Ducati at EICMA 2026: DesertX Rally, Diavel V4 S and three SP specials lead the 2027 range
Motorcycle News ·
Ducati never does EICMA by halves, and 2026 is no different. Bologna rolled five new 2027 models onto its Milan stand, and for once the bike most RiderMates readers will care about isn’t a superbike. It’s the DesertX Rally, the sharper, more serious sibling of the DesertX that has quietly become one of the best big-trail bikes you can buy.
Alongside it: the Diavel V4 S brings back the S badge for the first time in the V4 era, and there are three numbered SP specials for the track crowd: the Panigale V4 SP, Panigale V2 SP and Streetfighter V4 SP.
DesertX Rally: the one we want
The Rally is built on Ducati’s latest DesertX platform, which means the 890cc V2 engine, the monocoque frame and the Full Floater rear suspension. Ducati claims 110.3hp and 92Nm, the same as the standard bike, and a weight of 209kg with all fluids except fuel.
The difference is in the hardware that matters when the track gets nasty. Up front is a 48mm closed-cartridge KYB fork, with a fully adjustable shock out back, and overseas reports put travel at 250mm front and 240mm rear. There’s an Öhlins steering damper, and the 21-inch front and 18-inch rear Takasago Excel rims run tubeless tyres, so a thorn on a fire trail is a plug-and-go job rather than a tube swap.
In the US it’s priced at US$19,995, a US$3,000 premium over the standard DesertX, and it’s due in European showrooms in April 2027, including a 35kW A2-licence version. If that premium carries over locally, it will sit well above the mid-size adventure bikes in our top-five guide, and squarely in KTM 890 Adventure R territory.
Diavel V4 S: the S is back
Ducati’s muscle cruiser gets a 2027 update across the range, with revised electronics, Quick Shift 2.0 and a 6.9-inch TFT with navigation. The 1,158cc V4 makes a claimed 168hp and 126Nm.
The headline is the return of the S. It adds Öhlins SmartEC 3.0 semi-active suspension, a lithium-ion battery, heated grips and its own wheel finishes. Ducati’s Factory Made programme also lets buyers spec liveries and components when they order.
Panigale V4 SP: 215hp, carbon wheels, dry clutch
Based on the 2027 Panigale V4, the SP is the numbered, track-first version. The 1,103cc Desmosedici Stradale makes a claimed 215hp (160kW). It gets carbon-fibre wheels, an STM EVO-SBK dry clutch, a racing gearbox with Neutral Lock, Öhlins Smart EC 3.0 suspension, and bigger wings with new corner sidepods. It’s a single-seater, and European deliveries start in March 2027.
Streetfighter V4 SP and Panigale V2 SP
The Streetfighter V4 SP gives the naked V4 the same treatment. It’s claimed at 211hp (157kW), with carbon wheels, an STM EVO-SBK dry clutch, a Brembo MCS master cylinder, electronic Öhlins suspension and a Winter Test-style paint job. It’s also numbered.
The Panigale V2 SP builds on the V2 S, with a claimed 118hp (88kW), Öhlins suspension, forged wheels, a longer swingarm and a dry clutch. Ducati links it to a planned World Supersport campaign, so expect it to be the homologation base.
Ducati’s 2027 EICMA line-up at a glance
- DesertX Rally: 890cc V2 · 110.3hp · 92Nm · 209kg (wet, no fuel) · 21/18-inch tubeless spoked wheels · KYB suspension with Öhlins damper
- Diavel V4 S: 1,158cc V4 · 168hp · 126Nm · Öhlins SmartEC 3.0 semi-active · 6.9-inch TFT
- Panigale V4 SP: 1,103cc V4 · 215hp · carbon wheels · dry clutch · numbered
- Streetfighter V4 SP: 211hp · carbon wheels · dry clutch · electronic Öhlins · numbered
- Panigale V2 SP: 118hp · Öhlins · forged wheels · dry clutch
- Australia and NZ: pricing and arrival dates not yet announced
The RiderMates take
The SPs are glorious, but they’re for a handful of buyers with deep pockets and a track-day calendar. The bike that matters here is the DesertX Rally. Australia and New Zealand are full of the long gravel roads and rough tracks it’s built for, and tubeless 21/18 wheels, proper long-travel suspension and a steering damper are exactly what you want 300km from the nearest dealer.
The question is price. The standard DesertX is already a premium buy, and a US$3,000 jump would push the Rally into serious money. Ducati Australia and Ducati New Zealand haven’t confirmed local pricing or timing for any of the five models yet. We’ll update this story when they do.
Ducati also previewed the Desmo250 EDS, a junior motocrosser that joins the Desmo450 MX in its off-road line-up. It’s due in European dealers in mid-2027.
Specifications are Ducati claims. Sources: Ducati, AMCN, BRM, Motorcycle.com. Images: Ducati.
