zxhoya
Zone Head
Posts: 631
|
posted December 17, 2006 02:16 AM
Ducati 1098 first ride!
Quotes from this months issue of Motorcyclist mag's Mitch Boehm.
''So, what's the 1098 like at speed? In a word: phenomenal. Superlatives get tossed around like election-season mud in an industry filled to the rafters with ultralight, ultrapowerful and ultrareliable motorcycles, but I have no problem stating forcefully that the 1098 is every bit as competent as the Big Four's 160-horsepower literbikes in any performance category short of all-out speed. With roughly 150 horsepower at the rear wheel, the 1098 isn't as powerful as a Japanese superbike. But it's every bit as light and, thanks to top-shelf components and the manageable way it routes power to the pavement, is sure to get a majority of riders down a twisty stretch of pavement with as much speed and agility as the big inline-fours, and with a higher degree of confidence.
All this became immediately apparent during my 16 laps on a black-painted prototype that represented the final spec to which the production bikes would be built. Pooh-pooh the limited number of laps if you want, but with lap times in the 2-minute range, that's more than a half hour of flat-out, fast-as-I-could riding. More than ample for a solid impression.
On-track, the 1098 felt immediately composed. It flicked into corners easily and neutrally with very little bar effort and remained supremely stable in the wicked-fast sections, one of which included a 130-mph right-hand kink that led into a 50-mph right-hander, where I had to grab a handful of the awesome Brembo monobloc front brakes. The bike feels narrow in the middle and very, very light-noticeably more so than a typical Japanese literbike. Suspension settings were about right for my 225 pounds, which says a lot since most top-line sportbikes are a bit soft with me aboard. This tells me the factory test riders-and racers-did a bang-up (and real-world) job, which in turn means a wide variety of owners will be able to enjoy their 1098's as soon as they throw a leg over them. The stable-yet flickable chassis and surprisingly high degree of feedback the bike routes to the rider allowed me to learn the track quickly, and forget all about the Mediterranean-flavored high-side I'd worried about earlier.
If the chassis felt great, the new-generation Testastretta engine was even better, launching me out of slower corners with serious punch-even if I'd run through the corner a gear high or let the tach needle drop below the ideal power-producing numbers-and providing absolutely ferocious rip on top. I've got plenty of track miles on Ducati's 999R, which arguably packs the finest sporting V-twin ever produced. But after my sweet 16 laps at Ascari, I would bet a case of top-shelf Pinot Grigio that the 1098's Testastretta Evoluzione engine is better: more powerful (notably in the middle of the rev-band), smoother and even meaner-sounding, if that's possible.
More power, less weight, loads more sex appeal, optimum suspension settings right out of the box, outrageous on-track performance, various bits of true MotoGp technology-and a price just a few thousand more than Japan Inc.'s mass-market superbikes, not to mention higher resale value? Sounds to me like Ducati's new 1098 has a very bright future-and that Signore Domenicali and Lock will hang onto their jobs for quite a while longer.'' MC
____________
''The angle of my dangle is inversely proportional to the heat of my meat'' Will Ferrell
  
|
fish_antlers
Administrator
The Truth is Out There
Posts: 21892
|
posted December 17, 2006 08:32 AM
____________
What business is it of yours where I'm from, Friendo?
|
Gary B
Expert Class
Posts: 167
|
posted December 17, 2006 08:43 AM
Overpriced Italion crap that will NEVER be better than the japanese bikes for the money!
|
stevewfl
Moderator
Posts: 27920
|
posted December 17, 2006 10:31 AM
quote:
Overpriced Italion crap that will NEVER be better than the japanese bikes for the money!
c'mon Gary, if I can be open-minded anyone can.
The hardcore/cult Suzuki Hayabusa fans are having a hard time since being humbled too.
____________
2010 Concours14
'08 R1 YAMAHA
ZX14 gone!
CBR600RR track bike
|
Gary B
Expert Class
Posts: 167
|
posted December 17, 2006 10:34 AM
I am openminded.....also being realistic!
|
stevewfl
Moderator
Posts: 27920
|
posted December 17, 2006 10:46 AM
quote:
I am openminded.....also being realistic!
lol ok, ^5ers
____________
2010 Concours14
'08 R1 YAMAHA
ZX14 gone!
CBR600RR track bike
|
fastestbusaaround
Needs a life
I eat Fish...
Posts: 7889
|
posted December 17, 2006 01:55 PM
quote:
I am openminded.....also being realistic!
+1...even Harley tried with Buell, more crap.
____________
FYYFF!!!
|
stevewfl
Moderator
Posts: 27920
|
posted December 17, 2006 02:00 PM
c'mon man
 Harley and Buell
lmao is that a far comparison to "Ducati"
____________
2010 Concours14
'08 R1 YAMAHA
ZX14 gone!
CBR600RR track bike
|
fastestbusaaround
Needs a life
I eat Fish...
Posts: 7889
|
posted December 17, 2006 02:08 PM
Ya, well it seems that everyone is trying to get into each other's markets, Buell has it's share of dedicated loyalists, like DUC does...IMO, they are both shit rides, for different reasons, but in both cases, the steep prices for what you get is totally unjustified.
BTW, Buell would have you think that is is a fair comparison to DUC or any of the Japanese imports.
____________
FYYFF!!!
|
|
|
HOME
NEW TOPIC