Testastreta S.F.Q.........
 

Hi guys/gals,

Excuse my ignorance, but I have another SFQ (Stupid Flippin' (?) Question). What exactly does 'testastreta mean and to which models does it apply? I appreciate it refers to engine design but how? Sorry if I'm being stupid but I'm trying to expand my Ducati knowledge and any advice would be much appreciated.

Mike.

:rodent:

narrow head. used from 998s's onwards i think

Babel fish thinks it means "tight head"!!

It does mean narrow head

An Italian Rugby term?

Thought it was 996R onwards :puzzled:

996R was the first..........but it was 998cc's.
The 'stretta uses narrower valve angles, completely different cam/rocker design/arrangement and now sits atop all the new 4V bikes.

I see (I think).

So it doesn't apply to any 74* series Ducs?

Mike

:rodent:

I love the Ducati Superbike DVD :D

Yes the 749 does. Reminds me of my Ducati dealer this topic, I took my 748 down there and was chatting about it because it was the first time I'd ever owned such a thing, talk about a sales pitch, telling me that the Stretta was a "proper" Ducati engine :puzzled:

Last time I looked so was the Quattro

[Edited on 15-9-2005 by 748IOM]

AS said above, but with a little more detail. Testestretta literally means "narrow head" and it refers to the angle between the valve STEMS. This means that angle the valves poke into the cylinder is "flatter" and so the combustion chamber shape "squish band" can be modified to give different characertistics. The 'stretta engine is known to give better performance running at lower rpm, which theoretically makes it easier to manage for "town riding". In my experience, I think it does.

As also said above, they started it with the 998, but some 996's towarsd then end of that range also had it. All the 749/999 series have that type of engine.

There was a write up on it with diagrams on the Ducati site (in the tech section) but when I just went to get a link I found this

"Due to our constant work towards improving the appeal, richness and usability of the website, we apologise that this area is temporarily unavailable"

Always amuses me when they do that ... a bit like when the Ducati sales guy tried to convince me that ducati were improving the range by limiting the choice of colours to red, yellow and black! My bank also has a sign up saying to "improve the service for ALL our customers, you can only deposit x bags of coins per day". Anyway, I digress. It used to be there, it might be again one day. :rolleye:

The only 996 that had a testastretta engine was the 996R. This 998's had it as well and the first bike to sport the second generation testasretta engine (shorter stroke) was the 998R. Which is effectively the same engine they use in the 999R.

But I like the idea that testastretta has something to do with Italian Rugby ... :D