Heed 505

Greetings Motorcycle USA readers, Associate Editor Adam here. As you read this I’m enroute to southern Spain for the press introduction of the 2009 Ducati Streetfighter motorcycle. There is quite a bit of hype regarding this all-new motorcycle from the folks over at Ducati so let’s recap what we know:
 
First off, it’s based heavily off the outgoing 2008 Ducati 1098 Superbike as noted in our First Look article and is aimed to fill the niche left by the 2007 Ducati Monster S4R motorcycle. Based on our experience on both the S4R and the 1098, the Streetfighter is going to blow the doors of the Monster S4R in terms of outright performance.
 
Where the S4R made 110 horsepower on our Dynojet 200i dynometer, last year’s Ducati 1099cc L-Twin engine spun nearly 140 horsepower at the rear wheel. And that’s the exact same engine that’s going to be in the Streetfighter. No remapped fuel-injection for low-end torque, no modified cams for a more mellow power delivery, just 100-percent unadulterated Ducati 1098 engine performance. The Streetfighter is going to be the real deal.
 
Despite wheelbase growing by almost 2-inches over the 1098 and 1.5-inches over the Monster S4R, with upwards of 60 lb-ft of torque from as low as 4500 rpm, there’s no doubt that this thing is going to be a wheelie machine.
 
In the chassis department, an modified steel Trellis frame houses the engine and utilizes less aggressive steering geometry as compared to the 1098 (25.6-degrees rake vs. the 1098’s 24.5-degree). A longer aluminum single-sided swingarm is controlled via a 3-way adjustable Showa shock, while an equally adjustable 43mm Showa inverted fork sits within a beefier set of triple clamps up front. Like the 1098/1198/Desmosedici, a pair of Brembo monobloc brake calipers clamp down on 330mm rotors and will be absolutely perfect for rolling long endos.
 
Perhaps one of the biggest differences (besides appearance) between the Streetfighter and the outgoing 1098 Superbike is going to be its ergonomics. Most notably is its use of a standard handlebar which will keep the riding position more relaxed than that of the ultra-racy 1098/1198. It will also be interesting to discover if the seating position has been modified, which may work in unison with the more upright handlebar.
 
The price on the base Streetfighter is $14,995 and for a $4000 upcharge you can get the Streetfighter S. The S adds 3-way adjustable Ohlins suspension plus adjustable steering damper, lighter 5-spoke forged aluminum Marchesini wheels (as opposed to the base Streetfighter’s 10-spoke aluminum-alloy Marchesini’s), Ducati’s Data Acquisition (DDA) and Ducati’s Traction Control (DTC) system.
 
Here in the U.S. Ducati expects its Streetfighter to start rolling into dealerships circa mid-May. Stay tuned until next week, when Motorcycle USA gives you the full ride report allowing you to make the decision on whether or not the all-new Streetfighter is right for you.