Expensive though it may be, the Ducati Streetfighter is a popular machine among fans of the Italian brand. First realised in 2009 and currently in its 3rd model there has always been a sense of intrigue and interest around this particular model of Ducati bike. Considering that, in all respects and not to generalise the whole bike, the Streetfighter is more or less a stripped down version of the highly acclaimed 1098 however it is the small add ons and features as well as the design which makes this bike a particular favourite. “You could say it’s the José Mourinho of the bike world – looks like it’s taken five minutes to get ready, but, deep down, you know the designer stubble is carefully clippered to length, the faded coat is probably Armani and those knackered suede shoes almost definitely cost more than you earn in a month”. - Visor Down The stripped down nature and nice design is only partly the reason as to why the Ducati Streetfighter has become as popular as it and to simply say that it is just a lesser version of the 1098 doesn’t do it any justice whatsoever. Ducati Streefighter The original model which was announced in 2008 and released in 2009 pretty much gave the fans what they wanted for this particular type of bike. A street bike that was fairly raw, was not overly flashy or adventurous but had a good deal of speed. The original had a a liquid-cooled, 1099cc V-twin ‘Testastretta’ motor that could get it up to a top speed of 150mph with 155 bhp which was fairly impressive. Indeed, the dry weight of 169kg was not bad either and it ensured that acceleration was ebullient and gave a great deal of excitement when you first started off. Perhaps one of the only downside to the riding side of things was the lack of a slipper clutch although this was a minor inconvenience in the whole bike design as a whole. Essentially it had a mix up for 1098 cylinders and heads that were combined with the 1198 crankcase. Not the most obvious combination however it just worked. This contributed to the light weight we mentioned above and it was the lightest bike in its class as well at the time. Riding the original Streetfighter was a very enjoyable experience and it was equally at home in both fast and long roads as well as track work. The handling as well had all the right attributes however it does, like the Hypermotard models, suffer from a lack of wind protection. Given that the bike is designed for going at fast speeds then this is a pretty big deal and while it does not specifically downgrade the bike in its of its score and evaluation, it would be far better if it had some form of wind protection as standard. That being said, it did promote a very comfortable ride especially on long distances which is often something that is lacking in many bikes of this class and certainly an attribute that Ducati helped to bring to the table. “It’s comfortable enough to ride across Europe, although the lack of wind protection limits top speed to under the ton, which we reckon is a good thing, anyway. Using a tank bag on long journeys acts as a mini-fairing and keeps a lot of the windblast away”. - MCN The equipment with the original was actually pretty good. On many Ducati models, once you get the base version, then it is usually straight over to the accessories catalogue to beef the bike up and kit it out however with the original you got a multi-function dash that was able to be operated from the switchgear. The one thing that the base model did not have however, and something that many critics derided at the time, was traction control although given all its other attributes this was something that did not seriously damage its reputation. The S Model As with pretty much all Ducati lines there is an upgraded S model somewhere and the Streetfighter S followed in this same vein and certainly outshone competitor bikes such as the Honda CB1000R that were out around the same time. Again, the S version was not cheap coming in at nearly £14,000 which is quite a lot of money for a bike of its class but Ducati made the effort to ensure that it was worth it. The S version has a liquid-cooled, 155bhp V-twin bruiser that uses a hybrid 1098/1198 motor. It’s 85lb-ft (11.7kgm) of torque and 155bhp gave it a fair amount of power and it could boast to having a top speed of 154mph which was a very slight improvement on the original version. Much of the anticipation around the S model came with the equipment that was found on board. The DDA (Ducati Data Analyser) is almost seen a standard on many bikes now however it was a big thing 4 years ago. It allows the rider to record their route and stats during their journey and allows you to analyse this on your computer at home. Indeed, you can record several different rides (it can hold up to 4mb of data which is quite a lot considering all you are recording is statistics) and then compare them to see what you are doing differently, what you need to improve on etc… It can record various sets of information for example: throttle opening, vehicle speed, engine rpm, engine temperature, distance travelled and lap times to give you a complete picture of your ride and how you can adjust your riding to get maximum performance. Probably the biggest different between the S model that was released and the original was that the new version came with traction control. The DTC that was accessible from the left switchgear had 8 different levels and adjusted with the conditions you were riding in and also based on how competent and experienced a rider you are. There has also been a debate around how much ‘automation’ or technological help a rider should have or want on a bike however Ducati’s Traction Control has generally received a lot of praise. Riding the S version was, like the original, very enjoyable considering that it benefited greatly from having good handling and strong brakes. While some did complain that the traction limited the spin (and therefore the fun for some) overall it rode better than most other bikes in its class even if the engine was not what most were expecting of the new model. Overall the Ducati Streetfighter S is not for everyone. It can be a bit of a mad ride at times and isn’t particularly suited to that Sunday afternoon drive, strolling around leafy suburbs however it does have an appeal and if you want to let rip on a bike and go a little bit mad then the S version certainly delivered that possibility. The 848 When the 848 was announced and then released in 2012 there wasn’t exactly great things expected of it. The other two Streetfighters were already in their infancy a bit and whether or not a new one was needed, especially one that was not exactly better in fact it was less powerful in the end. Nevertheless, the 848 did come with many of the attributes of the previous two. It had the DTC which was probably a big reason as to why people bought into it considering this was missing on the original and the S version was out of reach financially for some people. A 132bhp and 69ftlb of torque that was present meant that it did pack a punch so it speak even if it wasn’t as powerful as the S version although this was never really the intention. The sporty nature of the machine is in the equipment with a chassis with a single-sided swingarm, fully adjustable Marzocchi USD front forks, Sachs rear forks and Brembo radial callipers it looked good as well. It also had the much praised DDA on board which allowed users, like the S version of the Streetfighter, to record, analyze and review their ride with a multitude of statistics. A first for any production bike and something that was found on the Ducati Streetfighter 848 was the Pirelli Diablo Corsa 3 tyres that had a fitment of 180/60 rather than the usual 180/55 so this did add somewhat of a unique feature to the model. The addition of a wet clutch, something that usually always divides opinion no matter what bike it is present on, allows the 848 to lose about a kilo just from this addition alone although it is heavier than the original by quite some distance. Another noticeable addition to the 848 was the quick shift function which allowed the rider to shift without the use of the clutch resulting in a quicker gear change time and this usually has the effect of much quicker and more efficient lap times. At around £10,000 it was a lesser but cheaper version of the other Streetfighters and some have preferred the Triumph Speed Triple although with Ducati you get what you pay for essentially and with a history of reliability and good machinery then this is usually enough to convince many to side with the Italians. The Streetfighters “Ducati’s Streetfighter project was inevitable. The passion to build the most successful Superbikes ever, mixed with the desire to create iconic, naked motorcycles was a rush of adrenaline just waiting to happen”. - Top Speed The Streetfighter bikes are generally quite new to the Ducati range so their place in the history of Ducati bikes has not fully yet been established however they are fairly popular. OK, they might not have the iconic status or popularity of the 1099 or the Monster series of Ducati bikes however there do have a following in their own right. The original, on reflection, was far more than just a 1098 stripped down and its raw but rapid nature combined with the fact that, at the time, it was the lightest bike in its class at just 169kg meant that it was quick, very quick. The S version obviously improved this given that it came with more onboard equipment such as the traction control that was much missed by many on the original version and it also had the DDA so riders could record their journeys and laps. In saying that, the S version was a bit of a mental bike and was perhaps too much for some. The 848 was a funny one. While it was designed for those who did not want the mad nature of the S or could not afford the original it did somehow work and it came with pretty much all the attributes of the S version but with much less power and even brought something unique to the table with the 180/60 fitment tyres. The Streetfighter range is still in its infancy to some degree however how they will improve it in the future is up to debate although, at the minute, there are 3 very good models on sale that all have their advantages but power, equipment and price. Read the original post here.
