The streetfighter motorcycle movement saw rise in the late 1970’s and 1980’s in Northern Europe as riders desired a motorcycle that was somewhat in-between a sport bike and a Cafe Racer. Essentially if the Cafe Racer movement continued where riders took normal cruisers and made them into unapologetic sport bikes, you are left with a streetfighter. Streetfigher bikes are known for their higher handle bars and the lack of fairings found on sport bikes. Well, prominent Italian motorcycle company Ducati produces a version of these types of bikes and they call it the Streetfighter 848.
Ducati’s Streetfighter 848 was first introduced in 2009 and remains as one of their more prominent motorcycles. This is a type of motorcycle that you buy because you want to go really fast while achieving a more unique “look” than a regular sport bike. The Streetfighter 848 was designed by Damien Basset and comes in either stock black or red. The bike is outfitted with Testastretta 11° L-Twin liquid cooled engine that has 4 Desmodromically actuated valves per cylinder. The engine has a displacement of 849cc and provides the bike with 132 horses at an astonishing 10,000 rpm. The bike also has about 69 pound-feet of torque. This engine allows the bike to accelerate from 0-60 in around 2.9 seconds, which is faster than most Ferraris, for reference.
This bike is designed for performance, and the owner will get just that. It is considered a “confidence builder” type of motorcycle and it is not for the faint of heart. The new frame found on the 848 allows for extreme precision in terms of handling. Combine that with its upright, sport styled riding position makes this bike a rush of pure adrenaline. The bike also has Ducati’s patented Quick Shift system that allows riders to go through its 6 gears without using the clutch which allows riders to change gears even faster. The 848 is extremely popular and in 2013 it won the award for the best middleweight street bike from Cycle World.
Ducati makes some of the best bikes out there, at least in my opinion, and the Streetfighter 848 is no exception. If you want an aggressive, fast, and down right cool motorcycle that’s different than traditional street and sport bikes, that the 848 is for you. The bikes start at $13,495.
Photo from Ducati.com
