# Ducati 851 > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ducati_851 > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ducati_851.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ducati_851 > Source revision: 1339899773 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Type of motorcycle Ducati 851 Manufacturer Ducati Production 1987–1992 Successor Ducati 888 Class Sport bike Engine 851 cc (52 cu in), 90° V-twin, fuel injected, 4 valves per cylinder desmodromic, liquid cooled Bore / stroke 92.0 mm × 64.0 mm (3.62 in × 2.52 in) Compression ratio 10.0:1 Power 93 hp (69 kW) @ 9,600 rpm Transmission 6 speed, chain drive Frame type Tubular steel trellis frame Brakes Front: Dual disc Rear: Single disc Tires Front: 120/70-17 Rear: 180/55-17 Weight ~430 lb (200 kg) (dry) ~460 lb (210 kg) (wet) Fuel capacity 20 litres (5.3 US gal) The **Ducati 851** is a 90° [V-twin](/source/V-twin) [fully faired](/source/Motorcycle_fairing) [sport bike](/source/Sport_bike) with liquid cooling and [four valve](/source/Multi-valve) [heads](/source/Cylinder_head). It was produced by [Ducati](/source/Ducati_Motor_Holding) between 1987 and 1992, when it was succeeded by the [Ducati 888](/source/Ducati_888). ## Development The Ducati 851 was the successor to the air-cooled two-valve Ducati 750 F1. Development had lagged with the continued use of two-valve engines, but new investment funded the technological advance that Ducati desperately needed.[1][2] After buying Ducati, [Cagiva](/source/Cagiva) invested in the development of another [V-twin](/source/V-twin), but with liquid cooling, and four-valve [desmodromic](/source/Desmodromic_valve) heads. Massimo Bordi had designed a 4V Desmo in 1973 for his thesis at the [University of Bologna](/source/University_of_Bologna), and with Cagiva in 1985, saw his updated ideas come into production as the Desmoquattro. Based on the [Pantah](/source/Pantah) motor, but with liquid cooling, [fuel injection](/source/Fuel_injection), and desmodromic four valve heads (with an included valve angle of 40°), the 851 made Ducati once again competitive in motorcycle racing. The original Desmo Quattro was an experimental 748 cc four-valve racer (seen at the [Bol d'Or](/source/Bol_d'Or) in 1986) and used 750 F1 [Pantah](/source/Ducati_Pantah) crankcases. Bordi collaborated with Cosworth to develop the heads, but in the time they had, they were only able to reduce the included valve angle of the desmodromic engine to 40°, while less than 30° was possible with valve springs. Ducati stuck with the desmodromics.[3] The subsequent 851 road bike had stronger [crankcases](/source/Crankcase), while the heads and valves remained the same; designed to fit above the 88 mm bore of a 748 cc version. The 1987 – 1988 Ducati 851 Tricolor used the signature steel tube [trellis frame](/source/Motorcycle_frame), adorned with Marvic wheels, Brembo brakes and Marzocchi suspension. That first release was criticised for its handling, with the 16-inch wheels so the wheels were enlarged from a 16-inch to 17-inch wheels. In addition, upgraded Ohlins USD suspension components were fitted front, along with fully floating front Brembo brake rotors. In 1991, the bore was enlarged when Ducati released the SP Series of limited edition race replicas needed to sell the required number of bikes for the street in order to be homologated for racing, thus creating the [Ducati 888](/source/Ducati_888).[4] In 1992, three Ducati superbike models were available: the 851 Strada (851 cc), the 888 SP4 (888 cc), and the 888 SP4S (888 cc). A notable owner of this motorcycle was triple Formula One world champion Ayrton Senna.[5][6][*[circular reference](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability#Wikipedia_and_sources_that_mirror_or_use_it)*][7] ## Racing - 1986 [Marco Lucchinelli](/source/Marco_Lucchinelli) - (Pole Position, Misano GP)[8] - 1987 [Marco Lucchinelli](/source/Marco_Lucchinelli) - (Pole Position, SBK)[8] - 1990 [Raymond Roche](/source/Raymond_Roche) - SBK (World Champion, SBK)[9] ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Ducati 851"](http://www.diseno-art.com/encyclopedia/vehicles/road/bikes/Ducati_851.html). Diseno. Retrieved 2006-11-05. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Ducati Heritage: The 851"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070910032921/http://www.ducati.com/heritage/anni80/851/caratteristiche.jhtml). Ducati Motor Holding. Archived from [the original](http://www.ducati.com/heritage/anni80/851/caratteristiche.jhtml) on 2007-09-10. Retrieved 2008-06-22. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["The story of the 748 Quattrovalvole"](http://www.sigmaperformance.com/748-853.html). SigmaPerformance. Retrieved 2006-11-05. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["'888 SBK specs"](https://web.archive.org/web/20060521144253/http://www.ducati.com/heritage/anni90/888sbk92/caratteristiche.jhtml). Ducati. Archived from [the original](http://www.ducati.com/heritage/anni90/888sbk92/caratteristiche.jhtml) on 2006-05-21. Retrieved 2006-11-06. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [https://i.pinimg.com/564x/a2/b5/62/a2b56240a1f321c64b675b1b938abbc6.jpg](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/a2/b5/62/a2b56240a1f321c64b675b1b938abbc6.jpg) [*[bare URL image file](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Bare_URLs)*] 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [Ayrton Senna](/source/Ayrton_Senna) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Ayrton Senna | biography - Brazilian race-car driver | Britannica.com"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150908210335/http://www.britannica.com/biography/Ayrton-Senna). *www.britannica.com*. Archived from [the original](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ayrton-Senna) on 2015-09-08. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-auto_8-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-auto_8-1) ["Ducati Heritage: The 851"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070910032921/http://www.ducati.com/heritage/anni80/851/caratteristiche.jhtml). Ducati Motor Holding. Archived from [the original](http://www.ducati.com/heritage/anni80/851/caratteristiche.jhtml) on 2007-09-10. Retrieved 2008-06-22. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Ducati Heritage: The 851"](http://www.ducati.com/heritage/anni90/851sbk/caratteristiche.jhtml). Retrieved 2008-06-22.[*[dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*] ## External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Ducati 851](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Ducati_851). - [Ducati 851](http://ducati.com/history/80s/851/index.do) at Ducati.com Heritage. - [Ducati 851 sbk](http://ducati.com/history/90s/851_sbk__90/index.do) at Ducati.com Heritage. v t e Ducati Current motorcycles Panigale V2 V4 Streetfighter V2 V4 Diavel 1260 XDiavel Hypermotard 950 SuperSport 950 Monster Multistrada V2 V4 DesertX Scrambler Ducati 860-E Concept Previous motorcycles 60 65T 98 125 TV 250 GT 748 749 750 GT 848 851 860 GT 888 916 996 998 999 1098 1198 Apollo Aurea Bronco Desmo 250 350 450 Desmosedici RR Diana (Mk 3) GTL 350 500 GTV 350 500 Mach 1 Monza Monza Junior Mark 3 239 250 350 450 Mark 3D 239 250 350 450 MH900e Monster 696 Monster 1200 S Multistrada 620/1000/1100 Panigale 899 959 1199 1299 Pantah Paso Scrambler 50 100 125 250 350 350 R/T 450 450 R/T Sebring SportClassic PS1000LE Sports Desmo 350 500 ST ST2 ST3 ST4s Streetfighter Supersport Mopeds Cucciolo MotoTrans models 24 Horas Deluxe Electronic Forza Road 250 350 Strada Vento Designers Fabbro Galluzzi Giugiaro Taglioni Tamburini Terblanche Ducati Corse (racing) 750 Imola Supermono Desmosedici MotoGP riders Engines Bipantah Desmoquattro Parallel twins Superquadro Singles V-twins Video games Ducati World Racing Challenge Ducati Extreme Ducati World Championship Ducati Moto Ducati: 90th Anniversary Other Cagiva Museum Sogno Ducati Motor Holding Ducati Corse Ducati Sporting Club DesmoDue Championship Ducati Energia Berliner Motor Corporation Volkswagen Group --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ducati 851](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ducati_851) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ducati_851?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.