2014 Ducati Streetfighter 848 Owner’s Manual

The 2014 Ducati Streetfighter 848 is a fierce and visually appealing naked sportbike that gives off an untamed spirit of power and performance. The Streetfighter 848 comes from the famous Superbike family. It has a strong, aggressive look that gives no question about its high-octane nature. At the heart of this beastly machine is an 849cc Testastretta 11° L-Twin engine that makes an exhilarating 132 horsepower and 69 lb-ft of torque, which promises electrifying acceleration and a heart-pounding ride. The 2014 Streetfighter 848 has a lightweight frame, modern electronics like ride-by-wire throttle and selectable riding modes, and Ducati’s Safety Pack (DSP), which includes ABS and Ducati Traction Control (DTC) to give riders full control and confidence on the road. For people who want a raw, adrenaline-filled ride, the Ducati Streetfighter 848 is an irresistible invitation to let the beast inside out and enjoy the wild world of naked sportbikes.

Main components and devices

Position on the vehicle (fig. 48)

1.  Tank filler plug.
2. Seat lock.
3. Side stand.
4. Catalytic converter.
5. Rear-view mirrors.
6.  Front fork adjusters.
7. Rear shock absorber adjusters.
8. Exhaust silencer (see “Warning” on page 94).

Fuel tank plug (fig. 49)

Opening
Lift the protection lid (1) and fit the ignition key into the lock. Turn the key clockwise 1/4 turn to unlock. Lift the plug.

Closing
Refit the plug with the key in it and push it down into its seat. Turn the key counter-clockwise to the initial position and remove it. Close the lock protection lid (1).

Seat lock (fig. 50 and fig. 51)

Opening
Insert the key into the seat lock (1, fig. 50) and turn it clockwise until the seat catch disengages with an audible click.
Pull the seat forward to release it from the front catches and lift to remove it.

Closing
Insert the hooks (3) on the base of the seat in the relevant tail guard openings, pushing them under the frame tube.
Push the passenger seat rear end until pin (4) clicks in place inside latch (5).
Pull the passenger seat moderately upwards to make sure it is correctly and firmly engaged.

Side stand (fig. 52)
Important Before lowering the side stand, make sure that the bearing surface is hard and flat.
Do not park on soft or pebbled ground or on asphalt melt by the sun heat and similar or the motorcycle may fall over.
When parking in downhill road tracts, always park the motorcycle with its rear wheel facing downhill.
To pull down the side stand, hold the motorcycle handlebars with both hands and push down on the side stand (1) with your foot until it is fully extended. Tilt the motorcycle until the side stand is resting on the ground.

Warning
Do not sit on the motorcycle when it is supported on the side stand.
To move the side stand to its rest position (horizontal position), lean the motorcycle to the right while lifting the thrust arm (1) with your foot.

Front fork adjusters
The front fork used on this motorcycle has rebound, compression and spring preload adjustment.

This adjustment is done using the outer adjusters:

1. for rebound adjustment (fig. 53);
2. for spring preload adjustment (fig. 53);
3. for compression adjustment (fig. 54).

Put the motorcycle on the side stand and make sure it is stable.
Turn the adjuster (1) on every fork leg top with a suitable wrench to adjust rebound damping.
Turn the adjuster (3) on fork leg bottom with a flat screwdriver to adjust compression damping.
As you turn the adjusting screws (1 and 3), you will hear them click. Each click identifies a setting. The stiffest damping setting is obtained with the adjuster turned fully clockwise to the “0” position. Starting from this position, turning counterclockwise, you can count the clicks.
To change preload of the spring inside each fork leg, turn the hex. adjuster (2, fig. 53) with a 22 mm hexagon wrench, starting from the fully open
(clockwise) position. From reference (A, fig. 53), every full turn clockwise corresponds to 1 mm of preload of the spring, up to a maximum of 15 mm, corresponding to 3 full turns.

STANDARD factory setting is as follows: Compression:
1.5 turns (from fully closed);
Rebound:
2.5 turns (from fully closed).
2 mm spring preload: from FULLY OPEN, turn the adjuster clockwise by 2 turns; corresponding to an actual preload of 2 mm.

Rear shock absorber adjusters (fig. 55)
The rear shock absorber has outer adjusters that enable you to adjust your motorcycle to the load. The adjuster (1) on the left side of the connection holding the shock absorber to the swinging arm controls rebound damping.
The adjuster (2) on the shock absorber expansion reservoir controls compression damping.
Turning the adjusters (1 and 2) clockwise gives harder damping, and turning anticlockwise gives softer damping.

STANDARD setting:
from fully closed (clockwise) loosen:
adjuster (1) by 9 clicks (from fully closed);
adjuster (2) by 1.5 turns (from fully closed).
Spring preload: 23 mm.
Two ring nuts (3) located on the top section of the shock absorber are used to adjust the outer spring preload. To change spring preload, slacken off the upper ring nut. Then TIGHTEN or SLACKEN the lower ring nut to INCREASE or DECREASE spring preload. Once preload has been set as required, tighten the upper ring nut.

Warning
Use a specific pin wrench to turn the preload adjusting nut. Be careful when turning the nut with the wrench, as the pin may slip out of the ring nut recess and you may hurt your hand hitting motorcycle parts.

When carrying a passenger and luggage, set the rear shock absorber spring to proper preload to improve motorcycle handling and keep safe clearance from the ground. You may find that rebound damping needs adjusting as well.
Following is a table with suspension settings for different conditions of use of the motorcycle.

Riding the motorcycle

Running-in recommendations
Maximum rpm (fig. 56)
Rotation speed for the running-in period and during standard use (rpm):

1. Up to 1000 km;
2. From 1000 to 2500 km.

Up to 1000 km
During the first 1000 km, keep an eye on the rev counter. It should never exceed
5,500÷6,000 rpm.
During the first hours of riding, it is advisable to run the engine at varying load and rpm, though still within the recommended limit.
To this end, roads with plenty of bends and even slightly hilly areas are ideal for a most efficient running-in of engine, brakes and suspensions.

For the first 100 km use the brakes gently. Avoid sudden or prolonged braking. This will allow the friction material on the brake pads to bed in against the brake discs.
For all mechanical parts of the motorcycle to adapt to one another and above all not to adversely affect the life of basic engine parts, it is advisable to avoid harsh accelerations and not to run the engine at high rpm for too long, especially uphill.
Furthermore, the drive chain should be inspected frequently. Lubricate as required.
From 1000 to 2500 km
At this point, you can squeeze some more power out of your engine. However never exceed 7,000 rpm.

Important
During the whole running-in period, the maintenance and service rules recommended in the Warranty Card should be observed carefully. Failure to follow these instructions releases Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. from any liability whatsoever for any engine damage or shorter engine life.
Strict observance of running-in recommendations will ensure longer engine life and reduce the likelihood of overhauls and tune-ups.

Pre-ride checks

Warning
Failure to carry out these checks before riding, may lead to motorcycle damage and injury to rider and passenger.
Before riding, perform a thorough check-up on your bike as follows:

• FUEL LEVEL IN THE TANK
  Check the fuel level in the tank. Fill tank if needed (page 96).
• ENGINE OIL LEVEL
  Check oil level in the sump through the sight glass. Top up if needed (page 115).
• BRAKE AND CLUTCH FLUID
  Check fluid level in the relevant reservoirs (page 100). COOLANT
  Check coolant level in the expansion reservoir. Top up if needed (page 99).
• TYRE CONDITION
  Check tyre pressure and condition (page 113). CONTROLS
  Work the brake, clutch, throttle and gear change controls (levers, pedals and twistgrip) and check for proper operation.
• LIGHTS AND INDICATORS
  Make sure lights, indicators and horn work properly. Replace any burnt-out bulbs (page 109).
• KEY LOCKS
  Ensure that fuel filler plug (page 80) and seat (page 81).
• SIDE STAND
  Make sure side stand operates smoothly and is in the correct position (page 82).

Starting the engine

Warning
Before starting the engine, become familiar with the controls you will need to use when riding (page 10).
Never start or run the engine indoors. Exhaust gases are poisonous and may lead to loss of consciousness or even death within a short time.

1. Move the ignition key to ON (1, fig. 57). Make sure both the green light N and the red light on the instrument panel come on.
   Important The oil pressure light should go out a few seconds after the engine has started (page 19).
2. 2) Check that the stop switch (2, fig. 58) is positioned to (RUN), then press the starter button (3, fig. 58).

Moving off

1. Disengage the clutch by squeezing the clutch lever.
2. Push down the gear change lever firmly with the tip of your foot to engage first gear.
3. Raise the engine revs by turning the throttle twistgrip while gradually releasing the clutch lever. The motorcycle will start moving off.
4. Release the clutch lever completely and accelerate.
5. To shift up, close the throttle to slow down engine, disengage the clutch, lift the gear change lever and let go of clutch lever.

To shift down, proceed as follows: release the twistgrip, pull the clutch lever, shortly speed up to help gears synchronise, shift down (engage next lower gear) and release the clutch.
The controls should be used correctly and timely: when riding uphill do not hesitate to shift down as soon as the motorcycle tends to slow down, so you will avoid stressing the engine and the motorcycle abnormally.

Important
Avoid harsh accelerations, as this may lead to misfiring and transmission snatching. The clutch lever should not be pulled longer than necessary after gear is engaged, or friction parts may overheat and wear out.

FAQ