Build the Ferrari of Motorcycles With Lego’s New Ducati Panigale Set
Lego’s keen to win over motoring enthusiasts, it seems. Just in the past few months, the company’s released building kits for the classic Fiat 500 and the Fast and Furious Dodge Charger. Lego has also made kits based on the Land Rover Defender and Ford GT40. And now, it’s a motorcycle company that’s getting a product immortalized in plastic bricks. Specifically, the Ducati Panigale V4 R.
The Lego Ducati Panigale set details
This isn’t the first motorcycle kit Lego’s released, RideApart reports. In fact, there’s a Harley-Davidson Fat Boy kit available as of this writing on the company’s website. However, the Lego Ducati Panigale V4 R is the first Ducati and possibly the first sports bike set released.
Part of the company’s Technic line, the Ducati Panigale set consists of 646 pieces. It even has the same front ‘winglets’ as the real bike does. As with the other Technic sets, most of the kit is functional. The front and rear suspension compress, and the steering turns. The V4 engine even spins and the chain drive moves, according to Roadshow and Autoblog. There’s also a kickstand, so the bike doesn’t fall over. The front and rear disc brakes, though, are purely for aesthetic realism—there are no actual calipers.
However, the Ducati Panigale set also features another Lego first. It’s the first Lego motorcycle with a functional transmission. Admittedly, it only has 2 speeds. But consider the kit is only 12.6” long and 6.3” tall, it’s still an impressive achievement.
Pricing and availability
The Lego Ducati Panigale set, as of this writing, is not yet available. The set is expected to be available on August 1, 2020.
The kit costs $69.99. The Fat Boy kit may have more pieces, but it’s also $30 more. And it doesn’t have a functional gearbox. And the real Ducati Panigale V4 R costs significantly more than $69.99.
What the real Ducati Panigale V4 R is like
The $39,995 Ducati Panigale V4 is the Italian motorcycle company’s first production V4-engine bike, Cycle World reports. Previously, Ducati’s lineup-topping superbikes all used V-twin engines. However, since Ducati’s MotoGP bike has a V4, the company decided to make a road-going version. And it was good enough to be awarded Cycle World’s Best Superbike for 2018. The R, though, is even sharper.
If the base V4 is developed from racing, the Ducati Panigale V4 R exists because of racing, Cycle World explains. It’s a homologation special, made in limited numbers so it can race in the World Superbike Championship. And it has the specs to back up the intent.
The V4 R’s engine is actually downsized slightly from the standard bike’s engine. However, the 998cc liquid-cooled V4 is actually more powerful. In fact, Ducati claims it’s the most powerful engine it’s ever built. At least, in racing spec.
US noise regulations means the ‘road-going’ Ducati Panigale V4 R is only rated at 209 hp, while the standard V4 puts out 214 hp, Cycle World reports. But, with the track-only Akrapovic titanium exhaust and ECU tune, the V4 R develops 234 hp. That’s why it has those black winglets: to keep it stable at speed. However, that’s not all the bike offers.
Underneath, the Ducati Panigale V4 R has fully-adjustable Ohlins rear suspension and front fork. There’s also an Ohlins manually-adjustable steering damper and slipper clutch. The bike has a TFT dash, through which the rider can just the traction control, slide control, and wheelie control. Yes, this bike has wheelie control. In addition, the V4 R also comes with an auto-blip function to smooth downshifts.
I wonder when Lego will offer a bike set with that included?
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