Ducati 848 2008

Ducati has revealed the new entry-level superbike – the Ducati 848 – at the Milan show.The Ducati 848 gets the same series of performance and style upgrades over the outgoing 749 the 1098 received over its predecessor, the 999.The engine is the key change in the new bike over the old 749 - a 100cc larger Testastretta Evoluzione unit. The result is a claimed 134bhp – just 5bhp short of the 999 and more than 30bhp more than the 749! Chassis-wise, the brake calipers are the one of the few noticeable differences between the 848 and the 1098. The 848’s monobloc Brembo calipers are cheaper and lower spec than the 1098’s GP-spec calipers, a necessary change to make the 848 sufficiently cheaper than the 1098. The 848 has the same Marchesini wheels as the 1098, but the rear is fitted with a 180/50-ZR17 tyre instead of a wider 190/70.The 1098’s stunning shape is carried over entirely to the 848 – every panel and bodywork fitting is identical, and although the exhausts are engineered to suit the smaller engine their appearance is identical.Red with a red frame or white with a grey frame will be the initial colour choices. Ducati has yet to officially reveal an 848S with higher spec chassis parts.

Year : 2008
Manufacturer : Ducati
Model : 848
Engine Type : L-twin cylinder 4 valve per cylinder
Engine Displacement : 849.4cc
Bore & Stroke : 94x61.2mm
Compression Ratio : 12:1
Cooling : Liquid cooled
Fuel System : EFI
Starting System : Electric
Transmission : Six-speed
Final Drive : Chain
Rake & Trail : 24°/ NA
Wheel Base : 56.3 in.
Front Suspension : 5 in.
Rear Suspension : 4.7 in.
Front Brake : Dual Disc
Rear Brake : Disc
Front Tire : 120/70 ZR17
Rear Tire : 180/55 ZR17
Fuel Capacity : 4.1 gal.
Dry Weight : 369 lbs.
MSRP : $12,995

Suzuki B-King

The verdict is still up in the air regarding the futuristic, dynamic looks of the Suzuki B-King. It seems you either hate it or love it. What can be said for sure is the B-King is very fast, enough to match a sports 1000. It’s just a shame it’s restricted to 150mph. The B-King is a lovely road motorcycle, has loads of torque and is easy to ride despite its size. It’s smooth, has good brakes and its only weakness is its soft rear, which results in a lack of traction when pushing really hard.The Suzuki B-King’s engine comes from the new Hayabusa and produces 164bhp with an arm-ripping 94.5 ftlb of torque. Over a standing quarter mile the B-King is just as quick as any sports 1000cc, if not quicker. Shame the engine is limited to 150mph as it has the potentially for much more.

Year : 2008
Manufacturer : Suzuki
Model : B-King
Engine Type : Four-cylinder 4-stroke DOHC
Engine Displacement : 1340cc
Bore & Stroke : 81.0 x 65.0mm
Compression Ratio : 12.5:1
Cooling : Liquid cooled
Fuel System : EFI
Ignition : Digital/Transistorized
Starting System : Six-speed, constant mesh
Transmission : Electric
Final Drive : Chain
Wheel Base : 60.0 in.
Front Tire : 120/70-ZR-17
Rear Tire : 200/50-ZR-17
Fuel Capacity : 4.2 gal.
Dry Weight : 518 lbs.
MSRP : $12,899