Ducati 1198

WHAT WE LIKE
* Chassis
* Superb acceleration
* Lithe
* Slick gearbox

NOT SO MUCH
* Can't see out of mirrors - a worry when the police are trying to pull you over…

OVERVIEW
Ducati has won the International Bike of the Year (IBOTY) twice - in 1994 with the pioneering 916, and then 13 years later with the 1098.

While the 916 had four years to enjoy the limelight before it was superseded by the 996, this time Ducati has cut the interval in half by replacing the 1098 with the 1198 after just two years.

It's not that the 1098 couldn't hold its own - the foundation for change was already there. The 1198 is now in the same capacity league as the 1098R world superbike homologation machine, which has always been 1198cc.

The 1098R won last year's world superbike title with Troy Bayliss, and is making a handsome fist of the 2009 battle with Noriyuki Haga.

This is the start of a great year for European sportsbikes, with Aprilia's all-new RSV4 set to go on sale in July, and KTM's RC8R - the machine to form the basis of the company's oft-mentioned world superbike offensive - already getting the nod of approval from journalists around the world.

Ducati's latest evolutionary - at least engine-wise -- sportsbike is available in two configurations - the 1198 and 1198S. Aside from the bigger engine, the two machines share the same basic DNA, but the higher-spec 'S' has forged alloy wheels instead of cast, Ohlins suspension instead of Showa, and it's 2kg lighter.

The S also comes with Ducati Traction Control (DCT) as standard, which is also the case on the 1098R and upcoming Streetfighter S.

Ducati Data Analyser (DDA) is also standard on the 1098S, but is available as an accessory on the 1198. DDA, which comes complete with PC software and a USB retrieval card, records numerous channels of data, including the rate of throttle opening, speed, rpm, engine temperature, distance travelled, lap times and even levels of DTC interaction.

At the end of a ride or track session, 4MB of data can be downloaded and graphed to digest at a later date. Just don't get shitty when the graph shows you've only had a fully opened throttle for less than five percent a lap…

The original Australian press launch for the Ducati 1098S was to be held at Eastern Creek, but was abandoned after atrocious conditions lashed the western Sydney circuit. I tried to compensate for the lack of on-track buzz by consuming about 10 coffees in quick succession, but it was scant consolation.

The rain-lashed day would have been a perfect time to test out the efficacy of the DTC - one of the customer benefits spruiked heavily in the 30-page DTC literature -- but I can understand why the Ducati Australia hierarchy thought otherwise…

So with Eastern Creek a write off, BikePoint hastily sourced a 1198 from a local dealer for two days of real-world riding, and the results were extremely impressive. The only tinge of disappointment was not being able to test the much hyped DTC on the 1098S, but we'll certainly sort that out sooner rather than later.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
Is it a 1098 or 1198? A passing glance wouldn't provide a definitive answer, as the 1198 is a mirror image of the 1098, and they also share the same chassis dimensions: wheelbase, rake, steering angle and suspension travel.

Instead, the major point of differentiation is the L-twin, Desmodromic engine, Ducati's bread and butter. The 1198cc capacity on the 1198s is achieved by using the same 106mm x 64.7mm bore and stroke as the 1098R. That's a 2mm increase in bore, and 3.2mm in stroke.

Ducati claims 170hp on the 1198, an increase of 10 on the 1098, but at the same rpm (9750). Peak torque also remains at 8000rpm, but there is 8.4Nm more of it.

Both the inlet and exhaust valves are also bigger - up to 43.5mm and 35.5mm respectively. The elliptical throttle bodies are now 63.9mm in diameter, straight from the 1098R menu.

But there's no slipper clutch from the 1098R, but it must have been very close to getting over the line. Oh well.

The 1198 Testastretta Evoluzione engine is the lightest ever used in a Ducati superbike, thanks to a vacuum die-cast process which reduces weight by a hefty 3kg from the 1098.  However, considering the 1198 only has a claimed 2kg dry weight advantage over the 1098, something's not quite right on the math.

The new Monster 1100 also benefits from the same weight-saving vacuum process, as will future models such as the Streetfighter.

The gearbox ratios on the 1198s are also straight from the 1098R, with third to sixth taller than the 1098. In fact, fifth gear on the 1198 is now equivalent to sixth gear on the 1098 - a ratio of 0:98 (23/24).

That doesn't mean the 1198 has lost some zest, as the taller ratios are simply 'absorbed' by the 1198's meatier torque.

The 1098 squeezed fuel mixture at a ratio of 12.5:1, and the 1198 is now 12.7:1. The 1098R's compression ratio is 12.8:1.

The 1198 has fully adjustable Showa suspension, which morphs into Ohlins on the 1198 S. The forks are both 43mm, and both rear units have adjustable ride height independent of preload. The single-sided swingarm is aluminium.

The 1198s continue with Brembo four-piston monobloc calipers, machined from a single piece of alloy. They are matched to 330mm discs.

The 1198 has 10-spoke cast alloy wheels finished in graphite grey and, as usual, the 1198S goes to the next level with new seven-spoke GP replica forged Marchesini wheels.

The instrumentation is digital, and has displays for speed, rpm, lap times, time, air temperature, engine temperature, batter voltage, A & B trips, fuel reserve trip, scheduled maintenance, as well as the usual array of warning lights.

The instrument display also includes DDA and DTC when they are active.

Dry weight on the 1198 is 171kg, 2kg more than the 1198S, which benefits from lower unsprung weight and other niceties like the carbon fibre front guard.

The 1198S is priced at $33,990 (plus ORC), and the 1198 is 6K less at $27,990 (plus ORC). Warranty is two years unlimited kilometres.

There are nine different accessories available, which you can read all about by clicking here.

The 1198 has the aforementioned graphite grey wheels and black frame, available in a red or pearl white. The frame and wheels on the 1198 S are all bronze, in a choice of red or midnight black.

ON THE ROAD
The 1198 is Ducati's new sportsbike deity, and with good reason. It certainly doesn't hold any surprises per se, but it delivers a high level of riding satisfaction, all in beautiful melodic tones, that has you wanting more. And it's still got the looks.

The major ingredient of any blue-chip sportsbike is its handling, and I have to say the chassis on the 1198 is way too proficient for me.

Despite its stiff suspension, the 1198 still eats up any blemishes in the tarmac with consummate ease, even at fairly steep angles of lean. Sure, it might start dancing a little in the really rough stuff, but that's only minor nuisance value as it quickly settles down and looks ahead to its next conquest.

It's a brilliant management tool on a gnarly road, so I can only imagine how much better it would be a on a race track.

Other than the steel trellis chassis, the 1198 certainly benefits from miserly unsprung weight via the high end tyres, brakes ands wheels. Not only does that enhance suspension compliance and centralise mass, but it lightens the steering and makes it more adept at changes of direction.

Not every chassis and suspension package can take advantage of a powerful engine, but it's certainly mission accomplished on the 1198, aided and abetted by the excellent Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa tyres.

The engine is wonderful, because it's a powerplant that is just so easy to use - again, no surprises, just superb delivery.

Even the absence of a slipper clutch is not a major inconvenience, and I certainly didn't have to torture the silky smooth gearbox by pushing through the gears in a hurry before a tight hairpin.

That's because the torque is so accessible and pulls hard from 3000rpm. I ran out of time to put the 1198 on the dyno, but it feels like it accesses a large chunk of its 131.4Nm from around the 4000rpm mark. For a satisfying and seductive ride, you can't get much better than that.

The rev limiter on the 1198 is set at 10,500rpm, and pulls all the way to that mark too. That's not so much a power advantage - the peak is 750rpm before that -- but when you click to the next gear, the bike remains in its hot zone and ready for more play.

The power of the Brembo brakes is immense, and one-finger pressure is all you need on these puppies. If the front suspension wasn't up to scratch, I would have soon known about it.

At 110km/h, the 1198 ticks over at 3,500rpm in top gear. It will certainly bumble along at lower revs that that, but anything below 2000rpm is probably inviting a little transmission snatch.

In traffic, the 1198 gets the job done, although it sometimes feels like a caged lion. When the engine got over 100 degrees, the radiant heart did become a little overbearing on my legs, and u-turns were hard yakka when my hands got wedged underneath the screen.

If I was a 1198 owner, I'd also go for the optional spacer kit, enabling an extension of 30mm over the standard mirror length.

As it stands, the only way I could see behind was to lift my arm off the handlebar and gaze under my armpit - and on one occasion I didn't like what I saw!

It turns out that Mr Plod was trying to pull me over for 3km. It wasn't quite a Cannonball Run, but he still took some money and demerit points away from me for his troubles.

The 1198's 820mm seat height makes it accessible to a large number of punters, and there's the normal inclined riding position you'd expect from a cutting-edge sportsbike which relies on forward weight distribution to maintain grip.

The seat is quite hard, but it doesn't seem to cause too much angst, even when riding for a couple of hours. That's probably because it's quite wide and offers a fair bit of support, even though it's not like sitting on a pillow. Both 1198s are biposto.

The 1198 is an outstanding package, and the extra power has only added to the shine. It's been a straightforward progression from the 1098; one that has been built on the strengths of Ducati's racing heritage. And that makes it a far better machine for the road, too.

For a video of the 1198s featuring Bayliss, click here.