Ducati Panigale V2 Bayliss 1st Championship 20th Anniversary special unveiled

Ducati has revealed a brand-new special edition of its V2 sportsbike honouring the 20th anniversary of racing legend Troy Bayliss’ first WorldSBK title, the Ducati Panigale V2 Bayliss 1st Championship 20th Anniversary.

Earlier this week the Italian firm teased it would reveal a new special edition motorcycle, giving little away beyond the telltale ‘21’ plate worn by Bayliss during his time in WorldSBK.

The Australian won three WorldSBK titles - in 2001, 2006 and 2008 - during his time at Ducati before retiring at the conclusion of the latter year with an impressive 52 wins and 94 podiums from 152 starts. 

This year marks 20 years since Bayliss lifted his first trophy for the Ducati factory team, so the Borgo Panigale outfit have released a special edition based around its V2 sportsbike

The latest in a long line of Ducati special editions to have captured Ducati’s WorldSBK heyday between 1990 and 2011, during which it won 14 titles in 22 seasons, ‘Bayliss V2’ sports mimics the graphics of the Infostrada-backed 996 R with the ‘21’ plate featuring prominently with the Italian tricolore and the Shell logo. Bayliss’ signature can be found on the fuel tank, while the billet aluminum triple clamp shows the name of the bike and its production number. 

Under the skin the Panigale V2 Bayliss features Ohlins components - the NX340 front fork and TTX36 rear shock - for a firmer set-up, while the adoption of a lithium-ion battery and a single-seater configurations helps lighten the load by 3kg.

Kit levels are enhanced by sport grips, silencer outlet covered in carbon fibre and titanium, plus a plush rider seat embroidered with ‘21’, featuring double red stitching and the red, white and green bands that signify the Italian flag.

Under the skin is the same 955cc Superquadro twin-cylinder engine generating 155hp at 10,750pm.

The Ducati Panigale V2 Bayliss 1st Championship 20th Anniversary will make its formal bow on Saturday 24 July when Michael Ruben Rinaldi - who wears the same ‘21’ as Bayliss - completes a lap at this weekend’s Assen WorldSBK round. Bayliss himself is currently still recovering in his native Australia from injuries sustained in a biking accident.

The special edition comes after Ducati opened an exhibition at its museum dedicated to Bayliss who, in addition to his WorldSBK success, is the only rider to win a race in MotoGP and WorldSBK in the same year (Valencia 2006).