The Streetfighter V4 S is not a faster motorcycle than the Streetfighter V4. Ducati publishes identical engine figures for both — 205 hp (150.7 kW) at 12,650 rpm and 88.3 lb-ft (119.7 Nm) at 11,500 rpm from the same 1,103 cc Desmosedici Stradale V4. Same Front Frame, same Brembo Monobloc Hypure calipers on 330 mm discs, same Race eCBS, same 6.9" TFT, same Ducati Vehicle Observer electronics, same Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV Corsa rubber.
Everything that justifies the S lives in the chassis, the wheels and the battery. This post is about whether that trade makes sense for you, because this one is an entirely rational purchase for some riders and an entirely irrational one for others.
Semi-active suspension, specifically
The standard V4 runs a fully adjustable 43 mm Showa BPF fork and a fully adjustable Sachs shock. Both are good. Both are manual.
The S replaces them with an Öhlins NIX30 (SV) S-EC 3.0 43 mm fork, fully adjustable, TiN treated, and an Öhlins TTX36 (SV) S-EC 3.0 rear shock, fully adjustable, managed by Ducati Electronic Suspension (DES) 3.0 with Öhlins Smart EC 3.0. Compression and rebound are adjusted electronically, and Ducati specifies the system's event-based mode.
The practical consequence is that one motorcycle behaves correctly in two situations that normally demand opposite settings. A manual fork set up for cold, seamed Portland pavement will be soft at Ridge or Portland International Raceway. A manual fork set up for the track will hammer your wrists on the way there. DES 3.0 resolves that without a toolkit.
The steering damper changes too: Öhlins on the S, Sachs on the standard V4.
Weight, wheels and the rest of the delta
| Streetfighter V4 | Streetfighter V4 S | |
|---|---|---|
| Wet weight, no fuel | 421 lb (191 kg) | 417 lb (189 kg) |
| Front suspension | Showa BPF 43 mm, chromed inner tubes | Öhlins NIX30 (SV) S-EC 3.0, TiN |
| Rear suspension | Sachs | Öhlins TTX36 (SV) S-EC 3.0 |
| Electronic suspension | — | DES 3.0 / Öhlins Smart EC 3.0 |
| Steering damper | Sachs | Öhlins |
| Wheels | 5-spoke light alloy | 5-spoke forged aluminum |
| Battery | Lead | Lithium-ion |
| Oil service | 7,500 mi (12,000 km) / 12 months | 7,500 mi (12,000 km) / 24 months |
Four pounds does not sound like much, and on its own it is not. The S pairs that figure with forged aluminum wheels in 3.50" x 17" and 6.00" x 17" and a lithium-ion battery in place of the standard bike's lead unit. The S also carries a 24-month oil service interval against the standard bike's 12 months, which is a small but real ownership saving over a few years.
Ducati's Streetfighter V4 page cites 205 hp, 417 lb and a 0.49 hp/lb power-to-weight ratio.
What is identical
Nothing in the engine, brakes, frame, swingarm, electronics or dash differs between the two. The S premium goes entirely to the chassis: the semi-active Öhlins fork and shock with DES 3.0, the Öhlins steering damper, forged wheels, the lithium-ion battery and the longer oil service interval. That is the whole of it, and it is a focused package rather than a scattered one.
Shared figures across both trims: 33.3 in (845 mm) seat height, 59 in (1,496 mm) wheelbase, 24.5° rake, 99 mm trail, 4.2 US gal tank, valve clearance checks at 15,000 miles, 24-month unlimited-mileage warranty, single seat with a passenger kit available.
Pricing
| Trim | Color | MSRP |
|---|---|---|
| Streetfighter V4 S | Ducati Red | $30,995 |
| Streetfighter V4 S | Corse | $32,995 |
Add a $1,295 destination charge. Ducati's MSRP figures exclude options, taxes, title, registration and dealer charges.
The $2,000 step from Ducati Red to Corse is the price of the Corse color.
Who this bike is for
The V4 S makes sense if you ride the same motorcycle in genuinely different conditions and refuse to compromise either one. A rider who commutes on bad asphalt during the week and runs track days on weekends is the textbook case: DES 3.0 is doing real work every time the surface or the pace changes.
It also makes sense if you are honest about not wanting to adjust suspension. A semi-active system that is right by default is worth more to that rider than an Öhlins badge, and for them the S is the only Streetfighter worth buying.
It does not make sense if you set your bike up once, ride one kind of road, and would rather spend the difference on tires, brake pads, instruction and track time.
And if you are buying the Corse livery specifically, buy it knowingly. It is a beautiful motorcycle.
See it at MotoCorsa
The Streetfighter V4 S is available through MotoCorsa Ducati in Portland. Browse our current Ducati inventory to see what is on the floor, or contact us to schedule a test ride — riding it is the only way to answer the suspension question for yourself.
Specifications and pricing sourced from ducati.com and are subject to change. Contact MotoCorsa for current availability and out-the-door pricing.