Ducati announces the EVO-lution of its middleweight 848 sportbike
Filed under: Motorcycle
2011 Ducati 848 EVO - Click above for high-res image gallery
At its very core, the Ducati brand has always been all about a race-bred pedigree, and now amongst a pack of formidable competitors, the Italian company seeks to emerge on top of the middleweight battle by having the fittest steed in the paddock. Meet the new 848 EVO sport bike, which boasts performance upgrades aplenty over the previous 848.
The heart of the new machine will beat to a faster tempo as a modified engine now churns out 140 horsepower and 72.3 pound-feet of twist before reaching its crescendo at 10,500 rpm. That's up six ponies from the last 848.
All new cylinder heads, pistons, throttle bodies and camshafts wrapped in a blacked-out engine case are responsible for making the EVO the most powerful two-wheeler in its class. Were guessing the 369lb package will make easy work of a stoplight or starting grid launch with those specs. For those keeping track of such things, the 848 EVO's power-to-weight ratio bests that of the best literbikes from a decade ago.
Continued evolution aimed at harnessing the beast comes in the form of all new single piece Brembo Monobloc calipers offering higher levels of rigidity to resist performance robbing distortion in those way-past-the-mark braking situations. Improved rider feel at the controls will not only be aided by the braking system but also a cross-mounted steering stabilizer. All of these performance and handling improvements are claimed to be a direct result of pro racing feedback, coupled with consumer demand.
Ducati's EVO-ised middleweight will arrive as a 2011 model in North American dealerships as early as late August. One thing that will not be changed, however, will be the price of admission, which remains at $12,995 for an all new, and much more sinister looking, truly black Dark Edition, or $13,995 if your heart desires timeless Ducati Red. Hit the jump to view the full press release. Oh, and we'll see if we can't snag some live shots at the bike's unveiling this weekend at the MotoGP race. Stay tuned!
Gallery: 2011 Ducati 848 EVO
[Source:Ducati]Continue reading Ducati announces the EVO-lution of its middleweight 848 sportbikeDucati announces the EVO-lution of its middleweight 848 sportbike originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Jul 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
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