The bike had small revisions such as mono-block Brembo brake calipers, a steering damper, and some engine improvements to increase power and torque to 103 kW (140 PS; 138 hp) at 10,500 rpm and 98 N⋅m (72 lbf⋅ft) torque at 9,750 rpm.

[9] The "Testastretta Evoluzione" uses a 94 x 61.2 mm bore and stroke for 849 cc of displacement despite the bike's moniker of 848.

[9] The motor casings were constructed using a new vacuum die-casting method called Vacural that helps the engine weigh 7 lb (3.2 kg) less than the Ducati 749.

[10] The bike uses a pair of elliptical 56 mm throttle bodies fashioned after MotoGP designs.

[9] The 2011 Ducati 848 Evo had several changes to the engine, including new Marelli throttle bodies, revised cylinder heads with straighter intake ports and reshaped combustion chambers.

[11] Cycle World magazine's first dynamometer test of the engine showed a 1.2 kW (1.6 hp) increase over the previous motor.

With the exception of the steering damper mount, the frame between the bikes is the same, which results in identical wheelbase and rake and trail numbers.

The second generation 848 Evo had the same monoblock brake calipers and the same frame with the steering damper mount as the 1098/1198.

The 848 EVO Corse Special Edition uses the 330 mm front brake disk from the 1098/1198.