Americas to Asia, who shared stories, photos and videos of their journeys aboard the Ducati adventure bike range.
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    Entrants submit via a dedicated form on the Ducati website, uploading photos, videos and a written account of their Multistrada V4 travel experience. All model years and variants are eligible.
    Winners receive an exclusive accessories kit comprising a rear bag with luggage rack, Urban backpack, Thermos Black 24B bottle, Multistrada V4 bike cover, Skyline neck warmer, Ducati keychain, Ducati Travel tag, and a personalised contest trophy.

    New for 2026, winners also receive a three-day Biker pass for World Ducati Week at Misano World Circuit from 3 to 5 July, and a ticket to the Borgo Panigale Experience factory tour. Winning entries will be featured across Ducati’s official channels.
    The contest closes on 2 May 2026. Full details and entry forms are available at ducati.com.

    Spencer LeechSpencer has a keen eye for hard news, and does some of his best living on deadline day. He loves more than anything to travel on his motorcycle, and is adamant that Melbourne Bitter is a world-class lager. By night, Spencer plays guitar with Melbourne punk outfit LOUTS.
    The post Ducati opens entries for Multistrada V4 Voyagers contest as centenary celebrations ramp up appeared first on INFO MOTO.
    RiderBOT
    Big and bold continues to dominate, but hints at a shifting market are impossible to ignore
    This is only my third visit to the Bangkok International Motor Show, held this year from 23 March to 5 April, and in that time it’s been pretty clear the focus is shifting to electric vehicles. The current Middle East shenanigans are only increasing the market for EV and hybrid vehicles and reminding us of the precariousness of the global oil economy.
    Harley-Davidson racing simulator The show as a whole featured 45 companies, including 37 car brands and eight motorcycle brands, with organisers expecting around 1.5 million visitors during the two-week exhibition.
    Royal Enfield’s Meteor 350 with windshield While all reports point to a greater presence of electric motorcycles, that was not what I observed. Last year, it seemed the floor was awash with two-wheeled EVs, especially Chinese scooters and lightweight urban-mobility motorcycles. Not so this year. To me, at least, it appeared good ol’ petrol power was still at the forefront of motorcyclists’ interest.
    Royal Enfleld’s Goan Classic In Asian cities like Bangkok and Saigon, small-capacity bikes and scooters reign supreme, making these little electric urban runabouts a logical and fertile market. So too in our own cities, it follows that these pint-sized jiggers should be making inroads among short-run, urban commuters. The Chinese brand, Yadea, was the only prominent one on show this year and available in Australia via specialist resellers.
    Honda’s GB350C While there were some notable standouts, like Honda’s WN7, the vast majority were conventional ICE models, with a strong focus on small-capacity machines and cool, retro-styled bikes.
    Honda’s Monkey FTR125 It’s important to note that, unlike EICMA or INTERMOT, BIMS is primarily a regional launch and market activation event, so many “new” models are ASEAN (Association of Southeast Nations) debuts, updates or newly introduced variants, rather than global first reveals. Still, it is pertinent to consider manufacturers’ predictions about the local market trajectory and whether those prognostications apply to the Australian market.
    Softail Thunder LS250 S from Japan So, let’s have a stroll on the floor and see what eye candy strikes us.
    One might argue Honda is late to the electric party with their WN7, but maybe it was wiser to sit back and let others take the initial risk – Harley-Davidson being an obvious example with their LiveWire project. That said, the WN7 won the Gold Award at the iF DESIGN AWARD 2026, the top honour in Product Design, and the first time any Honda product has achieved this. The WN7 is positioned as Honda’s first “proper” full-size electric motorcycle, slotting above scooters like their EM1 e.
    Honda’s WN7 electric motorcycle Kawasaki showcased their Ninja 250 ABS and 1000SX. These two were among the latest 2026 motorcycles to enter the Thai market cycle and were featured at the show as part of Kawasaki’s refreshed line-up.
    If there was a showstopping jawdropper, it would have to be the Great Wall Souo S2000 CL, a monster of a machine designed to rival Honda’s Gold Wing. Looking like something out of a Transformers movie, the machine is notable maybe not so much for its brutalist styling as for its 2.0-litre DOHC 32-valve flat-eight (boxer) engine. With an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) featuring an electric reverse gear, the 450kg beast pumps out 113kW and has a stated top speed of 210km/h. Beauty, however, must remain in the eye of the beholder.
    Great Wall’s Souo S2000 CL Cruiser Luxury Harley-Davidson can always be relied upon to put on a show, and again they didn’t disappoint, with lashings of razzamatazz and big shiny bikes, with CVO ST models stealing centre stage. While big bikes are cited as a growth market in Thailand, huge taxes make them out of reach for all except the well-to-do. For example, a Street Bob 117 in Australia sells for $25k, while at a Bangkok dealer, you’ll pay the equivalent of $40k.
    Harley-Davidson’s Street Glide CVO ST Reflecting the global trend for adventure bikes, BIMS had a tantalising selection on show with some intriguing adaptations of standard road and commuter machines.
    Yamaha’s PG-1 While the BIMS may not have delivered a large number of global, headline-grabbing motorcycle debuts, it did provide a clear snapshot of where the ASEAN motorcycle market is heading, namely that for the short term at least, ICE dominance continues. In the medium view, we can see EV scooters scaling rapidly, while longer-term, full-sized electric motorcycles (such as Honda WN7-type platforms) emerge as the next battleground.
    2026 Honda Gold Wing The post Bangkok Motor Show | Retro cool meets EV caution appeared first on Australian Motorcycle News.
    RiderBOT
    Ducati has revealed the Superleggera V4 Centenario, a limited-edition machine produced in just 500 numbered units to celebrate the manufacturer’s centenary. It is the most extreme road-legal motorcycle the Bologna company has ever built.
    The Centenario introduces two genuine world firsts: carbon-ceramic brake discs approved for road use, and a pressurised Ohlins NPX 25/30 fork with carbon fibre outer tubes, technologies borrowed directly from MotoGP and Formula 1 development programs.
    Power comes from a new engine developed specifically for this model. The Desmosedici Stradale R 1100 displaces 1103 cc, up from the 998cc unit of previous Superleggera generations which was achieved through a longer stroke of 53.5mm.

    In road-legal Euro 5+ configuration, the engine produces 170kW (228hp) at 14,500 rpm. Fit the included Akrapovic racing exhaust and load the DAVC Race Pro software, and that figure rises to 184kW (247hp) at 14,750 rpm. Peak torque is 117.6Nm at 10,500 rpm in street trim.
    Wet weight without fuel is 173kg, dropping to 167kg in full racing configuration. These figures made possible by a chassis constructed entirely from carbon fibre. The frame, swingarm, subframes and wheels are all carbon, with the front frame alone weighing 17 per cent less than the aluminium equivalent on the standard Panigale V4.
    The swingarm, produced via a sacrificial mandrel process, is 21 per cent lighter than its aluminium counterpart while matching it for lateral and torsional stiffness. The result is a power-to-weight ratio of 1.48hp/kg in race configuration.
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    The carbon-ceramic Brembo Hyction discs measure 340 mm and are built around a C/SiC core, a carbon fibre-reinforced ceramic compound. Compared to equivalent steel discs they shed 450 grams per disc and reduce rotational inertia by 40 per cent. They are paired with new GP4-HY monoblock calipers featuring integrated cooling fins and an anti-drag system that fully releases the disc on lever release.
    At the rear, an Ohlins TTX36 GP LW shock absorber with MotoGP-derived valves and titanium suspension linkages completes the package.

    The desmodromic valve timing is set by hand and certified by a signed nameplate from the technician who performs the adjustment. The engine features titanium intake valves, titanium connecting rods and a lightened crankshaft using tungsten counterweight inserts in place of steel, reducing rotating mass without sacrificing balance.
    Electronics are derived from the Panigale V4 R platform and include DVO-calibrated versions of Ducati Traction Control, Wheelie Control, Slide Control and Power Launch, alongside a new Engine Brake Control DVO strategy featuring Dynamic Engine Brake. The DEB function automatically modulates engine braking and applies the rear brake during corner entry which replicates the technique used by professional riders.
    The livery is finished in Rosso Centenario, described by Ducati as a dark red referencing the company’s 1949 origins, and is the same colour scheme that informed the 2026 MotoGP Lenovo team Desmosedici livery. A separate run of 100 Tricolore variants also exists, drawing on the heritage of the 750 F1 Endurance Racing machine from the 1980s.
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    Each motorcycle is delivered in a custom wooden case containing the racing kit, a certificate of authenticity, paddock stands, mat, motorcycle cover and a neoprene racing seat. The upper steering plate is laser-engraved with the individual unit number out of 500.
    Twenty-six owners will additionally be offered access to a MotoGP Experience on 6 and 7 July 2026, immediately following World Ducati Week, which culminates in a session aboard the DesmosediciGP26. The experience is not included in the purchase price.
    Pricing for the Australian market has not been announced. Ducati notes that specifications remain subject to change pending final homologation.
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    Spencer LeechSpencer has a keen eye for hard news, and does some of his best living on deadline day. He loves more than anything to travel on his motorcycle, and is adamant that Melbourne Bitter is a world-class lager. By night, Spencer plays guitar with Melbourne punk outfit LOUTS.
    The post Ducati Superleggera V4 Centenario: 500 carbon masterpieces mark 100 year celebrations appeared first on INFO MOTO.
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