Ducati 851 Strada
Ducati 851 S3 Strada | |
Manufacturer | |
---|---|
Also called | 851 Strada |
Production | 1988 |
Engine | Four stroke, 90°Ltwin cylinder, DOHC, desmodromic 4 valves per cylinder, belt driven |
Compression ratio | 10.2:1 |
Ignition | Inductive magnetically triggered |
Spark Plug | Champion A59G |
Battery | 12V 14Ah |
Transmission | 6 Speed |
Frame | Tubular steel |
Suspension | Front: Marzocchi M1R upside-down fork with rebound compression damping adjustable Rear: Marzocchi Supermono shock with preload and damping adjustable, rising rate swingarm |
Brakes | Front: 2 x 280 mm Disc, 4 piston calipers Rear: Single 260 mm disc, 2 piston caliper |
Front Tire | 130/60 x 16 |
Rear Tire | 160/60 x 16 |
Wheelbase | 1460 mm / 57.5 in |
Seat Height | 760 mm / 29.9 in |
Weight | 185 kg / 408 lbs (dry), |
Oil Filter | K&N KN-153[1] |
Fuel Capacity | 20 L / 5.3 US gal / 4.4 Imp gal |
Manuals | Service Manual |
Engine[edit | edit source]
The engine was a Liquid cooled cooled Four stroke, 90°Ltwin cylinder, DOHC, desmodromic 4 valves per cylinder, belt driven. The engine featured a 10.2:1 compression ratio.
Drive[edit | edit source]
Power was moderated via the Dry,multiplate.
Chassis[edit | edit source]
It came with a 130/60 x 16 front tire and a 160/60 x 16 rear tire. Stopping was achieved via 2 x 280 mm Disc, 4 piston calipers in the front and a Single 260 mm disc, 2 piston caliper in the rear. The front suspension was a Marzocchi M1R upside-down fork with rebound compression damping adjustable while the rear was equipped with a Marzocchi Supermono shock with preload and damping adjustable, rising rate swingarm. The 851 Strada was fitted with a 20 L / 5.3 US gal / 4.4 Imp gal fuel tank. The bike weighed just 185 kg / 408 lbs. The wheelbase was 1460 mm / 57.5 in long.
Photos[edit | edit source]
Overview[edit | edit source]
Ducati 851 Strada
The 1987 1988 Ducati 851 Strada used the signature steel tube trellis frame, adorned with Marvic wheels, Brembo brakes and Marzocchi suspension. That first release was criticised for its handling, so front wheel was changed from a 16 inch to a 17 inch wheel, and even better suspension components fitted.
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 with
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 Tagliorti had always resisted. Bordi's 851cc engine retained Ducati's traditional 90-degrec V-twin layout. Liquid cooling, Weber-Marelli injection and the improved breathing of the new cylinder heads gave plenty of mid-range torque and a maximum output of 100bhp. making this the most powerful Ducati roadster yet.
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, was fitted with 16-inch wheels, 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 l0 000rpm. The Ducati simply stretched its legs as the throttle was opened, and charged forward towards its top speed of almost I50mph (24lkm/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 1980s and early '90s were the limited-edition Sport Production or SP models created mainly for Italian racing. By 1992 the SP series had reached the SP4, and in that year came the most exotic version of all: the 888SPS, or Sport Production Special, of which only 100 were built. The SPS featured an enlarged 888cc engine with big valves, racing camshafts, higher compression, revised fuel-injection and loud exhaust system. Peak output was 120bhp at the rear wheel, 25bhp up on standard. Kevlar and carbon-fibre fuel tank and bodywork, Öhlins suspension and other chassis modifications resulted in a roadgoing racebike with superb handling, a top speed of over 160mph (257km/h), and a fearsome price tag to match.
Source of review: Fast Bikes by Roland Brown
Ducati 851 vs Ducati 1199 Panigale
Remember the Ducati 851? It came out in 1987 and blitzed the world of sportsbikes like few other machines have ever managed to. Desmoquattro V-Twin, liquid-cooling, fuel-injection, four-valve cylinder heads, 95bhp and a top speed of about 240km/h made the bike a bit special 25 years ago and thats the way it remains today.
The 851 and its various avatars (851 SP, 888 and 888 SP) were produced from 1987 to 1993 and the bike won three World Superbikes championships with Raymond Roche in 1990 and with Doug Polen in 1991 and 1992. By 1993, the Ducati 888 had twin fuel injectors per cylinder, power was up to 125bhp and the bike had the best bits that companies like Termignoni, Brembo and Ohlins were making back then.
The Ducati 851 was pretty much the top dog of its time, the baddest boy on the block. And that makes you wonder how the bike would stack up against the modern day Ducati 1199 Panigale, a bike that has, in one fell swoop, made every other superbike on the planet look old and slow and outdated. For their August 2012 issue, Motorcycle Sport & Leisure magazine have ridden the 851 and 1199 back to back, and here are some brief excerpts from what they have to say about the two machines:
"After riding both of them, it was the 851 that left the strongest impression. Where the 1199 feels overwhelmingly fast and verging on out of control pretty much the whole time on the road, the 851 is a manageable challenge. The older engine feels much more mechanical, like it has cannonballs in the cylinders instead of the oversized tennis balls of the 1199. The heavy throttle, heavy clutch and teeny-weeny steering lock combine to make eight-point turns on a busy road very interesting indeed."
"On the 851, theres not a lot of room between the bum pad on the pillion cowl and the back of the fuel tank, so instead of hanging off, you tuck in and take wide, fast, classics arcs through corners. The 851 seems to need half the lean angle to go faster through the corners than a modern bike and it rides on well controlled suspension. Its handling is sharp, predictable and reassuring. Only the brakes gave its age away. If you think bike engines have advanced in the last 25 years, its nothing compared to braking performance."
So there you have it the 851 can still, it seems, hold its own. Nobody is trying to imply that it would be comparable to the 1199 in terms of outright performance. Its just that even with the passage of time a quarter of a century, no less the 851 hasnt gotten fat and slow. And were sure Messrs Roche & Polen will be happy about that
Source: Motorcycle Sport & Leisure
Make Model | Ducati 851 Strada |
---|---|
Year | 1988 |
Engine Type | Four stroke, 90°Ltwin cylinder, DOHC, desmodromic 4 valves per cylinder, belt driven |
Displacement | 851 cc / 51.9 cu in |
Bore X Stroke | 92 x 64 mm |
Compression | 10.2:1 |
Cooling System | Liquid cooled |
Induction | Weber I.A.W. CPU P7 electronic fuel injection. 2 x 50mm throttle bodies |
Spark Plug | Champion A59G |
Ignition | Inductive magnetically triggered |
Battery | 12V 14Ah |
Starting | Electric |
Max Power | 75 kW / 102hp @ 9000rpm |
Max Torque | 71.2 Nm / 7.26 kgf-m / 52.5 ft-lb @ 7250 rpm |
Clutch | Dry,multiplate |
Transmission | 6 Speed |
Primary Drive Ratio | 2:1 (31/62) |
Gear Ratios | 1st 2.466 / 2nd 1.765 / 3rd 1.350 / 4th 1.091 / 5th 0.958 / 6th 0.857:1 |
Final Drive Ratio | 2.6:1 (15/39) |
Final Drive | Chain |
Frame | Tubular steel |
Front Suspension | Marzocchi M1R upside-down fork with rebound compression damping adjustable |
Rear Suspension | Marzocchi Supermono shock with preload and damping adjustable, rising rate swingarm |
Front Brakes | 2 x 280 mm Disc, 4 piston calipers |
Rear Brakes | Single 260 mm disc, 2 piston caliper |
Front Tire | 130/60 x 16 |
Rear Tire | 160/60 x 16 |
Dimensions | Length: 2050 mm / 80.7 in Width: 700 mm / 27.6 in Height: 1130 mm / 44.5 in |
Wheelbase | 1460 mm / 57.5 in |
Seat Height | 760 mm / 29.9 in |
Dry Weight | 185 kg / 408 lbs |
Fuel Capacity | 20 L / 5.3 US gal / 4.4 Imp gal |
Colours | Silver frame, red, white and green |
Road Test | Moto.Revue 1989 Moto Sprint Group Test 1988 Moto Sprint Group Test 1989 Moto Sprint Group Test 1990 Motociclismo 1989 |
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 2019 K&L Supply Co Catalog. K&L Supply Co. 2019.