[.OrgOwner]

The Ducati 848 appears on paper to be quite a revolution. To look at the photos it's also one of the best looking bikes on the market.

ENGINE

Power 134 hp

Type L-Twin cylinder, 4 valve per cylinder Desmodromic, liquid cooled
Displacement 849.4 cc
Bore x Stroke 94 x 61.2 mm
Compression Ratio 12:1
Power* 134hp - 98.5kw @ 10000rpm
Torque* 70.8lb-ft 96Nm @ 8250rpm
Fuel injection Marelli electronic fuel injection, elliptical throttle bodies.
Exhaust Lightweight 2-1-2 system with catalytic converter and lambda probe. Twin stainless steel mufflers
Emissions Euro3

Frame Tubular steel Trellis frame in ALS 450
Wheelbase 1430 mm / 56.3 in
Rake 24,5°
Front suspension Showa 43 mm fully adjustable upside-down fork
Front wheel travel 127 mm / 5in
Front brake 2 x 320mm semi-floating discs, radially mounted Brembo calipers 4-piston, 2-pad
Front wheel 5-spoke light alloy 5.50 x 17
Front tyre 120/70 ZR17
Rear suspension Progressive linkage with fully adjustable Showa monoshock. Aluminium single-sided swingarm
Rear wheel travel 120mm / 4.7in
Rear brake 245mm disc, 2-piston caliper
Rear wheel 5-spoke light alloy 5.50 x 17
Rear tyre 180/55 ZR17
Fuel tank capacity 15.5L (of which 4L reserve) / 4.1 US gal (of which 1 US gal reserve)
Weight * 168kg / 370lbs
Seat height 830 mm / 32.6 in
Instruments Digital MotoGP derived unit displaying: Speedometer, rev counter, clock, scheduled maintenance warning, warning light for low oil pressure, fuel level, oil temperature, fuel reserve, trip fuel, neutral, turn signals, average speed, average fuel consumptio
Warranty 2 years unlimited mileage
Body colours (frame/wheels) (Red - Red - Black) (Pearl White - Racing Grey - Black)
Versions Dual seat
* = The weight excludes battery, lubricants and, where applicable, cooling liquid.


TRANSMISSION
Gearbox 6 speed
Ratios 1st 37/15, 2nd 30/17, 3rd 28/20, 4th 26/22, 5th 24/23, 6th 23/24
Primary drive Straight cut gears, Ratio 1.84:1
Final drive Chain; Front sprocket 15; Rear sprocket 39
Clutch Wet multiplate with hydraulic control

[slickwill]

I have already sent messages to get my name on the list at the dealerships in Des Moines and Omaha. Not sure that I'll be able to pull it off but I'm going to try. I have to find out how much it will affect my insurance. If not this year then I should be able to get all of my ducks in a row in time for the '09 R version which is what I really want. I hope they make an R or S version soon!

[.OrgOwner]

You will have one of the best looking bikes on the road with awesome performace! Why don't Honda make something like this?

[Maholli]

Originally Posted by .OrgOwner

Why don't Honda make something like this?

It makes ya wonder... Im getting the new RR but after seeing the Ducati's for 08, I just can't seem to wonder why honda just didn't make the new RR better looking(not that its totally ugly either)IMHO.. The 848 is just sick looking as well as the 1098R, and they still are lighter than the new RR and it seems that Ducati with the 1098R is going to be able to compete with the inlines stock.. As well as the 848 is going to dominate any middleweight class.. The only competition is the GSX-R750 which is a few thousands less but if you compare the specs its no contest...

[slickwill]

it seems that Ducati with the 1098R is going to be able to compete with the inlines stock..

Yep, and I've seen dyno charts from a couple of 1098S's that are putting 160+ to the rear wheel with just race ECU and PCIII. I figure that even if they were a little "generous" on rating the 848 at 134hp it should easily see 120+ at the rear wheel. With PCIII and ECU it should be able to see 135 at the rear wheel.

[bjay51d]

thats one sweet machine...Hows the maintenance on those ducks.Do they still require the fequent vavle adjustments?That and my wallet are the only thing that keep me away.

[slickwill]

Ducati has doubled the service interval on all bikes 2007 and newer. This still leaves a maintenance cost that is higher than other bikes but I think it is much closer. The maintenance is the one thing that is a little bit of a hold to me but I still think I'm going to try to get my hands on one.

Here is the 2007 and newer maintenance schedule

Bikes from MY 2007 and on:
Service "A": within 6 months or 1000 km / 600 miles
Service "B": within 12 months or 12.000 km / 7.500 miles
Service "C": within 24 months or 24.000 km / 15.000 miles
Service "D": within 36 months or 36.000 km / 22.500 miles
ecc...

[bjay51d]

Originally Posted by slickwill

Ducati has doubled the service interval on all bikes 2007 and newer. This still leaves a maintenance cost that is higher than other bikes but I think it is much closer. The maintenance is the one thing that is a little bit of a hold to me but I still think I'm going to try to get my hands on one.

Here is the 2007 and newer maintenance schedule

i wish I was in a position to get a new bike.But my car has a **** load of miles.and my 54 is paid for and has a **** load of money invested.so thats not going nowhere.

[slickwill]

Dyno run. 121 rwhp and 68.9 ft/lb's with no mods except the Termi slip-on's.

YouTube - Ducati 848 Dyno runs with Termignoni cans

With race ECU and a full system should easily be 130+ rwhp. For a bike that doesn't weigh much more than a 600RR it could be a lot of fun.

[bjay51d]

Wow that thing sounds sweet...

[slickwill]

MCN's first ride and the 848 release video

YouTube - First ride of the Ducati 848

YouTube - Ducati reveals the 848

[Maholli]

Nice find Will... Pretty bike..

[Mr_RC]

I would trade my RC and the f4i for that bike.

[rokitt51]

Nice bike, i wish honda would have something done with the RC so that there could be more of a competition between it and the 1098. that would be my pick.

[Doomwitha929]

anyone know what this darn bike actually weighs in real life with important stuff like oil gas and a battery in it?

[slickwill]

424# with fuel.

[slickwill]

2008 Ducati 848 - First Ride - MotorcycleUSA.com

Decent read here.

[Simon Vexed]

though the Duc is beautiful, is it really practical? all you guys that looove to ride, are you really gonna rack up miles on a 848? you'd probably ride it on nice days, with NO risk of rain, and baby it cause you paid a lot for it... @ that point, its like having a weekend muscle car that just sits in the garage and is nice to look at, but just sits and loses value (to a certain point). the jap bikes are unbeatable in the sense where they're fast, fun, reliable, and fairly cheap to fix... i'd rather look @ a Duc, than actually own one

[Doomwitha929]

Depends on the person and how much money they have. The 848 is only 2 grand more then an 08 CBR1000.

[TKDmasterZ]

Certainly one of the best looking bikes out there but I still can't forget the day I took one of my friend's 748 for a ride around a track (Buttonwillow in SoCal) many years back. Perhaps I simply didn't know how to ride a v-twin, but I couldn't get that thing moving. It didn't accelerate for sheeet and I kept hitting the rev limiter at every gear. I spent the whole session trying to figure out where the power is, and it just didn't move! It felt like I was on the first gear of my R6 the whole time. Then when I brought it into the pit, it started spewing coolant all over the place... it was not a great introduction. Does anyone ride a duc here?

[Simon Vexed]

haha, ONLY $2K more than a CBR 1000... to some people $2K is all they got for a down payment... and let's not forget maintainence on a Ducati, AND aftermarket parts (exhaust, carbon fiber du-dads, etc)... how about insurance??? there's a bigger picture here... all in all, no matter how you slice it - it's an expensive bike that most people wouldn't want after a certain mileage... i know i personally would buy a Jap bike with 23,000 mi, before i bought a Duc with 13,000. so are you really gonna ride it, or look at it? is a ferrari a daily driver? i wanna have fun with my bike, NOT worry about it! can i get an 'Amen' on that ya'll?

[Doomwitha929]

a 13grand bike compared to an 11 grand bike is not like a Ferrari compared to a normal car. Normal car round 30K Ferrari round 250K? Big diff between a 20% increase and a 700% increase. I see no reason you would have the Duc as an only on weekends bike. If you can ride a Valkari or Harly or one of a bunch of other bikes over 15K all week why not the Duc. If you had a 35grand Bimota or something then OK I see the point but the 848 is not a big exclusive super high end bike. Really on the over all scale of new bikes it isnt all that epensive. I am willing to bet insurance on one is not out of line with a 1000cc Jap sport bike either. As far as maintainence the 848 is not as bad as the older Ducs. The money you save NOT having to do all sorts of cool mods to it to make it stand out from the other cookie cutter jap bikes you can use to pay for the service to it.

[slickwill]

Originally Posted by Doomwitha929

a 13grand bike compared to an 11 grand bike is not like a Ferrari compared to a normal car. Normal car round 30K Ferrari round 250K? Big diff between a 20% increase and a 700% increase. I see no reason you would have the Duc as an only on weekends bike. If you can ride a Valkari or Harly or one of a bunch of other bikes over 15K all week why not the Duc. If you had a 35grand Bimota or something then OK I see the point but the 848 is not a big exclusive super high end bike. Really on the over all scale of new bikes it isnt all that epensive. I am willing to bet insurance on one is not out of line with a 1000cc Jap sport bike either. As far as maintainence the 848 is not as bad as the older Ducs. The money you save NOT having to do all sorts of cool mods to it to make it stand out from the other cookie cutter jap bikes you can use to pay for the service to it.

Now I'll give the Amen to that one.

Plus the Duc will sell for thousands more when it comes time to re-sell. If I wanted the absolute best performance for the least amount of money then the Duc wouldn't be a good choice. However, the Duc has way more performance than I can ever use on the street and looks WAAY better than anything else. Go look at one in person and you start to notice lots of little details that really set it apart. All of the parts have so much better looking finish. It comes with Marchesini rims, SS brake lines, and SS swingarm. All mods that other people spend lots of money on.

[Doomwitha929]

my concern is only how uncomfortable it is compared to say the 071000RR

[Simon Vexed]

okay, and damaged or scratched plastics? cheaper? NOT... why wouldn't you want to mod you're bike? think Ducati parts are cheap? NOT... my brother had a 916... an oil change and chain adjustment was almost $200... while we were there waiting, we noticed a new tank for a ducati was in excess of $1200! still affordable gents? and this was back in 1999. i do my own work, but there are some that cant... dont tell me a ducati is affordable and practical. you wouldnt have a cookie cutter bike if you modified it, or painted it... why do you think $13K-$14K for a bike is 'affordable?' to me, yeah, that's a big diff from $9K-$10K for a new 1000... you're paying that much for 848cc?! you'll be beat around the track all day by my 'cookie cutter' that cost me $6K, lol, so kiss it

[slickwill]

Originally Posted by Simon Vexed

okay, and damaged or scratched plastics? cheaper? I have full coverage insurance for a reason why wouldn't you want to mod you're bike? I haven't modded my Honda other than safety wire and SS brake lines and since the Duc comes with SS lines and looks great I can't think of any reason it needs mods think Ducati parts are cheap? NOT... Never said they were cheaper, I don't see your point here? my brother had a 916... an oil change and chain adjustment was almost $200... My Honda dealer charges almost that much, I do it all myself anyway and chain adjustment on a SS swingarm is MUCH simpler. while we were there waiting, we noticed a new tank for a ducati was in excess of $1200! still affordable gents? I've never needed a new tank yet and I'll let State Farm worry about it when I do. They only bill by the CC's of the bike so 848's are cheap to insure, I checked. and this was back in 1999. i do my own work, but there are some that cant... Only because they haven't tried. dont tell me a ducati is affordable and practical. Never did say that, If you check my posts I said that "if you want the most performance for the money the Duc is NOT the way to go." That would be the opposite of practical. It is affordable. It comes with the same mods that you pay extra for on another bike. They have cut the maintenance in half on the new bikes (2007-2008) If you actually check the manual the maintenance schedule is almost identical to a Honda. The difference is that most Duc owners actually do the maintenance so you hear about how much it costs. Quiz your local Honda shop about maintenance costs, they are about the same if you actually pay a dealer to do it. The caveat that I will concede is that you HAVE to do valve adjustments on the Duc because of the desmo valves. Oh darn I have to spend an extra $500 every other year. I already spend thousands on riding every year. I'd never notice the extra $250 a year. you wouldnt have a cookie cutter bike if you modified it, or painted it... Usually just makes it look tacky and drops the resale value by a LOT why do you think $13K-$14K for a bike is 'affordable?' to me, yeah, that's a big diff from $9K-$10K for a new 1000... you're paying that much for 848cc?! you'll be beat around the track all day Never said I wanted one because it's faster by my 'cookie cutter' that cost me $6K Now you're just sounding jealous, lol, so kiss it Are you 12?

If you don't want a Duc why do you care that some people do? When you see us ride by you can just think to yourself, "wow look at that guy, he was dumb enough enough to spend $13K on a slow 848..." Go ahead convince yourself that you don't want a Duc, I don't care. I like my Honda, but I'm still getting a Duc. Don't worry I'll still wave, as long as you have a helmet on.

all you guys that looove to ride, are you really gonna rack up miles on a 848? you'd probably ride it on nice days, with NO risk of rain, and baby it cause you paid a lot for it...

That's how I ride my Honda. 2002 and it's never seen a rain drop. Never will as long as I own it, so having a Duc wouldn't change anything for me.