Ducati Bikes
2004 Ducati 749R
Written by admin on Saturday, December 25, 2010 | No Comments
Categories: Ducati Bikes Tags: 2004 Ducati 749R, Ducati 749R, Ducati Bikes News, Ducati Bikes Price, Ducati Bikes Specification
Ducati engineers have created our highest performance middleweight Superbike ever, with fully adjustable suspension, box-section aluminum alloy swingarm, and steering damper. The 749 is as at home on the road as it is on the track and is designed to offer an exciting, safe ride whatever the road conditions. A sleek riding position blends man and machine perfectly. At 108 hp, the Testastretta provides lightning acceleration out of corners and incredibly smooth power delivery without putting stress on the chassis set-up. Excellent torque (8.2 kgm at 8500 rpm), even at very low rpms, guarantees superb performance while making the motorcycle easy to handle in heavy traffic.
The 749R is driven by a mighty twin-cylinder Testastretta engine created especially for racing. The 121 hp at 10,500 rpm has been achieved through full race tuning, and shortening the piston stroke while increasing the bore to 94 mm, up from the 90 mm of the 749 and 749s, thus enabling the engine to run at higher rpm. The slipper clutch is also racing derived and prevents the rear wheel from locking during track style downshifting and heavy engine deceleration.
This Testastretta twin-cylinder engine has been created using the best materials: titanium valves, valve retaining collets and connecting rods, magnesium head covers and carbon fibre belt covers that feature a ventilation system to enhance belt cooling. The feather-weight crankshaft and high resistance aluminium alloy pistons complete the array of top notch components.
One of the unique features of this model is the rear suspension linkage, with flat rising rate as used on competition Ducatis, that is suited to extreme track use and a single-seat set up. The lower rising rate produces linear performance throughout the stroke with less rigidity at high ranges, typical of high-speed cornering experienced on the track. The suspension works in partnership with a fully adjustable Öhlins rear shock absorber, with a shorter stroke than in the standard version (down from 71 to 56 mm) and with a heavier spring, designed especially for this motorcycle and its unique rear suspension.
2004 Ducati 749R Features
Just a glance is enough to recognise a no-holds-barred solo machine, designed expressly for use on the racetrack at the highest level of competition. The engine hails from the Testastretta series, while the solutions adopted for the chassis equipment are among the most evolved and extreme in the world of Superbikes, meeting with the approval of the most discerning racers. The 749R is built making ample use of prestigious materials such as magnesium and titanium to achieve the lowest possible overall weight.
Style
Original and totally aggressive, like all Ducati Superbikes, the 749R adds a numbered silver plaque on the top fork crown, making each machine absolutely unique. But apart from all the sheer guts it delivers on the racetrack, the most sports-oriented of the 749 machines is produced to ride on the street too, complete with mirrors with integral turn indicators. Apart from their elegant styling, these unique turn signals have the advantage of being quickly removable when the bike is being prepared for a race.
Chassis
In order to enable the best possible control of the performance available from the powerful Testastretta twin, each chassis element of the 749R was selected and tested with the aim of offering the maximum performance in competition conditions. That’s why, alongside the elements shared by all bikes in the range, notably the trellis frame with adjustable steering head rake, there are several other details that have come straight from the race department. The box-section aluminium swingarm is structurally very similar to the unit installed on the 999s ridden by Toseland, Laconi and Lanzi or the Supersport raced by Nannelli, with clear benefits in terms of weight and stiffness. The swingarm is combined with a chain tension adjuster that uses sliders instead of cams, thereby avoiding the undesired effect of changing the height of the rear end of the machine and consequently the set-up when making adjustments to the final drive.
The similarities of the rear suspension with the official race 999s continue with the shock linkage with flat progression, absolutely ideal to obtain the stiffness needed to obtain the necessary precision when riding at race speeds. The performance of the rear end is aided by the Öhlins shock, with fully adjustable hydraulic damping and equipped with a dedicated spring and more limited travel: 56 millimetres compared to the 71 millimetres of the other versions. Like the rear monoshock, also the fork is an upside-down configuration, with 43 mm sliders and, like all front suspensions installed by Ducati on its top-level machines, the sliders are TiN coated to ensure extremely low friction. Like the rear shock, the fork is fully adjustable and equipped with a special bottom lug for radial attachment of the brake callipers. These components were clearly designed for race applications, as were the brake system and wheels. The brakes feature 4.5 mm thick rotors and radial callipers with four pistons and the same number of pads, while the lightweight alloy wheels are Brembo/Marchesini units with five Y-spokes in forged and machined aluminium, offering a weight saving of 3.2 kg compared to a pair of conventional wheels, without sacrificing rigidity.
Like all single-seater versions, the 749R provides fore and aft adjustment of the seat-tank combination. It’s also possible to alter the position of the footrests, but with respect to the other versions the choices in this case are two rather than five. This decision is based on the rules of the World Supersport Championship, which disallow the removal of any parts welded to the original frame. To allow the passage of the oversized diameter racing exhaust manifolds it was therefore decided to use smaller footpeg brackets, which limit the adjustments.
Powerplant
The effects of a reduced stroke and increased bore, which allow the Testastretta twin to achieve higher revs, are clearly evident. On the standard equipment package the engine offers 121 HP at 10,500 rpm, with torque of 8.6 kgm at 8,250 rpm. These values can be boosted still further with the installation of the optional racing kit.
This model features the use of prestigious materials such as titanium for the valve gear, magnesium for the head covers, and carbon fibre for the timing belt covers with forced ventilation. Every detail is engineered to achieve the maximum efficiency when entering and exiting bends. Consider, for example, the super lightweight crankshaft and high strength aluminium alloy pistons which serve to increase power output, and also the slipper clutch, which prevents rear wheel chatter under conditions of intense engine braking. Even though it affords performance levels that are at the very pinnacle of the category, the Testastretta twin mounted on the 749R is equipped with a catalytic exhaust system and consequently has emission levels that easily comply with stringent Euro2 standards.
Chassis
Frame: Tubular steel trellis
Wheelbase: 1420 mm / 55.9 in
Rake: 23.5° – 24.5°
Front Suspension: Öhlins 43 mm upside-down fully adjustable fork with TiN surface treatment, for radial calipers
Front Wheel Travel: 120 mm / 4.7 in
Front Brake: 2 x 320 mm semi-floating discs, 4-piston 4-pad radial caliper
Front Wheel: Y-shaped 5-spoke light alloy forged 3.50 x 17
Front Tire: 120/70 ZR 17
Rear Suspension: Progressive linkage with fully adjustable Öhlins monoshock
Rear Wheel Travel: 128 mm / 5 in
Rear Brake: 240 mm disc, 2-piston caliper
Rear Wheel: Y-shaped 5-spoke light alloy forged 5.50 x 17
Rear Tire: 180/55 ZR 17
Fuel Capacity: 18.3 L / 4.8 US gal (includes 3 L / 0.8 US gal reserve)
Weight * : 183.5 kg / 405 lbs
Seat Height: 780 mm / 30.7 in
Instruments: Speedometer, rev counter, high beam indicator, turn signals, oil pressure warning light, low fuel warning light, neutral light, water temperature, immobilizer system
Warranty: 2 years unlimited mileage
Tank and Fairing Colours: Red
Frame and Wheel Colours: Red w/Black wheels
Versions: One Seat.
2004 Ducati 749S
Written by admin on Tuesday, December 21, 2010 | No Comments
Categories: Ducati Bikes Tags: 2004 Ducati, 2004 Ducati 749S, 2004 Ducati Bikes, Ducati 749S, Ducati Bikes Review
The 749S Testastretta is the highest performance middleweight Superbike Ducati has ever built by 2003, establishing a new approach and vision of the interaction between man, machine and the elements. The 749S has a 748 cc Testastretta engine that supplies 116 hp at 10,500 rpm and 8.4 kgm at 8500 rpm, allowing for maximum performance without compromising reliability.
Ducati engineers have created our highest performance middleweight Superbike ever, with fully adjustable suspension, box-section aluminum alloy swingarm, and steering damper. The 749 is as at home on the road as it is on the track and is designed to offer an exciting, safe ride whatever the road conditions. A sleek riding position blends man and machine perfectly. At 108 hp, the Testastretta provides lightning acceleration out of corners and incredibly smooth power delivery without putting stress on the chassis set-up. Excellent torque (8.2 kgm at 8500 rpm), even at very low rpms, guarantees superb performance while making the motorcycle easy to handle in heavy traffic.
High engine revs are allowed by a special valve retainer collet system used to secure the steel intake and exhuast valves. The system is also used on the R versions as well as the World Superbike and MotoGP race engines. The L-twin Testastretta engines are very compact, making the finished motorcycles incredibly narrow and agile, much like their racing cousins. They also offer excellent torque and remarkably vigorous power delivery compared to four cylinder engines. Ducati Superbikes have incredible acceleration and provide outstanding riding thrills.
The suspension is fully adjustable at both ends and features a TiN-treated upside down Showa fork at the front and a Showa rear shock. Thanks to a wide steering angle (28.5°), the steering damper, adjustable headstock rake (from 23.5° to 24.5°) and foot rests that can be set at any of 5 different positions, the Ducati 749s can be adapted to suit individual riding styles. In addition, on the single-seat version, the seat-tank assembly is adjustable longitudinally by 20 mm, thus giving the rider the opportunity to personalise his or her riding position on the bike for track use.
Price: $3000.
Ducati has certainly come a long way in recent years. American investors moved in and restructured the way the company does things. As a result the Bologna factory is certainly producing much higher quality products than we have seen before. Recently I have enjoyed good stints aboard the new 1000SS and also the new Multistrada, but my most recent Ducati sojourn was onboard the new 749S.
This is a more focussed sports machine than those aforementioned models but at the same time it also possesses a civility that Ducati’s earlier top line sportsbikes certainly never offered.
Of course the trademark bangs and rattles that are synonymous with Ducati emanate from the engine room and dry clutch area but as soon as you sling a leg over the latest machines you immediately appreciate the vastly improved ergonomics. In fact these latest Ducatis even allow the rider to tailor the riding position to their individual preference with the pegs offering different mounting positions while the seat can be slid fore or aft through a range of 20mm. I never felt the need to adjust a thing, even after a 600km day in the saddle.
Speaking of saddles, the seat on the 749 is fantastic. It has the perfect balance of firmness and cushioning that manufacturers so rarely get just right. There is still some weight on the wrists and hands of course, but it is very manageable and certainly nothing I would gripe about. Cruising at a fair clip the only minor annoyance I found was a slight tingle through the pegs. Selecting a different gear to lower or raise the revs seemed to make it go away.
Gearing is something I would experiment with if I was to have a lot more time with this bike. I would add a few teeth to the rear sprocket and possibly even drop a tooth on the front to liven things up a bit more on the road. I think Ducati may have over-geared the bike to pass the drive-by noise regulations required for road registration in Australia.
The engines appetite for revs means it is most happy with more than 5,000rpm on the tacho, just as the cams really start to reach into their sweet spot. That is not to say there is nothing below this mark as that is certainly not the case. The 749 pulls reasonably well with only 3,000rpm on the tacho and the remarkably fine Marelli fuel injection system that is now synonymous with Ducati ensures that there is no complaints from the engine when lugging around on city streets. Ducati twins are now smoother and more refined in the lower parts of the rev range than any similar capacity Japanese twins.
Up top the power does tail off a little but I am sure a set of pipes and appropriate fuelling adjustments would certainly extend the top end. If I was to take this step though I would certainly ensure I found an excellent tuning centre I could trust to get the injection tuned to suit the pipes. As standard the fuelling is just about perfect and if I was not confident of finding a tuner to replicate that finesse with aftermarket pipes fitted then I would leave well enough alone.
As with most sporting twins, fuel range is not a Ducati strong point. If out for a strop in the country you will have to fuel often as the low fuel warning light starts to glow on the comprehensive instrumentation panel in as little as 150km. This light signals that there is only 3 litres remaining in the incredibly skinny 15 litre tank.
The front stoppers are sourced from Brembo and offer excellent stopping power along with good feel at the lever. During my experience with the bike the rear brake proved virtually useless.
Handling is as you would expect, sublime. Along my brisk and bumpy test route the 749S never put a foot wrong. The $22995 749S model I had on test comes with a fully adjustable Showa shock and a few more ponies than the lower spec 749 for what amounts to a $3000 premium over the base model. For my money, I think the extra $3000 is money well spent.
As with most high revving twins things are prone to vibrate loose and I discovered the left clip-on bar had slipped down the fork stanchion when I couldn’t complete a left hand turn due to the bar hitting the fairing! Just remember to keep a check on all the bolts during the running in period and everything should be fine.
Overall I was certainly impressed with the 749S. In fact I could imagine myself living with one and thoroughly enjoying it, and that is certainly something I would never have said about its predecessor. Yes, it is that much better.
2008 Ducati 848
Written by admin on Monday, December 13, 2010 | No Comments
Categories: Ducati Bikes Tags: 2008 Ducati, 2008 Ducati 848, 2008 Ducati Bikes, Ducati 848, Ducati 848 Bike
The 848 is Ducati’s most impressive middleweight Superbike ever. Its exceptional lightweight and legendary Ducati chassis set-up combined with the smooth and thrilling torque delivery of the L-Twin Desmo provide the ideal way to enter the world of Ducati Superbikes.
With a dry weight of just 168kg (369lb) the agile 848 is an amazing 20kg (44lb) lighter and 30% more powerful than its predecessor, enabling the middleweight to deliver impressive performances whether riding through mid-town traffic or racing through track-day competition. These incredible achievements are a fitting reward to Ducati’s ingenuity and a clear result of the continual attention to detail and development of their twin-cylinder technology.
Iconic features from its bigger brothers, such as the twin under-seat silencers, single-sided swingarm, Trellis frame and beautiful race bodywork, are all part of the 848′s DNA. Its family resemblance assures that it is equipped with all the performance advancements of the Superbike family, while adding its own particular refinements to the middleweight sport bike class.From the first twist of the throttle, the powerful rush of the Testastretta Evoluzione engine confirms that the rules have changed. The 848 is a new class of Superbike.
Engine
The potent 848 is powered by a liquid cooled, L-Twin, Desmodromic engine that produces 134hp (98.5kW) @ 10,000rpm and a class-beating 70.8lb-ft (9.8kgm) @ 8,250rpm.
The 94mm x 61.2mm bore and stroke breathes through 4 valves per cylinder fed by racing-style elliptical throttle bodies. Electronically injected and ignited by Marelli, the super-efficient power unit then exhausts through a lightweight 2-1-2 system equipped with a catalytic converter and lambda probe to conform to Euro3 regulations.The highly advanced 848 engine was the first Ducati Superbike to introduce vacuum die-cast formed crankcases. Achieving a significant weight saving of more than 3kg (6.5lb), this production method also ensured consistent wall thickness and increased strength. Further refinements include a sophisticated wet clutch that offers a power-enhancing 1kg (2.2lb) less weight, greater durability, improved clutch feel, and quiet operation.
The Ducati 848, 1198 and 1098 R Superbikes are the most advanced, most powerful twin-cylinder motorcycles ever built. They are the product of a team of designers and engineers who have combined their Ducati MotoGP and World Superbike technologies to create the finest sport bikes in the world. From race-level engine specifications to world championship-winning traction control, the results are pure excellence. The Ducati Traction Control (DTC) system further underlines Ducati’s technology flow from racing to production and demonstrates how solutions developed for the track can be applied to enhance safety on the road.
The look and stance of the Ducati Superbikes are the result of intense race development and Ducati heritage. Their striking aerodynamic shapes create a natural riding position, confirmed by Ducati development and factory team riders as the optimum for speed and agility. Their passion for racing has shaped the Superbike family.
Ducati Superbikes are race bikes, pure and simple. They are immediately recognisable for their purposeful, no-nonsense attitude. Performance is first and foremost in every detail. Trademark Ducati features like the high tail section and compact front end combine with twin under-seat silencers and single-sided swingarm to express the sheer engineering beauty of aerodynamics and agility. Add the Testastretta Evoluzione engines as the hearts of the machines and the result is all-out performance Ducati Superbikes that look fast even when parked.
Features and Benefits
Advanced Chassis
The 848 , 1198 and 1098 R chassis and suspension received detailed study and a ‘performance-first’ priority approach to development. The goal was to achieve considerable weight saving and build-in strength and rigidity to manage the high-powered Testastretta Evoluzione engines. While the ‘R’ models are purely ‘monoposto’, Ducati built ‘biposto’ practicality into the 848 and 1198 with a passenger seat and footpegs. As with the race bikes from which they are derived, each and every component is designed to contribute to achieving superior road holding and stability.
Trellis Frame
Developed in cooperation with Ducati Corse, the lightweight Trellis frame features 34mm main section tubes with a material thickness of 1.5mm. The result is an incredibly rigid construction that remains one of Ducati’s lightest frame solutions ever. Adding style to performance, the two colour versions for the 848 use frames finished in ‘red’ and ‘racing grey’ while both colours for the 1198 use ‘racing black’ frames and both 1198 S a sophisticated ‘bronze’ finish. The 1098 R frame is finished in ‘red’ .
Front Suspension
Both the 848 and 1198 feature fully adjustable 43mm Showa forks, with an additional special low friction titanium oxide treatment applied to the sliders of the 1198, while spectacular 43mm Öhlins with low friction titanium nitride-treated sliders are used on the 1198 S and 1098 R. Both front suspension solutions have radial brake caliper mountings providing superior road holding and incredible feedback to give every rider more confidence and control.
Rear Suspension
The lightweight Trellis frame and single-sided swingarm have enabled a compact and weight-saving rear suspension linkage system that features separate lower pick-up points for the push-rod and suspension unit. This ‘tandem’ design effectively reduces stress around the linkage pick-up area of the Trellis frame. Working together with this highly efficient linkage is a fully adjustable Showa single shock for the 848 and 1198, and an incredible Öhlins unit for the 1198 S. The higher specification Öhlins for the rear of the 1098 R uses TTXR twin tube technology and offers totally separate damping adjustment in compression and rebound. It uses experience gained in MotoGP to minimise friction and reduce the risk of cavitation under extreme conditions. The 1198, 1198 S and 1098 R rear suspension system has an adjustable rear ride-height, independent of spring pre-load and other suspension settings – valuable when seeking the perfect set-up for personal riding style or track conditions.
Single-Sided Swingarm
The dual construction technique used for the single-sided swingarm sees the main operational components use individual aluminium castings so as to ensure strength around the pivot points, wheel hub and suspension links, with fabricated aluminium sections used to complete the construction into a single, beautifully engineered component. The 848 swingarm is colour finished in natural aluminium while both 1198, 1198 S and 1098 R swingarms are in black.
Brakes
The lightweight 848 features progressive and consistent race-bred braking performance as standard equipment with a tried and tested formula that includes twin radially mounted Brembo calipers each with quadruple 32mm pistons gripping 320mm discs. The 1198, 1198 S and 1098 R uses Brembo’s powerful Monobloc caliper racing technology. Machined from a single piece of alloy, the calipers achieve a higher rigidity and resistance to distortion during extreme braking. The resulting increase in hydraulic efficiency not only delivers incredible braking power, but also provides an enhanced and precise ‘feel’ at the brake lever. The twin Monobloc calipers each have quadruple 34mm pistons that grip huge 330mm discs to help achieve spectacular brake performance. The weight of the discs has been kept to a minimum by employing racing-style narrow braking surfaces.
Wheels
The lightweight front wheels of the 848, 1198 and 1198 S and 1098 R substantially reduces the moment of inertia, enabling a faster change of direction and enhanced acceleration and braking performances. The construction of the rear wheels are equally as impressive with considerable weight savings over traditional Ducati single-sided swingarm fitments. The 848 is equipped with Y-shaped, 5-spoke wheels which are finished in black while the 1198 rides on new style 10-spoke wheels finished in a subtle graphite grey. As usual, the 1198 S goes to the next level by rolling out on the new 7-spoke GP replica wheels. These beautifully lightweight, forged-aluminium, machine-finished wheels are colour-matched to the Trellis frame in a sophisticated bronze. Lightweight Marchesini Y-shaped, 5-spoke wheels created from forged then machined alloy and finished in ‘racing gold’ are used for the 1098 R, and a matte black finish selected to contrast against the special livery of the 1098 R Bayliss.
| Ducati 848
The 848 is Ducati’s most impressive middleweight Superbike ever. Its exceptional lightweight and legendary Ducati chassis set-up combined with the smooth and thrilling torque delivery of the L-Twin Desmo provide the ideal way to enter the world of Ducati Superbikes. With a dry weight of just 168kg (369lb) the agile 848 is an amazing 20kg (44lb) lighter and 30% more powerful than its predecessor, enabling the middleweight to deliver impressive performances whether riding through mid-town traffic or racing through track-day competition. These incredible achievements are a fitting reward to Ducati’s ingenuity and a clear result of the continual attention to detail and development of their twin-cylinder technology. Iconic features from its bigger brothers, such as the twin under-seat silencers, single-sided swingarm, Trellis frame and beautiful race bodywork, are all part of the 848′s DNA. Its family resemblance assures that it is equipped with all the performance advancements of the Superbike family, while adding its own particular refinements to the middleweight sport bike class. From the first twist of the throttle, the powerful rush of the Testastretta Evoluzione engine confirms that the rules have changed. The 848 is a new class of Superbike. |
2011 Ducati 848 Evo
Written by admin on Saturday, December 11, 2010 | No Comments
Categories: Ducati Bikes Tags: 2011 Ducati 848 Evo, Ducati 848 Evo, Ducati 848 Evo Bike
The 2011 848EVO maintains the traditional colour of Ducati red with red frame and black wheels and introduces the new “dark stealth” with racing black frame and black wheels.
Engine
The new 848EVO is powered by a liquid cooled, L-Twin, Desmodromic engine that produces 140hp (103kW) @ 10,500rpm and a high-accelerating 72.3lb-ft (10kgm) of torque @ 9,750rpm. The 94mm x 61.2mm bore and stroke breathes through 4 valves per cylinder fed by totally revised inlet port shapes and racing-style elliptical throttle bodies, which are now increased in size from an equivalent diameter of 56mm to 60mm. A brand new piston crown and combustion chamber shape improve burn efficiency and increase the compression ratio from 12:1 to a power-enhancing 13.2:1 while new performance-driven camshafts provide 13mm of valve-lift compared with 11.5mm and an inlet duration increase from 253° to 257°.
These incredible valve performances are made possible because of Ducati’s unique Desmodromic system, where valve closure is activated mechanically. At high rpm it would be almost impossible for the valve to follow the steep closure profile of the cam lobe if it were relying upon a normal valve spring. With the Desmo system, the valve is closed mechanically with the same accuracy as it is opened, enabling steep cam profiles and radical cam timings. This system is used on every single Ducati motorcycle including their world-beating Superbike and Desmosedici MotoGP bikes. Electronically injected and ignited by Marelli, the super-efficient power unit then exhausts through a lightweight 2-1-2 system equipped with a catalytic converter and up-rated to twin lambda probes for smooth mapping and Euro3 conformity. Terminating in Ducati’s trademark twin under-seat silencers, the system delivers that unmistakable signature sound of the Desmo 90° L-Twin.
The highly advanced 848 engine was the first Ducati Superbike to introduce vacuum die-cast crankcases, formed using Vacural® technology, a process that achieves a significant weight saving and ensures consistent wall thickness and increased strength. For 2011 this impressively lightweight engine has its outer-cases finished in black.The 848EVO engine is a fitting reward to Ducati’s ingenuity and a clear result of the continual attention to detail and development of their twin-cylinder technology.
Having more experience and success with twin-cylinder high performance engines than any other manufacturer, the L-Twin configuration remains central to Ducati’s philosophy of motorcycling. This experience, plus constant investment in quality by design, advanced materials and engineering techniques, has enabled 12,000km (7,500 miles) between service intervals, making Ducati ownership easy and enjoyable.
Chassis
The 848 chassis and suspension are the result of a ‘performance-first’ priority approach to development, in which the goals are always to achieve lightweight with high strength and rigidity to manage the high-powered Testastretta Evoluzione engines.
Trellis Frame
Developed in cooperation with Ducati Corse, the lightweight Trellis frame features 34mm main section tubes with a material thickness of 1.5mm. The result is an incredibly rigid construction that remains one of Ducati’s lightest frame solutions ever.
Magnesium Subframe
Producing a front subframe in magnesium underlines the attention to weight-saving detail in the Ducati Superbike range. Its construction provides secure support for the headlamp, instruments and fairing, and the weight-saving around this high, forward position contributes considerably to overall ‘feel’ and control of the machine.
Single-Sided Swingarm
The dual construction technique used for the single-sided swingarm allows the main operational components to use individual aluminium castings so as to ensure strength around the pivot points, wheel hub and suspension links, while lightweight, fabricated aluminium sections are used to complete the construction into a single, beautifully engineered component. The 848EVO swingarm is then presented in a sophisticated black-anodised finish.
Wheels
The lightweight front wheels used on all Ducati Superbike models substantially reduces the moment of inertia, enabling a faster change of direction and enhanced acceleration and braking performances. The 848EVO is equipped with Y-shaped, 5-spoke wheels by Enkei finished in black and mounted with Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP 120/70 ZR17 front and 180/55 ZR17 rear tires.
Suspension
The 848EVO features fully adjustable 43mm Showa forks with radial brake calliper mountings, which provide superior road holding and precise feedback. A control-enhancing steering damper maintains perfect front-end stability, inspiring supreme control and confidence alongside the increased power output.The lightweight Trellis frame and single-sided swingarm enable a compact and weight-saving rear suspension linkage system, which features separate lower pick-up points for the push-rod and fully adjustable Showa single shock suspension unit. This ‘tandem’ design effectively reduces stress around the linkage pick-up area of the Trellis frame.
Brakes
Ducati Superbikes have always been famous for their incredible, track-derived braking performance and the 848EVO is no exception. Now featuring Brembo’s powerful Monobloc calliper racing technology applied to 320mm discs, the EVO’s incredible braking capability is a result of Ducati’s continual quest for responsible performance. Machined from a single piece of alloy, the callipers achieve a higher rigidity and resistance to distortion during extreme braking. The resulting increase in hydraulic efficiency not only delivers incredible braking power, but also provides an enhanced and precise ‘feel’ at the brake lever. The twin Monobloc callipers each have four 34mm pistons that grip 320mm discs to help generate planet-stopping braking.
Bodywork
Carefully designed for aerodynamic efficiency and to hug the sleek lines of the chassis, the Superbike bodywork enables the rider to blend effortlessly into the correct riding position. Its race-developed fairing design ensures perfect integration with the cooling system by providing efficient flow through the advanced, large surface area coolant radiator, which is assisted by lightweight, high flow electric fan assemblies and oil coolers.Aerodynamically shaped air ducts positioned just below the headlamps are precisely calculated to provide ample air delivery to the pressurised airbox. The lightweight bodywork contributes considerably to overall performance by reducing weight, protecting the Testastretta Evoluzione engine’s power output, and assisting the rider to effortlessly ‘tuck in’ from the wind stream and reduce drag to achieve maximum straight-line track speeds.
Instrumentation
This pure racing digital instrumentation originating from Ducati’s MotoGP project has no switches or buttons to compromise its clean, minimalist lines. Instead, information additional to the default read-outs is managed from the left-hand handlebar-mounted switch gear, allowing the rider to scroll through and select from various menus. The display, which has a bright white LED back lighting presents rpm and speed, with the former displayed across the screen in a progressive bar graph. Optionally, the rpm and speed can be displayed in numeric values. Additionally, it displays lap times, time, air temperature, coolant temperature, battery voltage, two trips and a trip that automatically starts as the fuel system goes onto reserve. Warning lights illuminate to signify neutral, turn signals, high-beam, rev-limit, low oil pressure, fuel reserve, and scheduled maintenance. The instrument display is also used as the control panels for the DDA system (available as an accessory) as well as listing lap times recorded by using the high-beam flash button as a stopwatch.
Data Acquisition
The Ducati Data Analyser (DDA) – complete with PC software, a USB-ready data retrieval card and instructions – evaluates the performances of the bike and its rider, and makes comparisons between various channels of information. The DDA is available for the 848EVO as an accessory from Ducati Performance.Normally only available on race bikes, DDA records numerous channels of data including throttle opening, vehicle speed, engine rpm, engine temperature, distance travelled, laps and lap times. The system also automatically calculates engine rpm and vehicle speed data so as to display gear selection as an extra channel of information. At the end of a ride or track session, an upgraded 4mb of data can be downloaded to a PC ready to compare, analyse and get an inside view of the performance of the rider and motorcycle.Data can be analysed in graphic form with options to zoom into detail of specific sections. Dragging a trace along a timeline to reveal individual values of the above listed channels enables the user to analyse performance in the same way that data technicians can in factory teams. The software allows data to be compared with that from a completely separate session and for pages of data to be printed off easily.
Superbike Lights and Indicators
The horizontal twin headlamps are modernised interpretations of the iconic 916, restyled and updated with the latest lighting technology. Two polyellipsoidal units light the way with a powerful beam while maintaining an aggressive look to the front of the machine in pure Ducati Superbike tradition. The rear light employs a specially designed strip of LEDs enhanced by a high diffusion lens shaped into the sleek lines of the tailpiece. The same LEDs are intensified for brake lights. The directional indicators also use the latest in LED technology for illumination. The frontal indicators are beautifully integrated into the rear view mirrors, which come with an optional spacer kit enabling an extension of 30mm over the standard mirror stem length.
Stopwatch
Ducati Superbikes are the most advanced, most powerful twin-cylinder motorcycles ever built. They are the product of a team of designers and engineers who have combined their MotoGP and World Superbike technologies to create the finest sport bikes in the world, and the results are pure excellence. “Engineered by the stopwatch, designed by the race track” is now extended with “evolved by experience” for the 848EVO, as constant owner feedback has been transformed into enhanced specification.Ducati Superbikes are race bikes, pure and simple. Their striking aerodynamic shapes create a natural riding position, confirmed by Ducati development and factory team riders as the optimum for speed and agility. Performance is first and foremost in every detail.Trademark Ducati features like the high tail section and compact front end combine with twin under-seat silencers and single-sided swingarm to express the sheer engineering beauty of aerodynamics and agility.
