Innovative Bosch racetrack technology on the new Ducati Panigale V4

Stuttgart, Germany, and Misano, Italy – Gaining a few more seconds on corners, bettering the previous lap time, and delivering an outstanding performance – that’s what most riders on the racetrack have in their sights. But all this involves challenges. One of the biggest is the phase before entering the corner, where braking is crucial for success. With its new race eCBS, Bosch is delivering a solution specifically for the racetrack. Based on the proven eCBS, the new brake system will celebrate its premiere on the new Ducati Panigale V4 at World Ducati Week 2024 in Misano. “The Bosch and Ducati Engineering teams have worked very intensively and in numerous tests on a function that specifically improves racetrack braking and cornering performance,” says Fevzi Yildirim, head of Bosch Two-Wheeler and Powersports in Europe. “The Bosch race eCBS takes the safety and performance of sport motorcycles a big step forward, and is also further evidence of the ongoing fruitful cooperation between Bosch and Ducati.”

The Bosch Race eCBS takes the safety and performance of sport motorcycles a big step forward, and is also further evidence of the ongoing fruitful cooperation between Bosch and Ducati.

Fevzi Yildirim, head of Bosch Two-Wheeler and Powersports in Europe

The development path started from the eCBS function powered by the Bosch ABS for premium bikes. This technology allows the front and rear brakes to be combined even if only one of them is applied. In practice, this means that once the front brake has been applied, the ABS unit automatically increases the rear brake pressure as well, without any rider input on the rear brake pedal. Starting from the existing eCBS function for everyday use, the development teams from Bosch and Ducati focused on improving performance specifically for the racetrack.

Constant data checks for perfect brake pressure on the racetrack

To generate perfect brake pressure on the rear wheel, the system checks front brake pressure, lean angle, side-slip angle, and rear-wheel slip 100 times per second and incorporates this data into the calculation. At all times, the aim is to brake the rear wheel as effectively as possible, while ensuring that the vehicle always remains stable. As this function is only available in racetrack ABS modes, there is no rear-wheel ABS, which leaves riders in full control of the rear brake if they want to use it manually. Moreover, race eCBS is able to keep the rear brake applied for a short moment at the apex of a corner, even after the rider has released the front brake, to bring the bike back into its racing line.

The major advantages of this next-level technology are that it improves braking stability, average deceleration, and cornering while braking on the racetrack without any need for additional effort to manually control the rear brake. “This function is made for every type of rider level on the racetrack. The automatic and effective application of the rear brake will help even professional riders reach a better lap time, since they can concentrate on riding instead of on controlling the rear brake,” Yildirim says.

"Ducati has always looked for innovative solutions and aimed for absolute performance from its products. The new race eCBS system has the dual value of both improving the bike’s braking performance and, above all, allowing every user to access riding levels that were previously out of their reach,” explains Alessandro Valia, the official Ducati tester who worked on the system’s development. “This relies on the principle of emulation of a professional rider’s braking technique. The system generates pressure at the rear brake even after the front brake has been completely released – a maneuver normally carried out by the rider to tighten the line on corner entry. This feature also benefits professional riders, who will be able to devote the attention normally spent on modulating the rear brake to other aspects of riding,” Valia says.

This project is another milestone in the more than 15-year partnership between Bosch and Ducati and demonstrates their ability to develop innovative solutions for greater motorcycle safety without sacrificing riding experience and performance. “Together, we’re setting the standard for two-wheeler mobility now and in the future,” Yildirim says.

Bosch will also be attending the World Ducati Week, the world’s biggest Ducati rally, which takes place from July 26 to 28 at the Marco Simoncelli Misano World Circuit. In collaboration with the Ducati Riding Academy and Ducati Riding Experience (DRE) courses, the automotive supplier will offer talks, round tables, and hands-on demonstrations. In this way, it wants to provide insights and discuss the technical topics associated with motorcycle safety, focusing on the Bosch technologies that feature in the latest Ducati models – including Bosch race eCBS.

Click HERE to see the full program of the WDW 2024 event.