Those of a two-wheel only persuasion rarely need much encouragement to slip on their leathers, pull down their visor and blow away the cobwebs. But with the current you-know-what meaning riding for riding’s sake is off the cards, it’s hard to get that fix that comes from riding and the freedom of the open road. Happily, the latest Lego Technic set is here to help.
The good people at Lego have created a Technic set around the Ducati Panigale V4 R. For the uninitiated, the bike was launched in 2019 with the simple job of helping Ducati to win the World Superbike Championship. The Italian bike maker may not have taken the overall crown, but it did snatch plenty of victories from arch-rivals Kawasaki and Yamaha, and regardless the Panigale V4 R remains a poster bike for plenty of riders – one that already enjoys future classic status.
Reputed to offer astonishing performance that needed the skills of Chas Davies or Álvaro Bautista to truly exploit on a race track. Its 998cc V4 can rev to 16,000rpm, and delivers 217bhp. Whether you view that as impressive or intimidating on a machine weighing less than 200kg depends on how hot you like your bikes. The good news is you don’t need to be a proven race-winner to build the Lego Technic set.
There are 646 pieces that go into the creation of the Ducati bike. You can do it yourself, or for parents with young riders in mind, encourage little ones to have a go at the build on their own. Then hazard a guess at how many pieces will go missing during construction.
The finished kit measures in at 12 inches long (32cm), 6 inches high (16cm) and 3 inches wide (8cm) and is suggested as being suitable for riders, sorry, builders, aged 10 or older.
It faithfully captures the character of Ducati’s dazzling bike. The suspension and steering are moving parts, the gearbox offers two speeds and you can even see pistons going about their work. Complete with a display stand, it’s good enough to gaze at from time to time, and at least you won’t have to head off to the garage to enjoy. Plus, at £55, it’s a lot more affordable than the real deal Ducati, which will set you back more than £30,000.
