No doping or turpentine: Ducati Streetfighter 848

000_moto_1111_042

Ducati Streetfighter 848: streetfighter, 2012, 849 cm³, 132 hp, 169 kg, 12,400 euros (in Italy).
Ducati Streetfighter 848: streetfighter, 2012, 849 cm³, 132 hp, 169 kg, 12,400 euros (in Italy).

Although the Ducati Streetfighter 1098 earned the title of “Most Beautiful Motorcycle” among EICMA 2008 visitors in the year of its debut, it was outright beaten in the market by its main rival, the Triumph Speed ​​Triple. The reason for this, of course, is the price - 15,290 euros (hereinafter - prices in Italy) versus 12,190 for a British device. But dynamics also played a negative role - and this is a rare case when we had to complain about... its excess. You won't get bored with this motorcycle - and you won't relax for a second. It requires the driver's full attention - not only during high-speed driving, but also when braking: it is very easy to lock the front wheel. Too uncompromising a bike for a long and happy life together.

Therefore, the company brought to the market the “junior” version - Streetfighter 848 - asking for a much more modest 12,400 euros. However, this option is not offended by the powertrain: 132 hp. 169 kg of dry mass - quite enough to beat the clumsy “liters” in city traffic. In the same way, the 848 EVO sportbike (which shares its engine with the new product) sometimes outperforms not only four-cylinder superbikes, but even its “brotherly” 1098 - if the track is difficult enough. Such, for example, as the Modena circuit, 40 km north of the Ducati plant - this is where the driving presentation of the Streetfighter 848 took place. The creators of the track managed to cram 11 turns into its 2 km. In addition, the coating is fresh, which means it is very slippery.

COCKTAIL BOLONA STYLE. While developing the junior version of the streetfighter, designers under the leadership of Giuseppe Carpara created a technical cocktail from different Ducati models, keeping intact the minimalist aggressive style developed by the company's designer Damien Basset. The 849 cc testastretta engine (where did the “848” come from - ask the marketers!) is the power unit of the 848EVO sportsbike, equipped with different camshafts that change the valve timing. The valve overlap phase - the period when the intake and exhaust valves are open at the same time - has been reduced from 37º to 11º, the same as a year earlier on the Multistrada engine. This made it possible to increase torque over a wide speed range, reduce fuel consumption and exhaust gas toxicity. At the same time, the maximum power did not suffer much - the engine develops 132 hp. versus 140 hp at 848EVO. And the service intervals were doubled - up to 24,000 km.

The six-speed gearbox is the same as the Streetfighter 1098. The oil-bath clutch is hydraulically actuated. The steering geometry is much sharper than that of its older brother - the steering angle is 24.5º and the reach is 103 mm versus 25.6º and 114 mm for the 1098. But the aluminum swingarm with cantilever wheel mount is extended by 35 mm, so that the 1480 mm base provides good stability to the motorcycle.

When you sit down in the rather high – 840 mm – saddle, you immediately notice how radical the pilot’s posture is. It looks like your chin is floating right above the front wheel axle! The engineers managed to make the 16.5-liter gas tank very short. At the same time, the aluminum handlebar made from a single variable-section tube sits 20 mm higher than the older version, its handles are pulled back, and the footpegs are noticeably shifted forward, so that overall the fit is close to vertical and quite comfortable.

I drove not only on the track, but also on winding, hilly roads in the company of factory test driver Dario Neri. I must say that even at high speed, driving the car is easy and intuitive - not like its older brother, where you have to be extremely composed at all times. On the Streetfighter 848, everything is like being on autopilot: you put it in third gear and attack the turns, shifting the car at the bends. At the same time, you don’t feel a lack of dynamics, and the radical steering geometry of the motorcycle does not at all compromise its stability. Handling is extremely precise, and the new Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corso rear tire makes its contribution - 180/60. It would seem that the wall height increased by 5% compared to the common 180/55 format is a trifle, but the rounded profile with such a radical geometry ensures very fast and precise handling, and when Dario and I took off on uneven roads, the tire handled them more smoothly. In addition, the increased height of the walls leads to the fact that more mass falls on the front wheel - its static distribution is 51/49%. The new tire is designed specifically for the Streetfighter 848, and Ducati has exclusive rights to use it for a year, but after a year, I think other mid-sized roadsters will appreciate its merits.

The Brembo brakes installed on the Streetfighter 848 are less powerful than the 1100 cc version, and are actually unified with the Monster 1100EVO. It must be said that the superbike monobloc clamps and huge 330mm wheels of the Streetfighter 1098 are simply killer - I remember locking the front wheel twice at the bike's ride presentation. But the brakes of the 848 are completely adequate to the car, quite tenacious and with excellent feedback. You can also safely apply engine braking without worrying about rear wheel chatter—there's no backslip clutch, but there's no need for one—just like there's no need for a steering damper.

At the Modena Autodromo, after a long straight, there is a sharp turn that you have to take in second gear. Since the track is fresh and very slippery, it costs nothing to lock the front wheel while braking. Everyone who raced Ducati in the era before slipper clutches knows how to deal with this: brake the engine, mercilessly twisting it when shifting gears - fortunately, the desmodromic circuit allows this without much risk. When the tachometer is 10,000 rpm, the rear wheel does not “split” even with the throttle fully closed. By the way, the Ducati Monster 1100EVO has a slipper clutch. I wonder why it's there - and why it's not on Streetfighter 848?

An electronically controlled power valve is built into the exhaust system of the motorcycle, designed to add traction at low and medium speeds. But at the same time, the engine is clearly tuned for good performance at high speeds. Well, this is a streetfighter, not a desmo-maxi-scooter! At low speeds, the engine simply sleeps, starting to wake up at 3500 rpm, and you will experience full performance only after 5000 rpm. But from here until 11,600 rpm, when the limiter kicks in (300 rpm higher than the 848EVO sportbike, by the way), you enjoy a linear increase in power and a great sound from the two mufflers.

The only serious drawback of the Streetfighter 848, in my opinion, is the selection of the final drive gear ratio. However, almost all modern Ducatis are guilty of this. If you consider that the engine simply does not pull below 5000 rpm, then you can only use sixth gear in Germany - after all, at 5000 rpm the motorcycle is already rushing at a speed of 135 km/h, and this is above the speed limit in most countries. I suspect that this choice of stars was made in order to confidently pass noise tests. I would add three teeth to the rear sprocket to get a full sixth gear!

The new mid-sized Ducati has enough power to be a streetfighter, but the power is completely controlled. The high handlebar helps you steer the bike into tight turns, and the refined handling allows you to maintain a given trajectory on any surface and at any speed. Pirelli tires with soft sidewalls hold up confidently on slopes. The footpegs are located quite low - during the first race on the track, when I gave full gas at the exit of a sharp turn in third gear, the rear shock absorber compressed from such pressure and I began to cling to the asphalt with my motorcycle boot. No problem: I increased the spring preload by 2 mm, decreased the rebound hydraulic resistance by a few clicks - and the problem was solved. This Streetfighter is as responsive to customization as the 848EVO sportbike on which it is based.

Performance

With a curb weight of 200 kg and 130 bhp of power from the 849 cm3 Testastretta Evolutzione V-twin engine (note - NOT 848, but 849!) with air cooling and fuel injection, this naked bike accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in just 3 seconds and its top speed is limited to 241 km/h!

I won't be wrong if I say that this Streetfighter's acceleration is at the level of top-class supercars. Confident overtaking of trucks and long vehicles is possible even without the need to switch to a lower gear, and the intoxicating sound of its engine can give an indescribable pleasure from the trip.

Shifts from the 6-speed gearbox are extremely satisfying, but when driving around town you need to shift down a notch to avoid transmission jerking, which, coupled with the less-than-light clutch, makes the Streetfighter 848 less suited for urban driving.

Overall, the Ducati Streetfighter 848 is a highly capable and impressive sportbike, but if you can't imagine a day without racing on the track and lap times are of high importance to you, it is better to take a closer look at the single-seat Ducati 848 EVO (or 1199 Panigale), which is supposed to be even faster.

Our rating: 4 out of 5

004_moto_1111_042

The official engine designation is 848 Testastretta 11°.
The crankcase covers are made of magnesium alloy. The clutch operating in an oil bath is 1 kg lighter than a dry type unit. Valve overlap reduced to 11° provides improved traction and reduced fuel consumption. The official engine designation is 848 Testastretta 11°. The crankcase covers are made of magnesium alloy. The clutch operating in an oil bath is 1 kg lighter than a dry type unit. Valve overlap reduced to 11° provides improved traction and reduced fuel consumption.

CHASSIS – Single-sided swingarm:

The dual single-sided swingarm design allows the main components to be manufactured from cast aluminum to increase strength around the pivot points, wheel hub and suspension, while lightweight aluminum parts are used to create the finished look of the structure and maintain the unity of all its components. The 848 EVO swingarm is anodized black.

2012 will witness the arrival of the stunning Ducati 848 EVO Corse Special Edition

with Ducati Traction Control (DTC), Ducati Quick Shift (DQS), ?hlins rear suspension and 330 mm brake discs. All this is presented in a stylish garb and painted in the official colors of Ducati Corse.

009_moto_1111_042

The steering geometry is sharper than the Streetfighter 1098, but the stretched base provides the necessary stability.
The steering geometry is sharper than the Streetfighter 1098, but the stretched base provides the necessary stability.

RESULT. The new Ducati Streetfighter 848 is a minimalist mid-sized motorcycle with refined Italian design. Compared to the Streetfighter 1098, it is much friendlier and better suited for everyday use. At the same time, it will not disappoint you even on the race track. In general, a Doberman after a good training course...

No doping or turpentine: Ducati Streetfighter 848

Ducati Streetfighter 848 Concept (Ducati Streetfighter 848)

Ducati Streetfighter 848 (Ducati Streetfighter 848) is one of the brightest representatives of the class of motorcycles of the same name and its creation history is traditional for this type of bike. The popular sports model Ducati Superbike 848 EVO was taken as a basis, from which the Streetfighter got an excellent engine, chassis, suspension and brakes. At the same time, the appearance of the motorcycle was redesigned according to the “laws of the genre” - a minimum of fairings and an aggressive, “naked” design. The combination of a cutting-edge sports engine and outstanding aggressive design makes the Ducati Streetfighter 848 an icon of modern naked bikes.