DUCATI 851SP (1989-1990) Specs, Performance & Photos

In 1989, the Italian motorcycle manufacturer launched the Ducati 851SP, a sports machine dressed in a full fairing and powered by an 851cc V-twin engine. When it was first released, the Ducati 851 came as a successor to the 750 F1 model and continued production until 1992, when it was replaced by the Ducati 888.

The 1989 Ducati 851SP, compared to the base model, packed several modifications that brought more output power, better handling, and safer braking performance. In other departments, the bike was similar to the standard model.

The bike's suspension was altered, with a 42 mm upside-down Marzocchi telescopic fork on the front and a race-derived Ohlins shock absorber on the rear, delivering better suspension performance and handling.

Also, the braking power suffered modifications and came with two larger 320 mm discs and four-piston calipers on the front wheel and a larger 245 mm disc with a dual-piston caliper on the rear wheel, providing excellent stopping power.

As for the power figures, the 1989 Ducati 851SP had its heartbeat set by an 851cc four-stroke liquid-cooled V-twin engine, managed by an electronically controlled fuel injection system, delivering 122 hp with a peak force at 10,000 rpm.

The power produced by the engine was handled by a six-speed manual transmission with a dry multi-plate clutch and a final chain drive, spinning the rear wheel to a top speed of 250 kph (155 mph).