A Streetfighter for less
New is great – but what about taking the plunge with a mint used buy?
This is my third Ducati Streetfighter – I love ’em. They are far from cheap, but there is a more affordable way to own one: go for a used 1098 or 848 model.
My first Streetfighter was the original 155bhp, 2009 headbanger – a non-S without the Öhlins or Marchesini trinkets. It had superbike performance, was as mad as a supermoto and surprisingly practical - right up my strada. Back then it cost £11,495 (the
S was £13,995) and now they’re between £7000 and £9000, which is a useful chunk less than my £19,995 V4 S (or the base £17,795 V4). It was better on fuel, too, even with no Euros stuck up its pipes: 45mpg compared to today’s 36mpg today and 135 miles before the fuel light versus just 80. But those were the days of short Ducati service intervals and expensive belt changes, unlike now. For many the original Streetfighter was too aggressive, so wasn’t a big seller, but I loved its craziness as much as its Predator looks. We clocked up 6000 miles together touring Ireland, France, Italy, Spain, Ibiza and trackdays at Mondello, Cadwell Park, Lydden and Brands Hatch.
Aside from Termignoni cans and R&G goodies it remained standard and apart from some heel rub on the exhaust shroud, it went back to Ducati like new. But I was lucky. Some owners suffered problems, like expanding fuel tanks (a reaction with unleaded) and leaky Öhlins fork seals on S models. It handled well, but not in the same league as the V4 S. I jacked the back up to put more weight over the sometimes vague and flappy front and cranked up the damping to keep it steady in corners, but even the new Streetfighter can be flighty. I used to munch through rear Pirelli Super Corsa SPs every 1000 miles, but now thanks to new tyre tech and a different riding style the new versions go on for triple that. Three years later came my beloved Streetfighter 848 and despite making ‘just’ 132bhp, compared to today’s 205bhp, it was huge fun and looked great in Lamborghini-style metallic ice yellow paint. Fast, light, flattering and blissfully electronics-free, it had the spirit of a Suzuki GSX-R750 but with straight bars.
I clocked up 9500 miles in the summer of 2012 on track and all over Europe, including one neckstrangling 900-mile, 16-hour schlep from Cannes to home. It was even more frugal (160 miles before the reserve light).
That one got some titanium Termis, a fly screen and a Sigma slipper clutch to smooth-out the engine braking and like the V4 had a strange-sized rear tyre: a racederived 180/60 x 17, which limited tyre choice. A 180/55 would fit, but it looked too small and threw out the speedo and TC slightly. Brakes weren’t great, but it never missed a beat, just like every Ducati I’ve had. Of all my Streetfighters the 848 gave me the most pleasure and now you can pick them up for around £6000-£8000. I’m tempted to start checking out the classifieds and maybe pay a visit to the local dealierships...