It will be a busy year for Ducati as the Italian motorcycle company has already planned to introduce seven new launches between September and November. According to these spy photos, the updated Streetfighter V4 may not change much from its predecessor, but upon closer inspection, there are a few subtle changes applied to the new model.
At first glance, the side panels are a strange gray color, 3D printed panels, and the satin black tank doesn't match the rest of the bike, but that doesn't do much for us. Looking more closely, however, there are indications that this model is close to the production version.
The unfinished look of the tank and side panel is key to spotting changes. Just as the Streetfighter V4 is derived from the Panigale V4, the 2023 version again borrows components from the Bolognese superbike, which underwent subtle but significant changes last year. These included a new fuel tank with capacity increasing from 16 to 17L and a more ergonomic shape, and it is exactly this model that is fitted to the bike pictured.
The gray side panels on either side of the tank – which appear to be 3D printed components on this prototype – are the same shape as on the current model, but need to be changed along the inner edges to match the redesigned tank.
It's no exaggeration to consider that some of the other changes made to the Panigale will also be made to the Stretfighter. The Panigale's 1cc engine has benefited from a set of upgrades to its electronics for 103, with a power increase, but more importantly, it has gained a redesigned lubrication system and exhaust. The power of the current Streetfighter is already 2022 hp, it should gain a few horses to reach 208 hp.
Ducati has also revised the Panigale V4 gear ratios for 2022. So the Streetfighter V4 will likely adopt similar changes, logically with a lower final drive ratio to focus on acceleration rather than top speed.
It's also relevant that the updated Streetfighter V4 gets a similar chassis upgrade to the Panigale, including a slightly higher swingarm pivot that helps reduce squat under acceleration. The upgraded dashboard, with additional modes, is also sure to trickle down from the Panigale to the Streetfighter.
Visually, it will be a little more difficult to distinguish the new generation Streetfighter from the previous one, as features such as the headlights and the tail section are not changed, but it is clear from these photos that the fins are larger than before .
These images show what we believe to be the base model of the Streetfighter V4, with a 43mm Showa BPF fork, Sachs rear shock and Y-shaped five-spoke light alloy wheels. There will also almost certainly be a Streetfighter S, using Öhlins electronically controlled suspension (probably upgraded to the Panigale S's NPX 25/30 fork rather than the existing Streetfighter S's NIX 30s) and three-spoke forged alloy wheels.
