Motorcycle specifications Ducati1198 2011 A desire for performance

the 2011 model year enriches the 1198's equipment. Not only does it come standard with DDA, Ducat's data acquisition system, but also DTC traction control and a shifter - quite a piece of equipment for a production sports bike.

even when the Testastretta Evoluzione twin was squeezed as tightly as possible into the frame, we suspected that it would fit into a large suit. And then, after seeing the 1098 R in Superbike action with Troy Bayliss, the "basic" 1098 began to see red, much more than its scarlet dress masked its bubbling.

"Since that's how it is...." she said to herself before rummaging through the paddock sibling's belongings. A turn of the hammer, 2 screwdrivers, 3 spacers. The 1098 didn't ask for anything else, it swallowed some cm3 and came back to us as an 1198, both in its name and in its new displacement.

henceforth, the boundary between road bike and pure Superbike has frankly narrowed. With its new cubic capacity, the 1198 now spits out 170 horsepower at 9,750 rpm. A borderline between 2 stages: 10 hp more than the 1098 it replaces and 10 less than the R with its elite status.
With this kind of stoutness, the torque doesn't hesitate to overflow either. With 0.9 mkg more, its ceiling is now 13.4 mkg, still at 8,000 rpm.
It has to be said that the throttle has plenty of room to express itself: bore increased by 2 mm (106 mm) and stroke by 3.2 mm (67.9 mm). The Italian twin's dimensions remain super-square. The huge bore allows for 4% larger valves, 43.5 mm on the intake and 35.5 mm on the exhaust. The camshaft profile is 10% meaner than before. Bigger displacement means bigger air requirements. The 1198 is also equipped with 63.9 mm intake ducts, the same as on the R. Thanks to new crankcase technology and the extensive use of magnesium, the engine weighs 3 kg less. A further 500 grams have been saved by the use of new light clusters.

on the chassis side, the changes are less obvious. Ducati has reserved technological refinement for the S version. Let's not deny ourselves the pleasure: in addition to the 10 extra hp, the Bolognese sports bike has lost a total of 2 kg. The frame, which is as rigid as you could wish and highly technical, calls for little reproach. Unless you're a road rider without the necessary technical background to appreciate its temperament...;-) The trellis frame, with its 34 mm-diameter, 1.5 mm-thick tubes, remains unchanged, except in color if used on the 848, the standard, the S or the R.
Showa suspensions are found on the 1198, both front and rear, with height-adjustable shock absorbers. The suspensions are, as they should be, adjustable in all directions. The fork remains a beautiful object, inverted and equipped with monobloc brake calipers gnakant 330 mm discs. Anything better is Öhlins, and that's on the 1198 S.

the dress remains, sublime, majestic, disquieting, bewitching. The engine, caught up in the turmoil of performance, only had to wait 2 years before taking on the best of Ducati production. All the 1198 needs is 10 hp, Öhlins and traction control to be the equal of Ducati's finest jewel. But like any apprentice, prove yourself on this one, then consider the S version before fantasizing about the R. Dreams and madness begin here.

M.B - Manufacturer's photos