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Driving report Ducati Streetfighter 848 (2012)
The new naked bike from Ducati
This is now a tradition at Ducati. First you feed the pack with a brand-new high-end device, which gives the citizens a shock. And then pushes the civil base for everyone. Curtain up on the Streetfighter 848.
Man, that sat. If so, because already, they thought three years ago in Bologna and packed the killer machine from the 1198 into nothing of a motorcycle. From then on, this radical something was called Streetfighter and hit the crux of the matter. But also some like a punch on the solar plexus. 198 kilograms with a full tank, 159 hp on the MOTORRAD test bench – that also made people with healthy self-confidence humble. At the latest when you tightened the gas tap properly and bit into the fork bridge in shock because the thoroughbred V2 from the Supersport sister immediately swung its torque club.
Is that over with the new one? Yes, at least largely, because the smaller V2 engine with 849 cubic centimeters is clearly of a more peaceful nature than its big brother. Especially in the little street fighter, because he was given the new eleven-degree cure for use outside the circuit, which made the big twin a little more civilized in the Multistrada and Diavel by significantly reducing the valve overlap (namely from 37 to eleven degrees). This is detrimental to peak performance, but it benefits the even power delivery in the medium speed range (and usually also the consumption).
Und now in the little twin. According to Ducati, it loses eight horsepower on the sports cannon 848 Evo, but it delivers more torque in the medium speed range and, above all, a smoother course. And in fact, when the throttle valves in the lower rev range are turned on, there is hardly anything left of the performance deficit of the past. From 3000 rpm it goes forward properly, from 7500 rpm there is real fire under the roof, at 10500 rpm it’s over. Limiter. But you don’t usually have to go that far.
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Driving report: Ducati Streetfighter 848
The new naked bike from Ducati
Ducati
Not enough: the developers widened the notches by ten millimeters. But they are too short for big feet.
Because such an easily tamed street fighter must of course also be much easier to care for in terms of chassis, they rolled up their sleeves in Bologna. In addition to the engine, whose 132 nominal hp seem almost unspectacular in the age of the 200 hp rockets, the chassis and ergonomics have also been trimmed for more reliability. The most important measures in this context: the handlebars that are 20 millimeters higher and the suspension is no longer so top-heavy. The new Marzocchi fork no longer dips as deeply when braking as the Showa component on its big sister. And the Sachs (instead of Showa) shock absorber no longer shows the previous unyielding hardness, which taken together results in a noticeably more neutral cornering and cornering behavior. The narrower initial tires (rear in the new 180/60 format instead of the earlier 190/55 format) undoubtedly also contribute to this, especially since the Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa gets along brilliantly with the Streetfighter 848. Equipped in this way, it approaches even bad bumpy stretches largely calmly and is not so easily thrown off track, as is often the case with the large Streetfighter, especially on bumps and when braking in an inclined position.
Speaking of brakes: The Brembo monoblock calipers had to give way to conventional, two-part models that still bite into 320-millimeter discs, with the power worthy of a streetfighter. And also when it comes to the seating position, the little one does not completely deny her family tree. The seating position is still radical because of the high rear, the handlebars are 20 millimeters higher and are still cranked far outwards and for a naked bike of this type they are still very far forward, the footrests are always, despite ten millimeters in length, especially on the exhaust side still slippery and too short, and the driver’s perspective is still unique because it immediately fades into nothing in front of the minimal cockpit. There is still no question of long-distance comfort or playful ease, but still a lot of a ride on the cannonball. But it is now more predictable.
And the attack department from Bologna can count on a strong influx of people from now on in another, very decisive aspect. There are certainly people and Ducati fans who, with all their love for radical appearance, at a price of around 19,000 euros (that’s how much the Streetfighter S costs with all the fine additions such as Ohlins chassis and forged wheels, while the large standard Streetfighter from the Program is taken) the shock goes into the limbs. From now on, they too can seriously leaf through the Ducati brochure, dream of being a street fighter and make an appointment for a test drive. The new Streetfighter 848 not only has service intervals extended from 12,000 to 24,000 kilometers, but is also available from Ducati dealerships for around 12,500 euros (including ancillary costs) from November.
interview
Ducati
Italy correspondent Eva Breutel spoke to Giuseppe Caprara (left), project engineer, and Paolo Quattrino, product manager of Streetfighter 848.
? In addition to the engine, you’ve made numerous other changes to the Streetfighter 848 compared to the 1098. Why? The 1098 is too extreme?
! Caprara: The 848 is basically a completely new motorcycle. Apart from the look, everything is different from the big Streetfighter. The seating position is not so far forward and therefore more relaxed, the oil bath clutch easier to operate, the suspension setup is more comfortable, the brakes are not as toxic. That’s not to say the 1098 is too extreme, there are plenty of motorcyclists out there who love it just as it is. But with the 848 we are targeting a different audience.
! Quattrino: Namely for experienced motorcyclists who like the aggressive look of the street fighters, but don’t want to constantly drive with a knife between their teeth, but also want to roll relaxed across the country or through the city. With the Streetfighter we want to appeal to 848 people who have not yet driven Ducati, for whom the 155 hp and explosive character of the 1098 are too much. As a naked bike, the Streetfighter 848 is also an alternative to the Monster 1100, which is more traditional.
? There are already variants of the Hypermotard and the super sports car with less displacement and power, now also of the Streetfighter. The smaller models soon overtake the larger ones?
! Quattrino: No, definitely not. The big models are important to us, they create the myth. But the smaller models aren’t that extreme and appeal to a larger audience. Last but not least, this is also a question of price.
? Keyword price: The big Streetfighter will only be available as an S version in the future. The 848 costs almost 7,000 euros less in comparison. How can this big difference be explained??
! Caprara: We have cheaper components for the 848, such as a Marzocchi fork and a Sachs shock absorber instead of an Ohlins chassis and conventional instead of monobloc brake calipers. The S weighs less, has a lot of carbon and forged wheels and a data logger as standard. In addition, we are building significantly more copies of the 848 engine so that it is cheaper for us.
! Quattrino: The price of the Streetfighter 848 is of course also based on the competition, such as the Triumph Speed Triple and the Kawasaki Z 1000. In comparison, we offer more horsepower and higher quality technology, so we can be a little more expensive, but not too much.
? Why is an ABS missing?
! Caprara: In its first version, the 1098, the motorcycle was designed without ABS. Retrofitting it would require too many technical compromises.
! Quattrino: The Streetfighter 848 has eight-stage traction control as standard – this is also a feature for active safety.
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Technical specifications
Ducati
More comfortable: The handlebars are now 20 millimeters higher, but the seating position remains combative.
engine
Water-cooled two-cylinder four-stroke 90-degree V-engine, two overhead, toothed-belt-driven camshafts, four valves per cylinder, desmodromic actuation, wet sump lubrication, injection, regulated catalytic converter, 520 W alternator, 12 V / 12 Ah battery, hydraulically operated multi-disc Oil bath clutch, six-speed gearbox, O-ring chain, secondary ratio 42:15.
Bore x stroke 94.0 x 61.2 mm
Displacement 849 cm³
Rated output 92.6 kW (125 PS) at 10,000 rpm
Max. Torque 94 Nm at 9500 rpm
landing gear
Steel tubular frame, load-bearing motor, upside-down fork, Ø 43 mm, adjustable spring base, rebound and compression damping, hydraulic, single-sided swing arm made of aluminum, central spring strut with lever system, adjustable spring base, rebound and compression damping, double disc brake at the front, Ø 320 mm, Four-piston fixed calipers, rear disc brake, Ø 245 mm, two-piston fixed calipers, electronic slip control.
Forged aluminum wheels 3.50 x 17; 5.50 x 17
Tires 120/70 ZR 17; 180/60 ZR 17
Dimensions + weights
Wheelbase 1475 mm, steering head angle 64.5 degrees, caster 103 mm, spring travel f / h 127/127 mm, seat height 840 mm, dry weight 169 kg, tank capacity 16.5 liters.
Two year guarantee
Colors yellow, red, black
Price incl. around 12,500 euros
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