Ducati Streetfighter 848 driving report

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Driving report: Ducati Streetfighter 848

Ducati’s mid-range naked bike tested

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The great street fighter gets a fighter on his side. With the 848 twin and many changes, the smaller fighter develops its own combat tactics without losing the fighter’s heart.

Shortly before the EICMA motorcycle trade fair in Milan, Ducati is attacking. As if they wanted to prove to the world that no stone was left unturned this year and that the 1199 Panigale will blow us all away, the ultra-handy Streetfighter 848 presents itself as a small appetizer. But the bike is much more than just that. After the first try-out, the little fighter wants to be ridden with the high-quality components right away. Unlike the big Streetfighter sister 1098 with its unyielding hardness, the 848 is astonishingly comfortable to sit on, even though the two bikes from the Reds’ Fight Club can hardly be distinguished from one another. A handlebar that is 20 millimeters higher and ergonomically shaped to match, as well as the modified frame, the swing arm and a new footrest system generate this feeling of well-being.

D.he test area not far from the Ferrari factory in Maranello is made for bikes. Light-footed, the 169 kilo 848 comes out of the engine speed cellar faster than most 1000cc four-cylinder. She sprints through the revs without any noticeable hang-ups. Every throttle position is accepted cleanly and converted into propulsion. It goes from relaxed to wildly aggressive – the 848 willingly and, above all, well educated makes its 132 horses available.

The Testastretta engine with now eleven degrees of valve overlap, which means that the engine is really nice and "punchy" in the lower range and delivers the power cleanly over the rev range, comes from the super sports car 848. This special valve overlap is taming, cuts the peak power by eight PS, but the same measures did not affect the large 1198 engine in the Multistrada and its fun factor. The little fighter also likes the brakes. Sublime, the 848 cuts right into every bend, no matter how tight, and the bike actually cushions even the most violent waves of the rugged Italian mountain roads, unlike Ducati, softly and without breaking through. The performance is top notch, and so the 848 Streetfighter is almost transformed into a street player.

With this valuable experience added, I reckon that the bike won’t work for it on the racetrack. But it is well known that to err is human, and after a few clicks on the fork and shock absorber, the little fighter amazes again! The still slippery -asphalt of the brand new route from -Modena is the ideal terrain for testing the built-in Ducati traction control. At level 2, the bike can be pulled out of the curve with a slight acceleration drift, then storms towards the next curve and there, completely unimpressed, takes on the latest braking maneuvers without diving too fast in the fork. The little sister does not spread the hustle and bustle on the Streetfighter 1098 S (the large standard fighter is no longer in the range).

Ducati

The Ducati Streetfighter 848 inherited its face from its larger sister model.

Like the Sachs damper, the 43 mm Marzocchi fork is fully adjustable in rebound and compression. The most significant change is probably the spring rate of the shock absorber spring. It shrinks from 85 to 75 Nm. The Streetfighter 848 looks very good thanks to an additional, heavily modified setup that now allows for comfortable gliding and still generates enough progression. The tires with Pirelli Diablo Rosso sizes 120 / 70-17 and 180 / 60-17 probably also contribute to the unusual comfort of the bike. Thanks to its improved contour, the new Dimension 60 also makes it easy to change direction quickly.

The braking system with the familiar Brembo radial calipers has been adapted to the style of the bike with a more subtle friction pairing. Those who prefer to give the very aggressive throttle, can retrofit with appropriate brake pads. Otherwise, the brake fits perfectly with the civilized 848 Streetfighter. The 848 also carries a large selection of electronic gimmicks. Definitely interesting is the traction control, which can be set precisely on the racetrack depending on the desired drift angle and works reliably. Other things like DDA (Ducati Data Analyzer / special accessories for approx. 250 euros) remained closed to me in the short time and certainly belong to the category of “nice to have” gimmicks. The cockpit is innovative: tidy, informative, appealing, but anything but old-fashioned!

So this new concept is completely uncritical? Even the price of around 12,500 euros is ultimately rather cheap, unlike Ducati. But no, there is still moaning, and who would have thought it was about the clutch. Although the 848 floats in an oil bath and is operated hydraulically, the manual force required is still too high. If you don’t want to apply the power, you can order an automatic switch as an accessory, the program of which is already stored in the control unit. The improved clutch slave cylinder is recommended for this. Our tip: Negotiate these two tuning expansion stages with the dealer when purchasing. So pimped, nothing stands in the way of unlimited fun with the Ducati Streetfighter 848.

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Technical specifications

Ducati

Ducati Streetfighter 848: Streetfighter – that stands for a powerful double-barreled sound cannon on the right, even with less displacement.

drive 
Two-cylinder V-engine, 4 valves / cylinder, 92.6 kW (132 HP) at 10,000 rpm *, 94 Nm at 9500 rpm *, 849 cm3, bore / stroke: 94.0 / 61.2 mm, Compression: 13.2: 1, ignition / injection system, oval throttle valves, hydraulically operated multi-disc oil bath clutch, six-speed gearbox, chain

landing gear 
Tubular steel frame, steering head angle: 64.5 degrees, caster: 103 mm, wheelbase: 1475 mm, inner fork tube diameter: 43 mm, spring travel v / h: 127/127 mm

Wheels and brakes 
Forged light alloy wheels, 3.50 x 17 / 5.50 x 17, front tires: 120/70 ZR 17, rear: 180/60 ZR 17, 320 mm double disc brakes with four-piston fixed calipers at the front, 245- mm single disc with two-piston fixed caliper at the rear

Weight (dry) 169 kg *
Tank capacity: 16.5 liters of super
Base price  12,500 euros (plus ancillary costs) *

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