The Ducati Supersport 848 - Gazing at the Speedo
That's it, two months of living with the Ducati Supersport 848 is over and will I miss it? Yes and no! The Ducati 848 has proved a worthy companion over the period, having covered a good stretch of Thailand together. It's difficult to appraise the durability of the Ducati 848 over a relatively short period of time and really only a couple of things have come to light.The biggest irritation is probably the ignition barrel. Unfortunately when you put the key and try to turn it, it's as if has the barrel is seized. A quick 'Kung Fu' chop to the top of the key and depressing the inner barrel and it releases. Only this morning has the barrel actually freed, but you just don't expect it from something this pricey.
The second gripe is with the brakes; they're all or nothing and only come into their own when warmed up. Not great for those first few kilometers in the morning.
The Ducati 848 suspension is fantastic and while being fully adjustable I have not felt the need to play with it. True, the strength of the brake make the front dive, but to be perfectly honest was fine for me. Give me some ballast and I am sure the story would be different and would have me reaching for the handbook. But why are bikes so sensitive these days? Messing with your suspension is, for the layman, a recipe for disaster.A time or to I've found the front end of the Ducati skittish and not exactly confidence inspiring, a certain vagueness heightened by the wide handlebars. A slight bump in the road and it unsettles the rider somewhat, especially while cornering at speed.
The power delivery of the Testastretta Evoluzione engine is truly something to behold. A few years back, acceleration on the average Japanese, inline-four would end at 11,000rpm, as technology has advanced; it's now the preserve of the Ducati twins. The engine is a super motorway cruiser and an outstanding A-road stalker, the tall gearing pulling the bike cleanly from 2000rpm and peak power is discovered at 9500rpm. The downside is the Ducati Supersport 848 has you constantly gazing at the speedo for a reality check.
