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Ducati 848. The pocket superbike.

Discussion in '848 / 1098 / 1198' started by Rob, Mar 28, 2014.

  1. The 848, when it was released, was branded as Ducati’s smallest superbike however was this particularly a bad thing? As entry level sportsbikes go, the Ducati was one of the better ones and has gained quite a loyal following in its time however how does it fit in to Ducati as a whole?

    A ‘Baby’ Superbike?


    In many ways we can compare the 848 to the 748 that was released in the mid-nineties. Not in terms of spec’s it much be added but because the 748 was billed as the baby of the more powerful and bigger 916 and was seen to be just a smaller version of the superbike much in the same way that many see the Ducati 848 as being a small 1098.

    With an 849 cc (51.8 cu in) V-twin engine it certainly packed a big of a punch at the time. With liquid cooling, the engine itself was designed specifically for the 848 and it was not, as many people have wrongly believed and thought, a slimmed down, smaller and less powerful version of the 1098’s Testastretta Evoluzione. It can boast a 122bhp and 66ftlb of rear torque which allows it to deliver its power in a smooth way. Indeed, comparing it to the 749 is not really applicable given that it is nearly 30kg less in weight and has 20bhp more.

    Indeed, when the Ducati 848 Evo was released there were some further (albeit) minor modifications to the engine such as the addition of new Marelli throttle bodies, reshaped combustion chambers and also revised cylinder heads with straighter intake ports. Nothing too extreme but enough to warrant some publicity.

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    The chassis on the 848 is almost identical and the same to the 1098 although slightly smaller but is adjustable and it comes with the highly acclaimed Showa forks and Brembo radial brakes that tend to give it the edge of many other sports bikes – certainly at the time anyway. Considering that the 848 was initially less than £10,000 to purchase then the array of equipment on board the bike was exceptional value for money.

    A LCD dash that operated with a variety of functions was one highlight (and it was a replica of the one that could be found on Casey Stoner’s MotoGP Desmosedici) in addition to other add-on options such as DDA (Ducati Data Analyzer – this did not become standard until the 1098) which recorded your lap times, throttle position, engine temperature and speed as well as the distance that you have travelled; all vitally important for bike enthusiasts.

    Again, the Evo brought about some more changes. Many rejoiced the the Evo done away with the front brakes and go rid of the two-piece cast Brembos and instead fitted the Evo with one-piece monobloc Brembos the same ones that were used on the 1098. And while the disc’s remained the same, the riding experience and braking potential was significantly better. Also on the Evo, the compression ratio was better from 12:1 to 13.2:1 as a result of new pistons, modified intake ports, a new camshaft giving higher lift, a modified head and, the above mentioned 6bhp increase in power were all prominent features of the 2010 version.

    The Clutch

    One of the standout areas of the 848 was the use of a wet clutch. This was a break for Ducati and the previous bikes that the firm had released all came with a dry clutch. Essentially the difference lay in the fact that lubricating fluid is used to keep the clutch cool and does not allow the bike to overheat which improves the performances and can often lead to extended life however the issues arises when some of the energy is lost because of the use of this liquid and it can mean a slight decrease in power.

    The wet clutch was initially greeted with mixed emotions by Ducati lovers. For some the issue solely lay with nostalgia and the fact that Ducati had always employed dry clutches in the past while supporters of the switch pointed to the fact that a wet clutch requires less maintenance even if it can take away slightly from the experience. Although as time has went on there has been a shift and the issue of the clutch is miniscule now to say the least.

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    Riding Experience


    While we can bang on about clutches, engines and other equipment the fact is that the true testament to a bike is how it rides and, by all accounts, the 848 rides pretty damn well.

    "Although the engine is best enjoyed on the track, or at night, when the roads are empty, the way the 848 handles at low speeds is remarkable. Most superbikes are lumpy at low speeds and then lighten up as the pace increases. With the 848, which happens to be the lightest sportsbike in the Ducati lineup, things are different. The 168 kg dry feel lithe and nimble at walking pace, as I try to squirm ahead of the cars and buses stopped at a red light, in order to be the first out of the lights".- Business Standard Motoring

    One big plus of the 848 and especially the Evo version was the fact that its chassis meant that the rider always felt in control of the bike; this is something that is fairly common to Ducati’s anyway however even more so on the smaller bikes. Handling has always been a big bonus of any Ducati bike and this was no different on all versions of the 848 especially with the tyres (Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP) which, as many pointed out, complimented the rest of the bike’s features perfectly.

    Even going around corners, the traction control would kick in but wouldn’t take anything away from the ride. Many people complain that many of the new technological aspects to modern bikes, traction control in particular, take away from the riding experience while others argue that they are an important safety net as it were. Either way they prove to be an important addition.

    I headed out on the 848 first. Man, that rear end is high, and hard! And the mirrors? Great view of my arms, but no view whatsoever of the cops travelling right behind us. Not good. Not good at all. Just as well we’d been behaving. But… it wasn’t that uncomfortable. And the seating position wasn’t that much different to the Falco. It stuck to the road like glue, and where I’d felt the 1100S getting light, the 848 felt planted. Turn in was very sporty – I just had to think and I would change lanes, and found myself turning into corners much too early, thinking I was on the slower turning Falco. And performance? Oh my. Twisting the throttle through the gears, the revs rose rapidly, and I could feel the mighty twin pistons shaking away, revs climbed higher, my eyeballs started to shake, and I started manically screaming into my helmet. WHAT A RUSH! - Thefathippy.com

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    As reported above, the mirrors were a big downfall of the 848 with more than a few riders simply calling them ‘useless.’ Indeed, the 848 always did its fair share to inflict pain upon many of those who rode it. This was mostly down to the riding position on head down, backside up essentially and you had to have exceptionally durable wrists not to be able to feel some form of pain at the end of a session with the 848. In fact, it can be best summed up in the fact that even though you get all of the 1098’s good points with the 848 you also receive the bad ones as well of which the riding position is just one.

    The rear brake was another element that came in for some criticism. Some people argued that you had a bit of a ‘numb’ feeling with it and it required a heavy foot to allow it to do its job properly and for you, as the rider, to feel much of a difference although the front brakes were generally well received. Another major gripe is the small fuel tank capacity that means long distances of free flowing riding aren’t really an option with the 848 and, rather, it is for a bit of fun rather than a useful vehicle to have.

    The 848 Summed Up


    So, how can we place this bike? When it was being anticipated over 5 years ago a lot of people thought that it was simply going to be a lesser version of the 1098; something that tried to be a super bike for a bit less money but would never really live up to the title or fulfil the role; well, a few years on and this could not be further from the truth. The 848 is a great bike in its own right regardless if many aspects are copied directly from other models. The new engine is one major bonus and because it was designed with the 848 specifically in mind then you are essentially getting an engine that roars along and compliments the bike perfectly.

    Indeed, the 848 was also the first the employ the use of the wet clutch. While there was some huffing and puffing in certain quarters at the time, the fact is that it won many people over and those who did have a groan soon found out that it was a very minor issue in what is otherwise a well made and solid piece of machinery. The release of the Evo was also welcomed as it meant some more significant upgrades could be added to the impressive 848 most notably to the engine and the compression ratio and the Evo model is help in very high regard. Riding the 848 is a joy. It handles as well as any other Ducati does and riders feel a sense of total control when on the road or track.

    Placing the 848 can be somewhat difficult. It is meant as an entry level bike in a way however its powerful features mean that it is exactly recommended for inexperienced drivers. Even taking some of its flaws into account such as the mirrors and the brakes which some took issue with, these are relative minor in the grand scheme of things. It certainly did not let down the Ducati brand and, in a way, it enhanced it by giving all the benefits of one of the more heavyweight super bikes in a smaller package.

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    Specifications:


    Top speed 166mph
    1/4-mile acceleration secs
    Power 122bhp
    Torque 66ftlb
    Weight 168kg
    Seat height 800mm
    Fuel capacity 15.5 litres
    Average fuel consumption 27mpg
    Tank range 93 miles
    Insurance group 17
    Engine size 848cc
    Engine specification 8-valve, V-twin
    Frame Tubular steel trellis
    Front suspension adjustment Fully-adjustable
    Rear suspension adjustment Fully-adjustable
    Front brakes 2 x 320mm discs
    Rear brake 245mm disc
    Front tyre size 120/70 x 17
    Rear tyre size 180/55 x 17

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