There’s a bad new hombre, or better yet a bad new uomo (man in Italian) in town, and it’s the Ducati Streetfighter V2. This updated naked sport bike looks mean and very fast. It’s a high performance naked bike for the streets that offers a more comfortable and casual riding position while still remaining stylish in the usual Italian way. The bike can make its way through traffic, but it loves roads to open up a little, so you can twist the throttle. The Streetfighter V2 loses the fairings present on the Panigale V2 but still has plenty of good looks and a streamlined physique.
The Specs And Performance Of The Streetfighter V2
The Streetfighter features the same 90 degree V-twin motor, the four-stroke, liquid cooled Ducati Superquadro Engine found in the Panigale. The 955cc engine makes 153 horsepower @ 10,750 rpm and 74.8 pound feet of torque @ 9,000 rpm. It has a small, compact silencer to help keep things from getting too noisy. The engine has Ducati’s desmodromic valve system with 4 valves per cylinder and the frame is kept light with the use of aluminum. The bike has a curb weight of 441lbs, and it has a fairly tall seat height at 33.3 inches.
The Look And Feel Of The Ducati Streetfighter
The motorcycle has a more relaxed seating position when compared to the Panigale V2. All of this is supported by the high and wide set handle bars and repositioned foot pegs. It straddles the line between racing and street riding giving a nice compromise for the rider that wants something comfy yet still capable on track.
It comes in a sort of matte olive they call Storm Green with black wheels, or a more traditional Ducati Red. The unique V shaped style of the headlight is supposedly inspired by the Joker and his infamous grin. The Streetfighter V2 is not only pretty but all the design features have utility, such as the heat from the engine and radiator which is diffused away from the rider and their legs. The overall design is very lean yet still aerodynamic and does not need wings, however, optional winglets can be added as a performance upgrade part.
Where Ducati Rubber Hits The Road
Even the wheels on this Streetfighter look stylish with its 5 spokes weaving a hypnotic and curvy design. The wheels are fitted with Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV tires. The front tire of the bike measures in at 120/70 ZR17 and 180/60 ZR17 at the rear. According to Ducati, these wheels and tires should give the rider more feel when cornering. The braking system is adapted from the Panigale V2 but is tuned slightly softer for street riding. The front and rear braking systems are both made by Brembo. The front wheel has M4.32 mono block calipers on 320 mm rotor discs. The rear braking system makes do with single 245 mm rotor. The suspension includes 43 mm Showa forks up front and an adjustable Sachs shock absorber at the rear.
Comprehensive Electronics Package
Ducati offers class leading electronics and interfaces for almost all their bikes. Ride modes seem to be a modern standard in performance bikes and Ducati does not disappoint with 3 specific Ride Modes; Sport, Street, & Wet. The Ducati Traction Control EVO 2 controls and stabilizes the bike for the best safety and performance.
The motorcycle comes standard with ABS and ABS Cornering EVO that has 3 different settings. The bike also has Ducati Wheelie Control EVO, Ducati Quick Shift up/down EVO, and Engine Brake Control EVO. The headlight is a very compact LED which has high and low beam settings. No modern bike gets away without smartphone and Bluetooth capabilities, which comes as a performance accessory called Ducati Multimedia System or DMS. With the DMS a rider can receive calls, listen to and change music, and receive SMS notifications via Bluetooth to in-helmet headphones.
The Price Of Streetfighter
The Ducati Streetfighter V2 is a naked sport bike with plenty of class and looks which one would expect from Ducati. The Bike comes standard with a ton of features. You can spruce it up with performance accessories such as carbon fiber wings, tank cap, heel guard, front and rear mud guard, and DMS. With a starting price of $18,195 it's not the cheapest bike, but Ducati is a premium motorcycle manufacturer after all and the Streetfighter V2 packs a lot of features and style for that price.