2010 Ducati Streetfighter
Justin Fivella: Associate Editor
Miles Ridden: 2000+
I remember it like yesterday. I was a ripe 18 years young, hanging out at the local spot with my new CBR929RR. At that moment I thought I was king shit with a fresh ride and a small crowd around it. My stardom was to be short-lived though, because the minute a guy rolled up on a paper-plated Ducati, my Honda was put to shame. I can recall thinking: "Man, I'll never own a Duc. That guy is pretty lucky."
While I still don't technically own a Ducati, I do have the pleasure of calling this Streetfighter my own for the next six months. Yep, I've official "made it," and it's all mine-for now.
Unfortunately, dreams rarely play out the way you hope and my grandiose Ducati "ownership" came to an abrupt halt just a week into taking delivery. As I basked in the greatness of my prized Italian steed on the commute home I somehow picked up a nail and was left stranded for the evening. Needless to say, it was a PITA getting it towed, and when multiple plugs wouldn't fill the mighty gap I was forced to wait on new skins. So it's safe to say you can expect a pair of replacement tires to top my list of mods.
Despite my misfortune I still managed to log some miles, and let me tell you-this thing is a handful. The brakes are insanely strong, the motor has gobs of power everywhere and it handles like it's on rails. Truth be told though, in typical Ducati fashion the bike bucks and spits in protest at anything below 3,500 RPM and the dry clutch and be cantankerous in traffic. The dual pipes look great, but the bulbous heat shield kicks your right foot into at an awkward angle.
But gripes aside, get this monster on a nice road and it's pure euphoria, and little in this world tickles the senses like riding a Ducati at speed. There's something to be said for the mechanical clatter of the Desmodromic valves, dry clutch and the loud (for stock, anyways) pipes that all come together in one glorious package.
Being that Ducati already nailed the foundation I'm not looking to change the world, instead I'll be addressing the few areas of annoyance and bolstering its many attributes. A set of pipes is a must on any Ducati and a mild re-gear will make slower commuting easier-not to mention top gear will finally be useful below 90 mph. An open clutch cover is another must, maybe some carbon fiber pieces, a fender eliminator and a new handlebar since the stocker has an odd bend.
I've got a few other tricks up my sleeve, but I'll leave those as a surprise.
I'm not looking to reinvent the wheel, but trust me, I'm going to take this 'fighter to the next level. So for now, I suppose it's arrivederci!
Second Opinions:
I absolutely love the sound of a rattling dry clutch-on a racebike. The grabby, clamorous dry clutch is utter nonsense on the street. Sort that thing out...somehow. -Dave
I'd add as much cool carbon fiber bits as possible to set me apart while drinking a latte at the coffee shop. -John
Coming next month:
Pirelli Supercorsa SP tires, Ducati Performance fender eliminator