Motorcycle specifications Ducati1098 2008 The new era of Superbike

it had been simmering for years. And then it just built and built and built... and was about to explode. Boom! Everything overflowed: displacement, design, regulations, ideas. The revolution didn't come with the 999, but with its replacement. A new hypersport heralding the whirlwind of Superbike evolution. The red storm is called 1098.

an upheaval. The liquid-cooled twin Desmoquattro had been stuck under 1000cc for a number of years. But here's the thing - as the authorized displacement for twins in SBK is due to increase very soon, Ducati takes the lead and pumps up the mill: 100cc in one go, by increasing the stroke. The spark plug becomes a little less super-square, certainly to the benefit of a more torquey character. It should come with a few surprises, as it's a new distiller, with revised, smaller cylinder heads, magnesium covers, bigger valves (42mm intake and 34mm exhaust), a dose of revs to lose 3kg, and the best for last: Hold on to your hats - 160 HORSES!
Never before seen on a production twin. That's 10 more horsepower than the 999 R, the most upscale version of the Bolognese sports bike. The factory Superbike version will easily exceed 200 hp and put the Japanese competition to the sword.

this small earthquake in the twin sport microscope had to be accompanied by a dress worthy of the event. The surprise is a happy one: fierce, racy and elegant, and will reconcile Ducatists who had not really accepted the 999's tortured design. Apart from its track record and cutting-edge technical solutions, the 999 won't leave as strong a stylistic mark as the 916. The 1098 gives itself a better chance of taking over from one of the most beautiful sports bikes in history. In fact, from certain angles, parts of the 1098 are reminiscent of the lines of the 916.
The mirrors seem to come from the Desmocedidi RR and the seat shell from the 999. There's even a hint of the MV-Agusta F4S in the design of the taillights. Despite the Triumph Daytona 675-like headlights, the 1098's snout exudes its own personality without borrowing anything from Ducati's current production. An edgy, incisive package that continues into a fairing with less tortured shapes than on the 999. Under the seat, the 2 exhausts are back, as is the famous monobracket (very strong indeed).

beautiful to look at, the 1098 will also be beautiful to detail. Under the bubble, the speedometer unit immediately transports you to the world of the paddock. An all-digital model identical to that of a racing model, and the equipment of the 2007 MotoGP Desmocedici. Hold on, stay in front for a moment. Just because all modern sports bikes have radial braking doesn't mean you should miss out on the 1098. It's radial too, but its calipers are of the same type as those used by the MotoGP machine, i.e. cast aluminum monobloc. This very racing system clamps 330 mm-diameter discs. Enough to open up the tarmac with the front axle.
A Ducati always has a trellis frame. On the 1098, the tubes are larger but the walls thinner. This means greater rigidity and less weight. In fact, weight has also been saved on the rims, on the engine, just about everywhere; and the 1098 proudly boasts a featherweight of 173 kg. Incredible! That's 4 kg less than a 2007 R1, especially since a bike with a twin is not considered light. What a feat of engineering!

will the 1098 succeed the fabulous 916 with panache? Why not, and certainly more so than the 999. It paves the way for a new generation of machines, with very big, sporty twins (Ducat starts with 1098s, but SBK regulations should allow 1200s - that leaves plenty of room). The design is beautiful, the potential frightening, the price without comment, and will the name engrave itself as strongly in people's minds as in the marble of the track?

M.B - manufacturer's photos