V4 Base Sachs Shock Spring Rate?

Nice detailed write up of the changes in the 2020 model https://www.cyclenews.com/2020/02/article/2020-ducati-panigale-v4-s-review/


2020 Ducati Panigale V4 S Review | Soft is Good
Moving onto the chassis, Ducati further improved the V4 S by running softer front springs (we don’t know exactly what rate), while increasing the stiffness of the V4 R-derived front frame.

The reasoning behind is simple. On the street, you need compliance, read: softer suspension. If you’ve ever ridden a racebike on the road, it’s (usually) a terrible experience. Compliance from the suspension means you don’t get bashed around every time you hit a crack in the road and allows the tire and chassis to soak up any issues you may encounter while cranked over.

The flip side of this is if you go too soft, the bike wallows around, won’t hold its line, and runs wide when you get on the gas, so it’s always a compromise.

As such, Ducati’s fitted softer springs front and rear with more preload, rather than the other way around (stiffer springs, less preload), which gives the bike a nicer feel on the side of the tire and allows the suspension more room to do its thing, rather than being tightly wound up like with stiffer front and rear springs.

Panigale’s have never been considered comfortable street bikes. They are hard-edged, track-focused weapons, but it’s nice to ride one to the shops every now and then. Again, the rain in Bahrain allowed for this softer setup to really shine, because in the wet you want soft, anyway. The track conditions made it impossible for me to give you a like-for-like comparison to the 2018 model (the Valencia test was run in brilliant sunshine) but the overall feeling, at least at my sedate pace, was of a bike that didn’t wear the rider out to quite the degree the 2018 model would.

The electronic Ӧhlins Smart EC2 suspension is the same from the 2018 mode, no changes there. But the springs bring with it a 5mm taller ride height front and rear, with the center of gravity and seat height also up five millimeters. The softer setup naturally gives the bike more forward and rearward pitch, which is fine up until it’s too much and the suspension is maxed out. I think most will never reach this level on the road, let alone the track.

As for the shock itself, it’s now five millimeters longer than in 2018, with the rear linkage length reduced also by five millimeters. The fork breaks the five-millimeter-mold by being raised four millimeters, with the motor now sitting five millimeters higher in the front frame chassis.

 

All from the 18/19 section of ducati omaha - I haven’t seen any 2020 parts catalog’s published yet.

Part number 10 does have a newer date on it for the S and R so it could simply be that.

of course if they are the same then that wouldn’t explain the sachs vs ohlins spring rate mystery!

 

I've been through all this years ago with Honda’s rear suspension systems. Got talking to KTech suspension Guru at the TT and he talked me through the different types of linkages and how it effects the spring compression and the rates. So yes it plays a massive part. At the time I couldn’t work out why a certain rated spring would work with my weight. Only being 67kgs without gear it shouldn’t have worked from the start but it did. It’s a really interesting topic and many people get hooked up on certain figures as a base line for weight. I know it’s only a guideline. Also massively depends on road or track use.

 

Aren’t stock bikes usually around a 9 - 9.5?

I seem to remember the rider weights being mentioned in the manual, which you could probably figure it out by maybe

there’s a lot more to it than just spring rates though!

 

Doesn’t the R have a different pivot point as well?

The R is also manual whereas the S electric?

I tell you what is apparent, the difference between oem Ohlins and the race stuff (which is the same model) stock ohlins is now made in China

 

I’m not sure on the ins and outs, but it’s ‘known thing’ these days. Bit of a shame.


I’ve ridden electric and without, I would say they do feel different personally, each elec system is different as well across brands and the changes ‘can’ change other things like preload, comp etc but sometimes not independently

 

Glad you finally got it confirmed.

My final comment on all of our other debate would be to ignore the ducati omaha spring rates listed for the sachs shock.

With hindsight it’s now clear that they are for the 899/1199/959/1299 - totally different suspension geometry so cannot be compared to the V4.

The only chart you should be looking at is the one for the V4 ohlins - in which case a 95n spring should be a little soft for your riding weight - but that’s just down to your preference and usage.

 

Don’t start that again!

That’s an easy one - the R has a slightly longer wheelbase and adjustable swingarm pivot, a more flexible chassis and is aimed directly at track rather than road use. Hence heavier springs front and rear to take into account all of the above.