2023 Panigale V4S - Should I take the plunge?

[FireBreathingRubberDucky]

Hello Everyone,

This is my first post on the forum and am looking for some advice. I currently have a BMW S1000R, which was my first plunge into the naked bike scene. Prior to this I'd been on a liter bike for the last 15 years. At this point I'm finding that I miss being on a Superbike and have narrowed it down to the V4S, BMW S1000RR or waiting on the revised 2024 Fireblade. There are things I like about all of them, however my biggest hangup on the Panigale is the proximity to my dealership. My dealer is about 3 hours away, so warranty work will be kind of a pain. Ducati has come a long way in the last decade from a reliability standpoint but sometimes stuff just comes up (with any brand). My other hang up is the heat these bad boys put off. It gets into the upper 90s to 100s routinely where I live between June and September. While I won't be in a lot of stop and go traffic, there is one spot in particular I can get stuck for about 5-10 minutes before getting onto the freeway. Has anyone used the heat kit put out by Ducati Spacers? If so, is it worth it? I've heard of some people changing the seat, which does sound like it helps but what about the legs? Does different exhaust help? I will be tuning it to turn on the fans sooner. Any input would be appreciated.

 

[BMW Alpina]

Welcome to the forum @FireBreathingRubberDucky ,
There are several other heat shield kits such as the Teknofibra Gas Tank and also Febur (they are both the same) beside the Ducati Spacer kit. Or you can purchase your own sheet of heat shield material and cut them to fit your self.
They all will help, but I think you will still feel the heat with Ducati engine.

I used the SC-Project WSBK exhaust and the heat near the right leg is unbearable thus I add some insulation material to wrap the manifold near the right leg. There are many ways to help deflect, reflect or dampened the heat.

The most heat protected exhaust however, will be the Akrapovic full system kit with the 2 silencers under the engine (not the wheelbarrow), because they remove the catalytic converter and still firing down under.
And they sound great with higher performance.

In the end, the most important question is, do you want to ride a Ducati or other superbike (non-Ducati) ?

I have to copy Porsche tagline but Ducati, There is No Substitute

 

[bp_SFV4]

If heat is that big of an issue, consider another bike. The only fix I've found is to wear a leather race suit and keep moving.

 

[FireBreathingRubberDucky]

If heat is that big of an issue, consider another bike. The only fix I've found is to wear a leather race suit and keep moving.

I almost always wear leathers when I ride. On occasion I'll wear riding jeans if I'm going out somewhere. The problem is nobody can ever predict when they may run into stop and go traffic, even on the freeway. I'm not even saying it's that big of a deal....that is in fact the question I'm asking? How much does is bother the average rider and is there a way to mitigate it (not make it go away necessarily but make it better)?

 

[bp_SFV4]

If I wear riding jeans and it's above 80 F out I usually end up with a minor heat rash just below my left knee. I have the full Akrapovic under engine exhaust but don't think it was a night and day difference over OEM. If you're riding under 40 MPH it can be brutal if it's hot out. If its in the mid to upper 90s I don't even bother riding on the street. The track at that temp is fine.

 

[FireBreathingRubberDucky]

If I wear riding jeans and it's above 80 F out I usually end up with a minor heat rash just below my left knee. I have the full Akrapovic under engine exhaust but don't think it was a night and day difference over OEM. If you're riding under 40 MPH it can be brutal if it's hot out. If its in the mid to upper 90s I don't even bother riding on the street. The track at that temp is fine.

Have you heard of anyone wearing the Walero Keep You Cool Nomex Pants? I talked to a gentleman, ironically from a different company who recommended these. Not only are they flame retardant but they deflect heat. Here is the website: Walero Keep Your Cool Nomex Pants for keeping cool while riding motorcycle - Google Search

I'm also thinking of ceramic coating the inside and outside of the full exhaust. I like the black Termi's that go under the bike. Not only does this make it cooler, there can be a performance benefit as well.

 

[BMW Alpina]

Have you heard of anyone wearing the Walero Keep You Cool Nomex Pants? I talked to a gentleman, ironically from a different company who recommended these. Not only are they flame retardant but they deflect heat. Here is the website: Walero Keep Your Cool Nomex Pants for keeping cool while riding motorcycle - Google Search

I'm also thinking of ceramic coating the inside and outside of the full exhaust. I like the black Termi's that go under the bike. Not only does this make it cooler, there can be a performance benefit as well.

Anything that can help deflect heat from the bike will help, of course, but it will still have some radiant heat.