Ducati Streetfighter & Streetfighter S (2009-2013) - Review & Buying Guide

When Ducati unveiled the Streetfighter and Streetfighter S (technically this model was never called the Streetfighter 1100), they billed their new naked bike as a ‘sophisticated’ take on the theme and played on the fact it was Italian and therefore had added flair. The problem with this was that while the Streetfighter’s performance and handling was never called into question, its looks were. Never really appreciated by Ducati fans, the Streetfighter ended up as a fairly short-lived model due to the fact its high price tag and extreme focus saw it lose out to the more relaxed Monster 1100 models in Ducati showrooms. Arguably a bike before its time, the stock Streetfighter was discontinued at the end of 2011 while the higher-spec S model ran alongside the smaller Streetfighter 848 until the end of 2013. Were they killed off too early? You have to say that just as the whole super naked scene was exploding into life, Ducati pulled the plug on their Streetfighter models (the 848 was killed at the end of 2015). In 2020 the Streetfighter name was rekindled with the fearsome V4 model and the V-twin came back as the Streetfighter V2 in 2022 – both of which are more subtilty styled. If you want a lairy naked bike with a storming V-twin at its heart, the original Streetfighter is a fun, brawler, of a bike. And the Streetfighter S even has a bit of modern tech in its corner.

Pros & Cons

2009 Ducati Streetfighter - Price

Costing £11,495 for a stock Streetfighter and £13,995 for the Streetfighter S, Ducati’s naked bikes were only about £1000 less than their fully-faired 1098 and 1098S sportsbike siblings, which was a bit of a stretch for buyers in 2009. Yes, they shared similar chassis and engines, but there was no disguising the fact the Streetfighters were very expensive compared to rival sporty nakeds. Nowadays prices are more reasonable, not cheap but reasonable when you consider the overall package you are buying. You can get a Streetfighter for anything from £5000 to £7000 with prices of the Streetfighter S starting at £6500 and rising to around £9000 for an absolute beauty. Ideally, spend the extra and buy the S as not only is it higher spec, it tends to hold its used value better than the stocker. Ducati buyers do love an S...

2009 Ducati Streetfighter - Engine & Performance

The Streetfighter uses the Testastretta Evoluzione engine, which was debuted on the 1098 superbike. However where the 1098 makes a claimed 160bhp with 122.4Nm of torque, the Streetfighter makes a (very...) slightly more subdued 155bhp with 119Nm (mainly due to airbox and exhaust variations), which is hardly to be sniffed at! Pleasingly both the stock and S have identical motors, so if you opt for the lower-spec bike you aren’t sacrificing any performance.

On the road the 1099cc twin is brilliant to ride. With bags of instant stomp, the Streetfighter has more than enough performance for road riders to get their ‘sportsbike’ kicks while generally its lack of fairing means speeds are kept fairly sensible. Fairly. The fuelling is acceptable as standard, however owners report that the flat spot at 3500rpm area can be ironed out with an ECU remap or fuelling module (it’s due to emission regs) and then all is silky smooth and sweet. If the previous owner has done this then just be careful what else they have modified. The Streetfighter lacks a quickshifter as standard and is best kept that way to prevent premature gearbox wear, despite some systems offering it as a bolt-on. A few owners also perform intake mods but, again, these are generally best avoided. Gearing is another issue of debate with some owners swapping for a smaller 14-tooth front sprocket (one less than standard) and reporting no issues and others claiming it can cause the chain to rub on the swingarm. If you decide to lower its gearing, keep an eye on this area.

The Streetfighter models have been subject to three recalls. The first involved a fuel line not being correctly fitted to an injector, which could result in fuel leaking. The second was due to the potential of the right hand fork leg cracking if the pinch bolt was over-tightened while the third was down to the rear brake pad material not being attached properly. By now all should have been completed, but check they have by giving the VIN number to an authorised Ducati dealer as they are safety concerns. Bikes built after 2009 should be ok.

When it comes to servicing, the Streetfighter falls under the extended service schedule so it is a minor every 7500 miles and a major ‘desmo service’ (valve-clearances, cam belts) at 15,000 miles/five years. It’s a bit of an odd one as not all belts fall under the 5 year schedule, so check which make are fitted. And while we are talking engines, always check the area around the clutch slave cylinder as it likes to leak, causing the paint surrounding it to flake. If the bike is a bit tricky to get into neutral, first check how clear the clutch fluid is to gauge when it was last changed and then swap its fluid and bleed the system. If it is still a pig, assume the slave cylinder needs replacing (aftermarket units are better than original). An EXVL fault code on the dash means the exhaust valve servo has broken. It’s not an expensive fix and the servo can also be removed completely, but you need a servo eliminator to get rid of the fault code on the dash if you disable it.

2009 Ducati Streetfighter - Handling & Suspension (inc. Weight)

With a chassis that can trace its roots to the 1098, it should come as no surprise that the Streetfighter is a very agile beast. Perfectly happy on track, it can be a touch lively on the road but that adds to its appeal as it makes it feel alive in the way a super naked should. As you would expect, the S model with its lightweight wheels (check them for dings) and Öhlins suspension feels a step above the base bike when pushed hard but on the road the standard Streetfighter’s Showa units deliver a plusher ride quality. That said, both the Showa and Öhlins set-ups are fully-adjustable so a more compliant setting is there to be dialled in. And both bikes have incredibly effective Bembo brakes, which stop you like nothing else!

When buying used, your main areas of concern are the forks and swingarm. Ensure the eccentric adjustor on the swingarm moves freely and that the owner hasn’t over-tightened the pinch bolts. According to Ducati the torque setting should be 35Nm, which is lower than you might expect. The forks can crack if the pinch bolts are overtightened, although this is very rare (there was a recall). If you opt for the S with its Öhlins suspension, the shock and forks can both be fully rebuilt where only the base model’s Showa forks can be rebuilt, the shock can’t. On a used bike, this fact is worth considering as a quality aftermarket shock is around £500 – half the difference in price between a stock bike and an S.

2009 Ducati Streetfighter - Comfort & Economy

If we are being honest, the Streetfighter scores very low on both comfort and economy. Generally recording around 38mpg with low 40mpg figures achievable at a push, that equates to a tank range of 140 miles before you need to get worried – less if you are pushing on. It’s a super naked, what do you expect? And the same argument applies to its comfort levels...

The Streetfighter’s suspension is firm (the S is worse than the stocker), its seat unforgiving and its weather protection fairly non-existent. It’s a short-hop bike for fun blasts, certainly not touring! But you already knew that, didn’t you?

2009 Ducati Streetfighter - Equipment

Here is the interesting part as much like the 1198 and 1198S, the Streetfighter models have different spec levels. As well as gaining lightweight wheels and Öhlins suspension, the Streetfighter S comes with eight-stage Ducati Traction Control (DTC) as standard alongside Ducati Data Analysis (DDA), which is a simple datalogging feature. The stock model lacks DTC but can be retro-fitted with DDA as it is basically just a plug-in dongle but it is a bit pointless for road riding and only really useful on track.

When it comes to accessories, most bikes have Termignoni pipes fitted (the official Ducati option) and a few have other bolt-on bling such as bar-end mirrors, a small screen, different engine covers, billet levers etc. Bolt-on bling is always subjective, give the bike a good inspection, see if the original parts are included and then decide if the bling is to your tastes. If not, walk away as replacing parts and returning a tarted-up bike to standard is often lots of hassle and expense.

2009 Ducati Streetfighter - Rivals

In 2009 the only real rival for the Streetfighter was the V-twin Aprilia Tuono, however it was thoroughly out-gunned by the Ducati in every department, and the more relaxed Triumph Speed Triple 1050. It wasn’t until the 2012 Triumph Speed Triple R or Aprilia Tuono V4 or the 2014 KTM 1290 Super Duke R that things got interesting – by which time the Streetfighter’s days were numbered... The inline fours from Japan such as the Kawasaki Z1000, Yamaha FZ1 or Honda CB1000R weren’t really rivals.

Suzuki B-King (2008-2012) | Approx Price: £6000-£9000

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Power/Torque

181bhp / 108lb-ft

Weight

235kg

KTM 1290 Super Duke R (2014-2016) | Approx Price: £6000 - £8000

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Power/Torque

180bhp / 143lb-ft

Weight

207kg

Triumph Speed Triple R (2012-2014) | Approx Price: £6500-£7500

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Power/Torque

133bhp / 82lb-ft

Weight

221kg

2009 Ducati Streetfighter - Verdict

If you can secure a Streetfighter S for around £7000 you are getting quite a lot of bike for your money. The 1098-based engine is a peach with loads of instant stomp while the Streetfighter’s chassis is also incredibly impressive. However you need to be aware it is a firm and fairly unforgiving bike and that means that when you are in the mood it is great fun – but when you aren’t it can be a little harsh and demanding. It’s a raw super naked, remember this when you are making your buying decision...

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2009 Ducati Streetfighter - Technical Specification