2024 Ducati Streetfighter V2

The common line of thinking states that the main reason you buy a Streetfighter V2 is that you can’t afford a Streetfighter V4. No doubt there’s some truth to that, considering the bestselling V4 S is some $9,600 more expensive than the V2. But the base-model Streetfighter V4 is “only” $4,100 more than the V2 and comes with some higher-spec components and produces 55 more horsepower. There’s more to it than just price.

First, no matter how brilliant the Streetfighter V4′s Desmosedici Stradale V-4 engine is, there’s something about a Ducati V-twin. The Streetfighter V2 uses a 955cc Superquadro that produces a claimed 153 hp at 10,750 rpm and 74.8 lb.-ft. of torque at 9,000 rpm, all of which is controlled through the latest IMU-managed rider aids. Second, on a 200-plus horsepower, liter-plus motorcycle, it almost doesn’t matter how good the chassis is; the riding experience is so dominated by the engine. The Streetfighter V2′s still-potent but not too-potent engine leaves the brain room to process the sensations provided by everything else—the tremendous front-end feel, the midcorner composure, the…take your pick…fragrance of the blossoms in spring (if that’s your thing), the precision of the dialed-in quickshifter—whatever you’re into. The point is, less is not always less. Less can also just be different. So the Streetfighter V2 may be less powerful and less expensive than the V4, but it’s also different—in the best possible way. Especially if you have a particular fondness for V-twin motorcycles that have “Ducati” written on the tank.

The 2024 Streetfighter V2 is available in Ducati Red for $17,995 and Storm Green for $18,295.