DUCATI: Next-gen V2 motor

Released just before the EICMA show; the new mid-power Ducati V2 engine for the foreseeable future. 

The big news is the firm’s dropped the desmodromic valves, and is using common old coil springs for its valve control. What next – hairpin springs? 

Anyway, what we lose in unique engine tech, we regain in easier servicing, possibly. The motor is light – 54.5kg – and is an 890cc DOHC 8v 90° V-twin with oversquare dimensions (bore x stroke of 96×61.5 mm) and high compression, 13.1:1. There’s variable timing on the intake camshaft with a hydraulic variator, chain cam drive and a clever design that locates the water pump in the front cylinder head, for more compactness.

It’s not a mega-powerful unit – just 120bhp in high power format – and there’s also a 115bhp version. That’s not bad for a sub-900 twin (something like a BMW F900R makes just 105bhp) and will be fine for the likes of the Multistrada V2, DesertX and Monster models. But it’s well down on the current Panigale V2’s 157bhp, so you imagine it’ll have to do something else for that.