Ducati 848 Evo (2010-2012) Review | Speed, Specs & Prices | MCN

Highlights

• Accessible but fierce superbike
• Brembo monoblock calipers
• Engine tweaked to rev harder and faster

At a glance

Overall rating

The Ducati 848 Evo is a masterpiece.

• Related: Ducati 848 review (2007-2010)

It has 1198R Brembo Monobloc brake calipers, a non-adjustable steering damper and tweaks to the engine to make it rev harder and faster.

These subtle tweaks are enough to put the Ducati into a different league. It’s every bit as fast and exciting as a superbike, but a thousand times easier to ride. It’s a class act.

Watch: Ducati 848 Evo video review

Ride quality & brakes

This is an unashamed race bike with lights. It’s cramped, has a hard seat, an extreme riding position, low screen, rubbish tank range and you can’t see out of the mirrors, but you forgive all this for the way it handles. Stick a set of racing tyres on it and it’s the ultimate trackday tool and able to carry massive corner speed. It’s slightly slow steering out of the crate, but the fully adjustable suspension can be tweaked to dial this out. On the road it’s very stable and can get from A to B as fast as the best sportsbikes in the world.

Watch: Ducati 848 Evo flat out on track

Engine

The Ducati’s 849.4cc V-twin Testastretta engine has new cylinder heads, revised ports, hot cams, new pistons (increasing the compression ratio from 12.1 to 13.2:1) and new elliptical throttle bodies, up from 56mm to 60mm.

Power is increased from a measured 122bhp to 126bhp over the old 848, which might not sound much but it’s given the 848 Evo a far more aggressive edge. The 848 Evo loves to be revved and when you do, it rewards you with savage acceleration. Being a big V-twin, you can still ride the torque, be lazy with the gears and cover ground almost as fast.  

Reliability & build quality

The bad old days of dodgy Italian electrics and iffy reliability has gone, Ducatis of this era are as dependable as the best Japanese bikes. Service intervals are every 7500-miles and build quality is superb.

Value vs rivals

Costing just over ten grand new the 848 Evo was only slightly more than a Yamaha R6 at the time and on par with bikes like the Suzuki GSX-R1000 and Honda Fireblade. We know what we’d rather have… 

Watch: Ducati 848 Evo vs Triumph 675 vs Yamaha R6

Equipment

The 848 Evo does without some of the flashy electronics of Ducati’s range-topping machines (although you can have Ducati datalogging as an optional extra), but it comes with Brembos monobloc calipers (which are phenomenal) fully adjustable Showa suspension and a MotoGP replica mutli-function dash.

DUCATI 848 for sale with MCN

• 848 (06) £3,500 Cheshire
• 848 (08) £5,390 Cheshire
• 848 (2009/59) £5,591
• 848 (14) £6,991 Cheshire
• 848 (61) £7,391 Cheshire

Model history & versions

Model history

Model introduced in 2010

Other versions

‘Stealth black’ version £9995. Same spec, basic colour scheme.

Owners' reviews for the DUCATI 848 (2010 - 2012)

4 owners have reviewed their DUCATI 848 (2010 - 2012) and rated it in a number of areas. Read what they have to say and what they like and dislike about the bike below.

Review your DUCATI 848 (2010 - 2012)

Version: Evo

Year: 2012

Fantastic smooth bike. Handles like a dream

Year: 2010

Good * Amazing cornering ability - Handles like its on rails * Looks & Sounds great * Still turning heads 13 years later * Really lightBad * Twin engine is useless at low speed... I.e. town/city commuting * Pretty small tank capacity (passes everything but the petrol station)

Its a sports bike.... Don't expect a comfy riding position for those long journeys. But what you will get is a bigger smile when you get there Cornering is amazing which suits the Welsh bendy roads but expect to take one or two more breaks along the way

The Twin engine delivers right from the get go.

Had mine nearly 12 months and no problems so far

Decent Digital Dash Brembo Brakes Would like a quick shifter as standard (only on the EVO model).

Buying experience: Brought from a dealer in the North East who couldn't be faulted. They did the full service (inc belts) and delivered the bike in A1 condition. Can't remember the price (incase the better half ever reads this...)

After a fantastic GSXR750k7 this bike is far better than expected. Certainly does not feel anywhere near as quick but simply gets on with it and makes speed easily and overall, not too much in it but the Ducati is far more of an experience. Should have bought one years ago, brilliant.

Fantastic ride,handling and sounds coming from the back is absolute music to my ears.

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