Ducati’s Championship-Winning WSBK Bike Brought By A Collector In India

Every Ducati bike is special, it’s regarded as the Ferrari of the two-wheeler world and a badge of honour for any biker. While Ducati was renowned for producing exotic machines, after the Audi takeover the brand has been transformed and now offers riders a complete package of performance, technology, thrill and reliability. Over the years many special edition Ducati’s have been launched globally and a few models even made it to the Indian shores, but none prepared me when I heard a championship-winning race machine was heading our way, this is peak Ducati!

And it isn’t any ordinary race bike, the motorcycle in question is the Ducati Panigale V4 WSBK piloted by Alvaro Bautsta in the 2023 season. Yes, this bike isn’t here for display but somebody actually has brought this racing thoroughbred making it the first Ducati race bike to be sold in India. What makes this particular bike even more special (as if it wasn’t already) is the fact that it won the triple races in Misano (Race 1, Sprint and Race 2). Also, the bike gets the special yellow livery which the Italian brand sports at its home race. 

Powering the Ducati Panigale V4 WSBK is a 998 cc, V4 monster churning out 235 bhp at a heady 16,500 rpm. The bike weighs just 168 kg, which is similar to that of a KTM 390 Duke! Imagine a KTM 390 Duke with over 200 bhp, it’s not a bike, but a low-flying surface-to-air missile. The top speed of 315 kmph might not seem very impressive, but understand, this isn’t a drag bike, it’s designed to be a track weapon and I can’t even fathom how nimble, fast, engaging and thrilling it would be around a race track. To make it a hoot around the track, the bike features race-spec Ohlins fully adjustable suspension, Akrapovic titanium exhaust system, Brembo brakes and Marchesini forged aluminium alloy wheels. 

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One might be wondering how did the owner go about buying one? Well, it isn’t as simple as walking into a Ducati dealership and getting yourself a race stallion. To qualify for owning such rare race bikes one has to own multiple Ducati motorcycles and an array of special edition bikes. This particular Ducati owner has over 10 Ducati bikes and also owns the Ducati Panigale V4 Bautista 2023 World Champion Replica. Such customers fall in an exclusive club dubbed “Top Ducatisti” and the brand connects with such collectors and offers them their racing machines. The buyer who brought the Ducati Panigale V4 WSBK, was particular about this very bike raced by Alvaro Bautista and declined previous offers of other race bikes. 

As expected, Ducati officials haven't revealed the price of the bike and honestly I wouldn't be surprised if it’s the most expensive motorcycle ever sold in the country. There are a handful of “Top Ducatisti” in the country and with the arrival of this very special race bike, we might see more such elusive motorcycles heading our way. Maybe Peco’s or Marquez’s championship winning Ducati Ducati Desmosedici GP, now that will be a dream come true for any Ducatisti.