Monday 6 February 2017

Ducati 851 (1989) Wikipedia, Price, Top speed

Posted By: ygshhd 10:06 Leave a Reply

Ducati 851

The 851. with its powerful liquid-cooled eight-valve V-twin engine, heralded the start of the modern era for Ducati. Previous superbikes from Bologna had been powered by air-cooled V-twin engines. Many had used the marque’s unique desmodromic system.

Which closes the valves with cams instead of the conventional springs. But the 851. w ith its four- valve heads and fuel-injection, was a considerably more modern and powerful unit.

Chief engineer Massimo Bordi had been determined to create an eight-valve desmo twin, something his famous predecessor Fabio Taglioni had always resisted. Bordi's 85lcc engine retained Ducati’s traditional 90-degree V-tw in layout. Liquid cooling, Wcber-Marelli injection and the improved breathing of the new' cylinder heads gave plenty of mid-range torque and a maximum output of lOObhp. making this the most powerful Ducati roadster yet.

Just a year after its lunch the 851 was tuned, aimed red and fitted with a modified frame and 17-h wheels, resulting in a c with looks, speed and rbly agile handling. vitalized 851 made a sent roadster and the basis of Ducati Superbike racer.

Smooth and refined engine

The eight-valve motor was an immediate success. Smooth and refined, it was particularly notable for its exhilarating top-end rush. But the chassis was a different story. Problems of supply meant the original 1988-model 851. which was finished in patriotic red. white and green, w'as fitted w'ith 16- inch w'heels, instead of the 17-inchers it should have worn. The result was unpredictable handling despite the steel ladder frame’s rigidity.

A year later the 851 was revamped with all-red paint and so many changes that it was almost a completely new bike. Although the frame had a minor modification at the steering head, the key chassis features were the new 17-inch wheels. The Marzocchi suspension was of the highest quality, especially the longer rear shock, which had a compression-damping adjuster knob in the seat hump allowing easy fine-tuning.

The engine was also improved. Higher compression ratio, reshaped camshafts, modified fuel-injection and new exhaust mufflers combined to increase peak output to I04bhp, and the peaks of both power and torque were moved down the rev range. That meant that the 851 now had generous reserves of torque from 3000rpm to I0,()()()rpm.

The Ducati simply stretched its legs as the throttle was opened, and charged forward towards its top speed of almost I50mph (241 km/h).

The original 851 had been a disappointment but its successor was the opposite. Its engine was stronger still, its detailing slicker, and most of all its handling had been transformed from disappointing to outstanding. As well as being a great roadster, the revised 851 formed the basis of a hugely successful racebike that took riders Raymond Roche and Doug Polen to three consecutive World Superbike championships.

Not only that, but the 851's liquid-cooled eight- valve V-twin engine was repeatedly enlarged and refined over the following decade and more, powering the string of stunning road bikes and World Superbike racing machines that made Ducati one of motorcycling’s biggest success stories. Few false starts can ever have been put right so promptly and to such brilliant effect.

Roadgoing Racer: the 888SPS

The fastest Ducati roadsters of all during the late 1981 limited-edition Sport Production or SP models creates 1992 the SP series had reached the SP4, and in that year : version of all: the 888SPS, or Sport Production Special, of built. The SPS featured an enlarged 888cc engine with big vat. e camshafts, higher compression, revised fuel-injection and loud Peak output was 120bhp at the rear wheel, 25bhp up on standar carbon-fibre fuel tank and bodywork, Ohlins suspension and other a modifications resulted in a roadgoing racebike with superb handling, a of over 160mph (257km/h), and a fearsome price tag to match.