Best Sportbike of 2024: Ducati Panigale V4 S

The evolution of Ducati’s Panigale V4 platform since its introduction is nothing short of remarkable. It’s widely accepted that the first iteration was an unruly beast of a motorcycle with a powerful engine mated to a stiff and unwieldy chassis, making it hard to ride fast and especially hard to ride fast consistently. Ducati’s updates in 2020 and 2022 have been steps in the right direction, but the 2025 version absolutely blows the doors off anything that came before it.

Basically, Ducati kept its monstrous 1103cc V4 engine and threw away the rest, not confining itself to tradition in search of outright speed. All you have to do to see what I’m talking about is look at the back of the new Panigale. Gone is the revered (and, albeit, pretty) single-sided swingarm, and in its place is a more traditional, and flexible, double-sided swingarm. It says something when Ducati purposely left the engine alone – not that it needs any more power – and focused on the rest of the bike to grab every tenth it could. The entire chassis is considerably more flexible than before, resulting in more feel and mechanical grip being transferred back to the rider. This alone is a big step up, and testing with Ducati’s test riders showed this already helped them go faster compared to last year’s bike.

But the real game changer here is the electronics package. It can be counterintuitive, but mastering the brakes is a huge element in going fast. Ducati’s new eCBS is a form of linked braking that mimics what the best riders in the world do and transfers it to us commoners. Its effects are subtle, but noticeable. Especially over the course of several laps. But it’s the DVO – Ducati Vehicle Observer – that truly takes the cake. Effectively mimicking the role of 70 different sensors, the ability to fine-tune to the Nth degree how accurate each of the bike’s electronic aids operates is something truly remarkable.

Out on track, the total package of the Panigale V4’s electronic and mechanical changes had me feeling like a hero by the third lap of a track I’d never been to before. Each lap afterwards instilled more confidence to push on, and each time I tip-toed towards pushing my limits to test the electronics or go a little faster, the bike responded as if to say, “I gotchu, now try a little harder.” Never have I felt so comfortable pushing myself on something so capable. What Ducati has done here is truly remarkable. Which is why we’re glad to award the 2024 Sportbike of the Year award to the 2024 Ducati Panigale V4 S.

Honorable Mention

While it wasn’t really a question of who would win Sportbike of the year, there were several other models that really impressed us. The KTM RC8c is first on that list deserving of an honorable mention. It may just be a re-badged Kramer GP2-890 RR, but that doesn’t take away how impressive it is on a racetrack. With 140 horses on tap, a full complement of titanium engine internals, and a fantastic Kramer chassis meant to rip up racetracks, it was impossible not to be impressed by how well it does the job. I may be biased, but it certainly is an opinion shared by several others who have ridden the bike in anger.

Both the Aprilia RS457 and CFMoto 450SS deserve a shout-out in the Sportbike category for being affordable, sporty options. Let’s face it, for decades entry-level sportbikes were ugly. It’s no wonder why a lot of noobs, myself included, got their starts on bigger bikes that looked cooler. Now that brands like Aprilia and CFMoto (and let’s not forget the OG Kawasaki and its Ninja 500) have finally melded good looks with proper entry-level performance, the time has never been better to get into the Sportbike category. With the RS457 and 450SS, you’re not only getting an attractive bike, but you’re also getting something you can grow with as your skills improve.

The Suzuki GSX-8R barely missed our cutoff for last year’s awards, but it still deserves an Honorable Mention this year as being a significant bike in the new era of streetable sportbikes. The spiritual successor to the SV650 in Suzuki’s lineup (even though the SV is still being sold alongside the GSX-8R), the 8R gives you sporty styling and sporty performance, all while being supremely comfortable for an all-day ride – something you could never say about any of today’s “true” sportbikes.