It's been mostly fun in the sun aboard our ZX-10R, R6 and 848 test bikes. But after mucho modding and fine tuning them just to our liking we got the call; It was time to send them back to their rightful owners. All good things do come to an end apparently.
So, until we can convince someone to hand over some replacements we're back on the bus, but not before we went out for one last blast...
John Zamora: Associate Editor
Miles Ridden: 6600
Living with the Ducati 848 over the last several months can be summed up with just one word; passion. Usually a new bike starts out as something fun and exciting, but those sentiments are quickly replaced by dullness. I tend to nitpick problems and look for ways to change it. The 848 has been a different breed of bike though.
From the start, my only complaint has been there wasn't a whole lot of stuff that needed upgrading. True, I could have bolted on a bunch of carbon fiber or modded the motor until it was as unreliable as a PC surfing for porn, but I chose the higher road and tried to truly enjoy one of the greatest "out of the box" bikes I've ridden. The power of the mid-sized V-twin punches through corners and easily grunts around moms in minivans. The stock brakes are as good, if not better, than most aftermarket squeezers I've tested, and the look and the sound of the Italian stallion are second to none and continue to set the benchmark in motorcycle style.
General praise aside, it was the overall comfort and general rideablity that truly won me over. Like the girl that got away, I feel like I'm losing a bike I truly loved riding. I'm going to miss the Ducati, a bike that really offers the biggest bang for the buck.
Monster Mod
Termignoni Slip-On Exhaust
A Ducati with a stock exhaust is like a no-touch lap dance law-it's just not right. A set of Termignoni slip-ons were, by far, my favorite mod and some of the best sounding pipes I've heard.
$1,633
www.ducatiusa.com
Sprocket
When riding on the highway in sixth gear, the bike would lug at 65 mph. A front sprocket (-1 ) brought the RPMs into the beginning of the powerband for a quick and easy fix.
Supersprox Sprockets
$19.95 Front
www.supersproxusa.com
RADAR (Cop Proofing)
While not as useful as I had hoped in the city, a radar detector gave me a heads up of any looming officers looking for an easy target. Adaptive Radar Detector with headset, visual alert, and mount.
$498.95
www.radarforbikes.com