Tune in live as Ducati explains how it created the 2020 Streetfighter V4

The on-going coronavirus pandemic forced Ducati to postpone the launch of the Streetfighter V4, a track-ready motorcycle that weighs less than a Chevrolet big-block V8 yet packs more power than a Subaru BRZ. Instead, the Italian company is rounding up its top engineers and designers for a live presentation it will stream online today (Wednesday).

The presentation will start with Jeremy Faraud, one of Ducati's designers, explaining what the members of his team were inspired by when they created the Streetfighter. Every project starts with what the firm calls a mood board put together to answer questions that shape the bike's lines. If it were a car, what would it be? If it starred in a movie, which one would it be in? We took a trip to Ducati's design studio in 2019 and also spotted architecture- and fashion-related photos, so Faraud's insight promises to be fascinating.

Alessandro Valia, Ducati's official test rider, will then take the stage to dive into the technical aspects. Here again, his insight will be well worth listening to, because the Streetfighter V4 (shown above) isn't an ordinary two-wheeler. Its 1,103cc V4 engine delivers 208 horsepower at 12,500 rpm and 90 pound-feet of torque at 11,500 rpm. Riders can order an optional Akrapovič exhaust system that bumps horsepower up to 220, which is 15 more than you'll get in a Subaru BRZ or in a Honda Civic Si. It weighs 392 pounds in its lightest configuration, and that partially explains why Ducati added what it refers to as biplane wings to create additional downforce.

The Streetfighter is in a league of its own, but don't take it from us; tune in. The event starts at 6:30 pm in Italy, which corresponds to 1:30 pm in New York City and 10:30 am in Los Angeles. We've embedded the link at the top of this page. Viewers will have the opportunity to ask questions throughout the presentation and members of Ducati's top brass will either answer them live or send a reply in the coming days. On the bright side, opening a direct line of communication between enthusiasts and executives wouldn't have been possible had the launch gone ahead as planned.