Ducati is paying homage to the iconic career of red-team racer Troy Bayliss with the production of a new special edition Panigale V2, due to drop in a few short weeks to dealerships around the world.
Bayliss began his journey with the Bologna-based manufacturer in 1997/1998, winning his first of what was to be a very lucrative series of races in 1999.
Despite being sacked from the red team in 2004 due to his incompatibility with the machines, his contract was soon renewed and he was reunited with Ducati for the final years of 2006-2008 after a particularly impressive streak, becoming the first racer to win a race in both the Superbike and the Grand Prix world championships.
The Aussie’s 52 World Superbike victories currently rank third all-time in the history of the SBK Championships – and Ducati’s Bayliss 1st Championship 20th Anniversary Edition of the Panigale V2 shows it off in spades.
The Panigale V2 – a bike already firmly in hearts of fans around the globe since its first debut at the WSBK race in Assen – will be lighter (6.6 lb/3kg lighter) and feature graphics inspired by the Ducati 996 R of the first World Superbike title won by Bayliss, as well as a nice set of Öhlins components, among other ‘sporty’ details.
That means NX30 front fork and TTX36 rear shock absorbers, a steering damper with customizable calibration, a lithium-ion battery, sport grips, a carbon fiber silencer outlet cover, and a very custom, single-seat configuration in double red stitching with green and white accents to stay true to the roots of the Bayliss inspo.
Let us know if you get your hands on one of these beauties; in the meantime, make sure to check out other news from Ducati in MotorBikeWriter’s archives.
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