BIKETEST DUCATI STREETFIGHTER S: Ducati's streetfighter might give you whiplash, but it's a small price to pay in the name of high art, writes GEOFF HILL
‘HERE, ARE you sure this is a Ducati?” I said to Billy Lyons the dealer.
“Aye, why?”
“Because I can actually see something in the rear view mirrors.”
“Well, you see, you moaned so much about the mirrors on the 1198S that they’ve gone and built you this specially.”
It really was too kind of them to have gone to so much expense: and expense is the word, since Ducati has spared none in its quest to create the ultimate naked cafe racer.
Taking it from the front, it’s been given Ohlins forks and Brembo brakes, the steering head angle has been reduced slightly for less frisky cornering, and a new sub-frame and longer swingarm have been stuck in.
It has the same impressive traction control and data logging system as the 1198S, and a brand new tail unit and stacked exhaust pipes.
The result is a bike that looks like an angry wasp: fast and dangerous even on the sidestand.
Climb on board, and you find two things. The first is a seating position that’s upright enough to be comfortable, yet forward enough to seduce you into aggressively pushing on.
And the second is a minimalist digital dash so stylish that I predict it will become standard on all bikes before long.
Start up, and the warm summer air fills with the visceral growl of that V-twin which transforms itself into a fabulous snarl as you come to terms with the sort of acceleration that 145bhp driving a mere 167kg means – particularly since the gearbox is the sweetest I’ve ever felt on a bike, with the merest touch on the clutch and lever producing effortless changes up or down. It made even me look good, and that takes some doing.
First corner, and the front brakes prove just as awesome as those on the 1198S, followed by a whisper of understeer from that light front end, but it’s nothing that isn’t sorted out instantly by firm countersteering, and after a while you realise that it’s simply the result of a bike that is so precise and well-balanced.
Faults? The engine is sluggish below about 3,000rpm, but keep it between 6,000 and 9,000, and your world will be one of sweetness and light.
The bike’s lack of weight makes it fairly susceptible to gusts, but the same lightness makes it easy to recover.
After a couple of hours of riding it, you may have a slight crick in your neck, but that’s the price you pay for high art of this nature. And you are paying a price: more than any other naked superbike and not far off twice the cost of Triumph Speed Triple.
But if you can afford it, walk this way for a machine that’s rare, beautiful and a heap of fun.
And you can even see things in the rearview mirrors. What more could you possibly ask for?
Factfile
Engine: liquid-cooled 1099cc, four-stroke 90-degree V-twin with Marelli fuel injection and eight desmodromic valves
Power and torque: 145.5bhp, 79.6ft lb
Top speed: 158mph
Brakes: front, two 330mm discs with Brembo four-piston calipers; rear, single disc with two-piston caliper
Tyres: Pirelli Diablo Corsa III, front 120/70x17, rear 190/55x17
Dimensions: seat height 840mm, wheelbase 1475mm, rake 25.6 degrees
Weight: 167kg dry
Fuel capacity: 16.5 litres
Price: €15,500 for the standard model, €18,500 for the S version. Contact Ducati Dublin, 01-460 3168, motopoint.ie. UK price £11,495 for standard, £13,995 for S
(Test bike from Millsport Motorcycles of Ballymoney, 028-2766 7776)