Ducati 1098

Ducati 1098
Aka	"Ten-ninety-eight"
Manufacturer	Ducati
Production	2007-present
Predecessor	Ducati 999
Successor
Parent company
Class	Sport bike
Platform
Engine	1098: 1099 cc bore/stroke: 104 x 64.7 mm 1098 R: 1198 cc bore/stroke: 106mm x 67.9mm L-twin, 4 valve per cylinder desmodromic, liquid cooled; Compression ratio: 12.5:1
Power	1098: 160hp @ 9750 rpm 1098 R: 180hp @ 9750 rpm
Torque	1098: 90.4lbs.ft @ 8000 rpm 1098 R: 98.8lbs.ft @ 7750 rpm
Top speed	186mph
Tires	Front: 120/70 ZR17, Rear: 190/55 ZR17
Transmission	6 speed
Suspension	Front: Ohlins upside-down forks Rear: Ohlins monoshock.
Frame	Tubular steel trellis frame
Drakes	Front: Two 330 mm semi-floating discs, radial Brembo 4-piston calipers, Rear: 245 mm disc, 2-piston caliper
Rake	24°30' / 24,5°
Trail
Wheelbase	1430mm
Length
Width
Seat height	820mm
Dry weight	173kg
Wet weight
Fuel economy
Fuel capacity	15.5L (incl 4L reserve)
Related	Ducati 848

The Ducati 1098 is a 1099 cc (1098/1098 S) or 1198 cc (1098 R) L-twin sport bike manufactured by Ducati. It was announced on November 8, 2006 for the 2007+ model year and replaces the 999. The 1098/1098 S makes a manufacturer claimed 160hp, 90.4 lbs.ft torque, and weighs 173 kg. The 0-60 mph time is less than 2.8 seconds and top speed is estimated at 186mph. The 1098 R, announced in November 2007, makes a manufacturer claimed 180hp, 98.8ftlb torque. These figures give the 1098 the highest torque-to-weight ratio of any production sport bike ever made.

The MSRP of the 1098 is US $15,995; the 1098 S is priced at $19,995 while the 1098 R is $39,995.

Design

The 1098 shares more design elements with the older 998 than with its predecessor the 999, such as horizontally placed headlights and a non-integrated exhaust system. Another carry over from its 998 heritage is the single-sided swingarm which is decidedly Ducati. This step back to a more traditional Ducati design has been welcomed by many Ducati fans who criticized the design of the 999. The Ducati 1098/1098 S/1098 R are available in Black, Red or Yellow colors.

Racing

Ducati not only created a stir in the public world with the release of the 1098, but also in the racing world, specifically the World Superbike (WSBK). To make racing even, WSBK allows concessions to motorcycles of different cylinder amounts. The fewer the cylinders, the more concessions. Ducati with its V-twin design (2 cylinders) was able to utilize many of these concessions compared to its inline-4 competitors. Ducati argued that the current engine design was end-of-life and it would be too expensive to keep its current bikes competitive. Therefore it released the 1098.

The problem was, at the time, WSBK rules limited V-twins to 1000cc so effectively Ducati did not have a guarantee that it could race its 1098 in the premier class. Before it released the 1098, Ducati lobbied the WSBK to update the rules to accommodate its new bike. Other bike manufacturers were not happy about racing a bike with a larger engine, especially when that bike belonged to Ducati, which was dominating the WSBK. For the 2007 racing year, only the Buildbase race team of SBK could race the 1098. Finally in June 2007, WSBK announced that 1200cc engines would be allowed to compete, effectively legitimizing the Ducati 1098. Ducati race fans around the world are excited at finally seeing this potent race bike prove its merit with multi-WSBK champion Troy Bayliss at the helm.

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  Ducati 1098 S Tricolore at the International Motorcycle Show

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  Ducati 1098 S

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  Ducati 1098 S

External links

• Ducati 1098 Official Ducati site
• Ducati 1098S - First Ride article from Motorcycle USA
• Ducati Unveils Stunning 1098 Superbike article from Motorcycle Daily
• Ducati Releases 1098 article from Motorcycle USA
• La nuova Superbike 1098. Godetevela! article from the official Ducati blog