For its 100th anniversary, Ducati has unveiled the Superleggera V4 Centenario, limited to 500 numbered examples of what is, without a lot of debate, the most extreme road-legal motorcycle they’ve ever built. And considering this is the same company that gave us the 1199 Superleggera in 2013 (itself a landmark machine), that’s saying something. Each Superleggera generation has introduced a world first. The 1199 had the magnesium frame and wheels. The 1299 was the first production bike with a full carbon fiber chassis. The 2020 V4 Superleggera took MotoGP aero to absurd extremes. Now the Centenario is here to one-up all of them.
The Lineage Behind the Bike
Since 2013, “Superleggera” (Italian for “super light”) has always showcased Ducati’s ability to operate without constraints. The through-line across all four generations is the strictly limited runs of 500 units, a full carbon chassis, a direct relationship to the current WorldSBK or MotoGP platform, and at least one technological innovation that eventually trickles down to the mainstream.
The Centenario hits all four. But its two headline achievements — the world’s first road-homologated carbon-ceramic brake discs and a pressurized fork with carbon fiber stanchions — are the kinds of things that usually stay in the MotoGP paddock. For this anniversary, Ducati decided the road deserved them too.
One New Engine, Two Power Numbers
Ditching the 998cc Desmosedici Stradale R, the Centenario gets an entirely new unit, the Desmosedici Stradale R 1100, built specifically for this bike. A longer stroke (up from 48.41 mm to 53.5 mm) bumps displacement to 1,103cc and brings more mid-range grunt without sacrificing top-end aggression. In road-legal Euro 5+ trim, it makes 228 hp at 14,500 rpm. That number climbs to 247 hp once you bolt on the included Akrapovič racing exhaust and add Ducati Corse performance oil.
The engine is also 8 lbs lighter than the equivalent 1,103cc unit in the Panigale V4, courtesy of titanium connecting rods, titanium fasteners, and a crankshaft with tungsten inserts instead of steel counterweights for faster revving and sharper throttle response. Desmo valve timing is still hand-adjusted, and each engine gets a nameplate signed by the technician who certified it.
Carbon, Carbon, & More Carbon
At 381 lbs wet (no fuel), this is a featherweight by any standard, and that number drops to 368 lbs with the race kit in place. Every chassis element is carbon fiber: front frame, double-sided swingarm (manufactured via sacrificial mandrel, the same method used in aerospace), rear monocoque, subframes, and wheels. The front frame alone is 17% lighter than Panigale V4’s aluminum equivalent. The swingarm sheds 21% versus aluminum. The five-spoke wheels are nearly 300g lighter than those on the Panigale V4 S Carbon. Every piece gets inspected via three non-destructive methods before it leaves the factory: transient thermography, phased-array ultrasonics, and CAT scanning.
Up front, the Öhlins NPX 25/30 Carbon fork wears carbon fiber stanchions derived from MotoGP, a world first for a road-legal machine. The Brembo GP4-HY monoblock calipers clamp onto 340mm carbon-ceramic discs (also a world first) that weigh 450g less per rotor than steel equivalents, with 40% lower rotational inertia. At the rear, an Öhlins TTX36 GP LW shock runs MotoGP-derived valves and titanium linkages.
The Centenario Livery (and the Tricolore)
The standard Centenario wears Rosso Centenario, a specific shade of dark red traced back to the 1949 Ducati 60, the manufacturer’s first complete motorcycle, and the 1955 Gran Sport “Marianna,” Fabio Taglioni’s first racing design. White stripes complete the GP26-inspired scheme, which also served as the inspiration for the official Lenovo Desmosedici livery. For those who want something more historically loaded, 100 Tricolore examples are being built, their livery a direct nod to the iconic 750 F1 Endurance Racing bike of the 1980s, one of the most visually striking Ducatis ever made.
Spec Sheet
Model: 2027 Ducati Superleggera V4 Centenario
Engine: Desmosedici Stradale R 1100, liquid-cooled 90° V4, desmodromic, 16-valve
Displacement: 1,103cc
Power: 228 hp (road) / 247 hp (track, w/ Akrapovič + Ducati Corse oil)
Torque: 87 ft-lb
Transmission: 6-speed Ducati Racing Gearbox w/ Ducati Neutral Lock, chain final drive
Frame: Full carbon fiber (front frame, swingarm, rear monocoque, subframes)
Wheels: Carbon fiber, five-spoke
Tires: Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP-V4 (120/70 ZR17 front, 200/60 ZR17 rear)
Wet Weight (no fuel): 381 lb (368 lb w/ race kit)
Wheelbase: 58.3″
Seat Height: 33.7″
Fuel Capacity: 4.5 gal
Limited Edition: 500 units (standard) + 100 Tricolore
Availability: Q1 2027
Price: TBA
Pricing & Availability
Deliveries begin Q1 2027 in North America, with each bike arriving in a customized wooden crate that also contains the full racing kit, a track configuration kit (headlight removal, side stand delete, etc.), paddock stands, a charge maintainer, and a neoprene racing seat. Buyers also receive a limited-edition helmet and leather jacket in the GP26 livery. Price hasn’t been announced, but the 2020 V4 Superleggera came in around $100,000, so expect the Centenario to start above that. Twenty-six buyers will also be selected for the MotoGP Experience, a two-day on-track program at World Ducati Week 2026 that ends with laps aboard the actual Desmosedici GP26. That part is separately arranged, not included in the purchase price.
Recap
2027 Ducati Superleggera V4 Centenario
Ducati’s celebrating its 100th birthday by building the most extreme road-legal motorcycle it’s ever made — 500 units of pure carbon fiber excess, with a new 1,103cc engine pushing 247 hp, world-first carbon-ceramic brakes, and carbon fork stanchions ripped straight from MotoGP.
