Ducati 848
Engine size 848cc
Power 122bhp
Top speed 166mph
Insurance group 17
The Ducati 848 isn’t just a small 1098, it’s much more than that. The 848 is a proper fast (top speed is 166mph), fine-handling, gorgeous Ducati superbike in its own right. It’s no longer the poor relation to its big brother, like the 748 and 749 used to be. But costing £9500 you’re going to need to be anything but than poor to afford one. Although the more powerful 1098 is faster in a straight line and around a track, in the real world the Ducati 848 is every bit as fast. If ten grand is the most you’d ever want to spend on a motorcycle, and you’re a Ducati fan, the gorgeous new 848 will press all the right buttons.
Engine: The new liquid-cooled Desmodromic, 849cc V-twin Testastretta (Italian for ‘narrow head’) engine has been designed and developed specifically for the Ducati 848; it’s not just a cheaper, sleeved-down version of the 1098’s motor. Making a true 122bhp and 66ftlb of torque at the rear wheel the Ducati 848’s motor is not only is very strong, but the power delivery is super-smooth and very linear, too. Compared to the old 749, the Ducati 848 makes 20bhp and 10ftlb more, while weighing almost 30kg less.
Ride And Handling: Chassis-wise the Ducati 848 is almost identical to the 1098, save for slightly lower-spec, but still fully-adjustable, Showa forks and Brembo radial brakes. These cheaper units don’t harm the 848’s performance through the bends one bit though. Most significantly the Ducati 848 has a half-inch narrower rear wheel and a 180-section rear tyre, which gives the 848 greater agility and lighter steering than its bigger brother. In true Ducati superbike style the 848 is rock-solid stable in the corners, at the expense of slightly slow steering through flip-flop chicanes and very tight hairpins.
Equipment: Although expensive, the £9500 asking price does buy you a very high spec motorcycle. You get a Showa rear shock the same as the 1098’s, a chunky single sided swingarm and a multi-function LCD dash, which is a replica of the unit used on Casey Stoner’s MotoGP Desmosedici. Options include the Ducati Data Analyser (DDA), which is an on-board plug-in datalogging system, which records lap times, throttle position, engine speed, engine temperature and distance travelled.
Quality And Reliability: Modern day Ducatis don’t tend to suffer the electrical and mechanical maladies they used to, and like the 1098, Ducati has slashed servicing costs on the 848. Build quality is top notch, from the deep pearlescent paintwork to the high-end components used throughout.
Insurance: Insurance group: 17
Model History: 2007: Ducati 848 launched.
This article was taken from: Motorcycle News