Ducati
888 Gallery
| Bike |
Image |
Description |
| 1992 Ducati 888 |
 |
|
| 1992 Ducati 888 SP4 |
 |
Only 500 of these bikes were manufactured
to homologate the 888 for the 1992 World
Superbike series. |
| 1992 Ducati 888 SP4 |
 |
For 1992, there were two listed 888 Sport
Production models: the SP4, and SPS (Sport
Production Special). Sharing the bodywork
of the 1992 851 Strada, they were both Monoposto,
and while the SP4 retained the engine specifications
of the earlier SP3, the SPS was almost a
Corsa with lights. Except for a revised
cooling system and curved radiator, the
engine for the 888 SP4 was much the same
as that of the SP3. The higher-specification
SPS engine included 34 and 30mm valves,
with the higher lift inlet camshaft of the
888 Corsa. The SPS also featured a Termignoni
racing exhaust system with carbon fiber
mufflers. The cooling system was from the
Corsa, with a lightweight curved radiator
and no electric fan. Both the 888 SP4
and SPS featured the frame of the 1992
851 Strada, with revised footpeg mounts
and bent outer tubes. The front brakes
included Brembo "Gold |
| 1992 Ducati 888 SPS |
 |
Liquid cooled, four stroke, 90°“L”twin
cylinder, DOHC, desmodromic 4 valve per
cylinder. |
| 1993 Ducati 888 SP5 |
 |
The final 888 Sport Production was
the 888 SP5 of 1993. With the higher-performance
SPS engine, but with an SP4 cooling system,
this continued to set the performance
standard for twin-cylinder motorcycles.
All the usual SP features were retained,
including twin injectors, Pankl con-rods
and close-ratio gearbox. There were a
few updates on the chassis. The frame
and wheels were painted bronze, and a
Showa front fork replaced the expensive
Ohlins. There were Termignoni carbon-fiber
mufflers, a fully floating rear disc brake
and braided-steel brake lines.
Although there have been annual limited
higher-performance series since the 888,
the 888 SPs were different. These machines
were loud, hard-edged race replicas offering
considerably more performance than an
851 or 888 Strada. They were also built
in fewer numbers than later SPs, and their
rarity has resulted in diminished appreciation
of their qualities. |
| 1993 Ducati 888 SP0 |
 |
The 888 was sold as the 888 SPO in the
U.S. market, an amalgam of the limited production
high-performance SP5,and the European-specification
888 Strada. As the SP5 was unable to pass
U.S. DOT requirements for registration,
the SPO was created to homologate the 888
for AMA Superbike competition. While they
were titled a Sport Production, they were
more closely related to the 888 Strada than
the SP5. |
| 1993 Ducati 888 Strada |
 |
As the official factory racers and the
Sport Production series were already displacing
888cc, it was inevitable that the production
Superbike Strada would follow suit. This
occurred for 1993, with the series also
becoming a generic "888" rather
than "851." The 888 also featured
Pierre Terblanche's 851 styling facelift
of 1992.
The European 888 Strada was very similar
to that of the 1992 851 Strada and, except
for an 888cc engine, most of the specifications
were shared. They had the same valves,
camshafts gearbox, and a single fuel injector
per cylinder. To set the 1994 versions
apart from the almost identical 1993 model
there were new decals.The final 888s also
featuring bronze-painted wheels.
|
| 1994 Ducati 888 SP0 |
 |
This is the model which was homolgated
for Doug Pollen to race in the US superbike
series. Very similar to the SP5, but has
single injection rather than twin and different
suspension. |
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