That is a unique position to put a motorcycle, and I think if there is one takeaway from this review, it is that the Ducati Streetfighter V2 is a unique bike, in both good and bad ways. In many ways then, the Streetfighter V2 is the spiritual successor to the Streetfighter 1098, and it is interesting for me then to see that Ducati’s “lesser” streetfighter model is picking up in 2022 right where its predecessor left off in 2012.
Rated at 150hp, the Streetfighter V2 creeps close to the 1098’s quoted 155hp figure though, and of course the two bikes share the fact that their power is generated from a desmodromic v-twin engine. So where does that leave us with the Ducati Streetfighter V2?įor starters, the Streetfighter V2 is the more “practical” model in the current Streetfighter lineup, with its 955cc desmodromic lump making mortal horsepower figures, and its rev range better suited to everyday riding. It came ready-to-ride straight from the factory, and I would argue it was one of the most under-appreciated motorcycles ever in Ducati’s lineup. The Ducati Streetfighter 848 was all of those superlatives, minus the negative ones. And once you tamed the beast, the Ducati Streetfighter 1098 became a rewarding machine to ride. The 1098 was uncomfortable too, especially around the right leg, where the shotgun pipes collected, and forced one’s ankle into an awkward place, especially when making left-hand turns.īut, it was beautiful. The Streetfighter 1098 is a fire-breathing monster that will chew-up not only tires, but also unsuspecting riders who fail to give the 155hp v-twin engine the respect it is due.įurthermore, it was a difficult bike to ride out of the box, and it required not only precise suspension setup, but also some fairly substantial changes to the chassis geometry in order to get it right. The chassis was sharper, the power was more usable, and it was cheaper. Students of the Ducati Streetfighter 1098 will know that its sibling, the Ducati Streetfighter 848, was the better bike. Enter the Ducati Streetfighter V2, and why I flew halfway across the world – to Seville, Spain – to ride this new motorcycle and see if it is any good. Whatever lunar motions changed the tide inside of Borgo Panigale, those movements parted the waters so the Streetfighter V4 could come to fruition, and Ducati was awarded with strong sales for its 200hp+ “street bike” with wings.Īs such, an encore was necessary. The market rebuked that attempt.Īs a result, Ducati was forced to sit on the sidelines and watch brands like KTM and Aprilia re-ignite what has once been thought of as a novelty category. The Monster 1200 R was the best attempt to bridge the gap regarding Bologna’s lack of a true sport-naked, but compromises are compromises, and the itch wasn’t scratched. Perhaps the most impressive v-twin engine we will ever witness in the sport biking realm, the Superquadro motor was long tipped to birth a Streetfighter model, but it never materialized.ĭucati tried to fill the niche with the Monster lineup, which was a move that was perhaps truer to the original ethos of the Monster name, but betrayed what has long become the realm of that more docile roadster model. Instead of using the new Desmosedici Stradale V4 engine, the new Streetfighter V2 uses the older Superquadro v-twin power plant. While the V4 model is purely new hotness (and an obscene motorcycle on the street), in many ways, the Ducati Streetfighter V2 is the bike we have been awaiting, for roughly the past decade. Sitting in the technical briefing for the Ducati Streetfighter V2 press launch in Spain, you can almost hear a tinge of regret in the voice of Ducati VP of Sales, Francesco Milicia, as he talks about the popularity of the Streetfighter 1098 and the length of time it has taken Ducati to follow through with a sequel.įastly becoming an iconic and unique piece in Ducati’s long history, social media is inundated with Streetfighter fans, which has only been fueled further with the debut of the Streetfighter V4 model.