Ducati 848 EVO: The Gods Must Be Crazy

Heartbeat

There is no other way something as insane as a Ducati 848 ^EVO would have come to Gwalior. And then, we are let loose on one

Excerpts From an Interview with owner

198bhp HAYABUSA?    Let me ask you a question, Pagani Zonda F or Ferrari 458? If you say Ferrari then you know my answer and if you say Zonda then you’ll never understand. Between class and power I go for class. Didn’t buy the bike for speed mate, my dream was always to own a Ducati. I love bikes and Ducati represents the pinnacle of that passion

NICKNAME?    After every ride I give her a kiss and I refer the bike as “her”

AWKWARD COMMENT?    It was my second day in Gwalior, a guy comes to me in a Pulsar, revs a bit and said, “want to play?”

FIRST SIGHT?    I saw it on the internet, after one and a half years, in 2010 Ducati 848 came to India, and I bought it in February 2011

TOP SPEED?    210kph at Delhi-Jaipur Highway and I did 180kph in Gwalior at Race Course road and City Centre

CELEB YOU IMAGINE YOURSELF?    Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) from the movie Top Gun, I get a feeling like that

RIDING SONG?    “Riders on the Storm” by The Doors. I love its remix version feat. Snoop Dogg

FIRST BIKE?    Hero Honda CBZ, after 3 years I bought Honda CBR600RR and after 7 years  I bought Ducati 848 ^EVO

RACING?    I don’t really want to race with this, need for speed is gone with this bike. With my Honda CBR600RR I use to do drag races and all

DREAM CARS?    Ferrari 458 Italia. And my all-time favourite are Lamborghini Countach and Ferrari 360 Modena

KEEPING BIKE KEYS?    It’s with me all the time

DO YOU LET ANYONE ELSE RIDE YOUR BIKE?    No, never

PARKING ZONE    I park only where I can keep eye on it, because once I left CBR and someone tear the seat with blade or a key

LIKES    I like the sound, a sense of freedom when you ride the bike and the sheer power underneath you

ENJOY THE ATTENTION OR YOU FEEL EMBARRASED?    I enjoy it, wherever I stop in the city, I am surrounded with at least 10 people. Even while riding, everyone stares the bike

WHAT IF SOMEONE TOOK A KEY AND SCRATCHED THE FUEL TANK?    !@##%CENSORED*&#…I regret that guy when he was born

NEXT BIKE?    Ducati 1199 Panigale or BMW S1000RR

MESSAGE TO SS FATERNITY    Don’t worry about what you ride, doesn’t matter you are f**king riding a Pulsar or CBZ, it’s all man not the machine at the end of the day

HIT LIST

Engine: 849.4cc, L-Twin cyl, Power: 140bhp, Torque: 98Nm, Gearbox: 6M, 0-100kph: 3secs, Top Speed: 256kph, Kerb Weight: 168kg, Economy: 20kpl

Setback:  ₹17.5 lakh (on-road)

SS VERDICT

Things don’t get extreme than this, and we not just talking about performance.

8/10