Summer fun with Ducati

Jul 9 2009 Harriet Ridley

SUMMER'S here and this can only mean one thing - it's time for the Ducati Sporting Club's annual two-day event at Cadwell Park in Lincolnshire.

I could call it a track day of course, but it's much more.

These two days on track are devoted to Ducati enthusiasts. Everyone stays overnight in the paddock and it's BBQ galore, with beer flowing in the trackside cafe. And Ducati brings its latest models to the event for press and punters to ride on track.

But this year, rather than hop from one Ducati to another, I decided to bring along one particular model to test - Ducati's brand new Streetfighter.

Ducati didn't invent the streetfighter moniker. Ever since the dawn of the sports bike, cash-strapped riders have dropped their motorcycles and, finding themselves unable to afford a new set of expensive bodywork, removed it completely to build an unfaired creation out of what was left. These machines became known as streetfighers.

The phenomenon soon developed into a full-blown category with manufacturers jumping on the bandwagon, producing ready-made versions. Bikes like Triumph's Speed Triple and of course, Ducati's Monster used parts derived from their sports bike siblings to create this new class of nakeds.

With the recent arrival of its new line-up of superbikes, namely the 1098 followed by the 1198, Ducati decided to launch the new Streetfighter derived from these machines. The engine is almost identical to the 1098 but with crankcases from the newer 1198. Peak power is only slightly less at 155bhp (compared to 160bhp for the 1098), and torque is down to 85lb/ft compared to the 1098's 90lb/ft.

The Streetfighter gets its very own exhaust system with fatter pipes, and the chassis has unique components too. The frame is off the 1198 but with a different geometry to suit the Streetfighter's road bias, while the all-new rear subframe shortens the tail section. The fuel tank is shorter too, while the seat gets a thicker padding on the seat for road comfort. The higher handlebars sit closer to the rider than those on the 1098.

The Streetfighter's dash displays the same information as the 1198's MotoGP-derived dash, but the all-new switchgear includes a super-cool kill switch that slides across to hide the starter button.

The more expensive S version of Streetfighter gets higher-quality Ohlins suspension, lightweight Marchesini wheels, carbon fibre front mudguard and cambelt covers. Oh, and the Ducati Traction Control, the ultimate in race technology for the road. This system uses sensors to monitor front and rear wheel speeds to detect rear wheelspin under acceleration, electronically reducing engine power to restore traction. The S costs £13,995 compared to the standard model's £11,495.

The bike I'm riding is the standard version so I don't get to try out the traction control. But hey, this is a road bike after all and I don't intend winning any GPs on it. Although you could see how the bike would be easy to break traction if you're hamfisted with that throttle. Power is phenomenal. The Streetfighter wheelies out of every slow corner whether you're an intentional hooligan or not. It takes off so fast down Cadwell's back straight it's a job to hang on.

You can see why Ducati tuned the engine for better low-down grunt at the expense of top speed: the lack of fairing to protect from wind blast makes top speeds a challenge... My neck was sore for days after my escapade on the Streetfighter.

The 1098-derieved Showa suspension is superb. It's set up too soft initially as it's really for road conditions, not fast flowing race tracks. But a few tweaks of the adjusters soon have that sorted.

The sit-up-and-beg riding position is comfortable enough, but the heal plate that protects your boot from the hot exhaust also kicks your left foot too far out. The footrests are also oddly slippery, so it's a job stopping my foot from sliding off as I move my bodyweight around.

The Brembo monoblock brakes straight off the 1198 are outstanding; so powerful, so progressive with so much feel but perhaps a little overkill for the road.

I wouldn't want to grab a handful in wet conditionsbut all the technology packed into this streetfighter is overkill for the average rider and the bike's street purpose.

And that's precisely what we love about Ducati's ballsy new Streetfighter.