The Ducati Streetfighter saga

At Maggio 2009,Ducatisurprises everyone by presenting the Streetfighter,what at first glance would seem a Ducati 1198 Superbike without fairings.

Una moto molto aggressiva, sia dal punto di vista stilistico (una naked essenziale dalle forme spigolose, contraddistinta dal doppio scarico sovrapposto a destra) che di contenuti, considerato come fosse spinta dal bicilindrico da 155 Cv, dotata di forcellone monobraccio e di pinze monoblocco a 4 pistoncini che lavoravano su dischi da ben 330 mm.

In fact, then, the Streetfighter represented a project studied ad hoc, certainly not a superbike with a naked appearance: in fact, it had the longest swingarm and interacted longer and a different angle of inclination of the steering cannotto. This is to allow the vehicle the necessary stability and handling in the face of the remarkable performance of the four-valve engine.

In fact, 11.7 kgm of torque and 155 Hp are exceptional data, at the time, for a motorcycle without any aerodynamic shelter: the bike was driven by an evolution of the 4 valves of the 1098,as its base was that of the 1198,with the carters made with the vacuum casting technique to reduce its weight.

Ducati Testastretta 1098 engine — The 1098 Testastretta Evoluzione engine characterized by carters such as those of 1198, made with vacuum die casting process to obtain reduced wall thicknesses (3 kg less than the engine of the 1098 model). Among the details, the new design for the belt covers (carbon in the S version) and for the lid of the magnesium dry clutch stand out.

To reduce the clutter, the Streetfighter had two water radiators ,arranged on top of each other.

Considerable difficulties for ducati engineers represented the relocation of the many components usually hidden by the hull, many of which were housed in the codon.

The bike was presented in two versions, the baseand the S: the latter had front and rear Öhlins suspension (43 mm Showa fork and Showa mono for the base), light Marchesini forged rims and some carbon parts. Choices that brought the weight of the S to 167 kg against the 169 of the base.

Ducati Streetfighter 1100 — The streetfighter base is equipped with a fully adjustable 43 mm Showa fork and a showa mono. Very particular is the line of double water radiators, curved to reduce the dimensions, but also to aesthetically connote the front. The upper radiator is assisted by electric fans, while the lower radiator contains a water-oil heat exchanger. The double silencers, superimposed vertically, are made of brushed steel for the Streetfighter and black brushed steel for the Streetfighter S. Very aggressive the “look” of the optical group with two strips of LEDs that function as position lights.

Also important is the electronic equipment,always for the S, of the Ducati Traction Control,undoubtedly indispensable to manage with a minimum of safety so much exuberance, as well as the DDA,the data acquisition system.

The driving position was characterized by a variable section aluminum handlebar and a triangulation between saddle (among other things more padded than the 1198), platforms and handlebars that managed to combine quite well sportsmanship and comfort.

Completely new the instrumentation of the Streetfighter that also had the functions of control panel for the DDA and DTC systems,showing the level of control inserted and the lap times carried out.

The Streetfighter in 2009 was available in classic Ducati red or pearl whitecolor, with black frame and gray 5-spoke Y-rims.

The S version was offered, in addition to red, also in an elegant black livery,both characterized by bronze rims and frame. The bike was proposed at 14,990 Euros for the base and 18,700 Euros for the S.

Ducati Streetfighter S 848 — The Streetfighter 848 used Brembo 4-piston radial calipers and double discs of 320 mm at the front: a braking system that was all too exuberant! At the rear, here is a two-piston caliper with a 245 mm disc. The driving position of the Streetfighter 848 features a raised handlebar of 20 mm, platforms wider than 10 mm on both sides and a more padded saddle.

In 2010 nothing changed, while in 2011 the Streetfighter presented itself in the basic version with the new white coloring,while the S has new color combinations: red frame for the red version and black frame for diamond black coloring. In addition, a radiator cover finished in black arrives on all versions, while the S has black wheel rims.

Ducati Streetfighter S — Here is the S version of the Streetfighter year 2011, with red frame for the red version. In this way, the traliccio frame, specially designed for this model, stands out even more: it is characterized by a 25.6° tilt of the cannotto compared to the 24.5° of the Superbike, while at the rear the single-arm swingarm had been stretched by 35 mm always compared to the Superbike. The S is also highlighted for the Öhlins suspension, front and rear, and the light forged rims Marchesini The Streetfighter S was the first naked Ducati sports car to benefit from the ducati traction control (DTC) system as standard.

Much stronger change in 2012, with the
arrival of the Ducati Streetfigher 848
(whose purchase price was 12,592 Euros) whichjoins the S version of the 1099,while the base disappears from the price list.

The family is therefore now presented with two different displacements, with the S being renewed thanks to the new swingarm and the raised handlebar of 20 mm compared to the past.

The latter amendment also affects the 848, which differs further for platforms larger than 10 mm.

The engine of the 848 is the 11° narrowhead (value that identifies the crossing angle of the valves) able to deliver 132 Hp with a torque of 9.5 Kgm and which differs precisely for the different distribution diagram,already used at the time also on Multistrada and Diavel.

Ducati Testastretta 848 11° engine — The 848 Testastretta 11°, which derives from that of the 848 Evo model, but with a valve crossing angle reduced from 37° to only 11° in order to obtain a full torque curve at low speeds, low consumption and reduced exhaust emissions.

The radical modification of the diagram allows to obtain asmoother and easier to manage dispensing, to the advantage of the usability of the Streetfighter 848, even if after 6000 rpm the engine thrust is still exciting up to exceed 10,000 rpm. Complete the offer with the standard presence of an eight-level DTC.

The chassis is of 848 derivation, whose steering cannotto predicts an inclination of 24.5° compared to the 25.6° of the Streetfighter with a 1099 cc engine. Similarly, the forward has also changed, from 114 to 103 mm.

New is also the aluminum swingarm which, despite the same shapes and geometries as the previous one, is made by casting instead of boxed sheet metal.

For suspension there is a fully adjustable Sachs shock absorber which, compared to the Streetfighter 1098 unit, was softened in hydraulic brakes and using a spring with a lower elastic constant. As a fork here is a Marzocchi of 43 mm, while the braking system is composed of brembo radial pliers with 4 pistons that work on double discs of 320 mm at the front and a two-piston caliper at the rear with a 245 mm disc.

The 848 was available in red (with frame of the same color), yellow andblack:for these last two livery the frame was in black color. The Streetfighter S,on the other hand, was proposed in Ducati red and in a beautiful dark gray,both with red frame and black rims.

In 2013 nothing changed, while the following year the 1099 cc version disappeared from the list; but even the 848 will not have much longer life so much that in 2016 it will no longer be produced.

Photos of Ducati

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