2010 Ducati 1198

Where I live now, pretty much everyone I know that rides a motorcycle rides a Harley. If one mentions any motorcycle made by a Japanese manufacturer one can find themselves in a situation they would rather not be in. This is completely different if you are talking dirt bikes which are an okay subject to discuss with those that are Harley Davidson die-hards. For me it has never stopped me from putting my two cents in when it comes to motorcycles. If you have read some of my other articles you will know I have nothing against Harley’s; I just think there is more to the world of street bikes than a Harley Davidson. When asked what my dream bike would be, I gladly respond, a Ducati Monster 696. As you can tell by the title of this piece I am not talking about my dream bike but it is a Ducati.

The origins of the 1198 stem from its predecessor the Ducati 1098 which has been manufactured by the Italian motorcycle company since 2007. There were three different versions, called the 1098, 1098S, and 1098R.The first two models were replaced by a successor model, the Ducati 1198 which was introduced in 2009. The 1198 shares design elements with its predecessor 1098, but the 1198 has more power and torque, redesigned wheels, lighter headlights, traction control and lighter fairing on the S model. Another carryover from its 1098 heritage is a distinctive single sided swingarm and of course it’s very good looks. How can one go wrong in the looks department when buying an Italian motorcycle? Like Italian made cars, they look fast even when sitting still and always draws attention from onlookers

Engine: L-Twin cylinder, 4 valve per cylinder Desmodromic, liquid cooled.

Displacement: 1198.4 cc.

Bore x Stroke: 106x67.9mm.

Compression Ratio: 12.7:1

Power: 170hp @ 9750rpm.

Torque: 97lb-ft 131.4Nm @ 8000rpm.

Gearbox: 6 Speed.

Front Suspension: Showa 43mm with TiO fully adjustable usd forks .

Rear Suspension: Progressive linkage with fully adjustable Showa monoshock. Aluminium single-sided swingarm.

Fuel Tank Capacity: 4.1 gallons (US).

Dry Weight: 377 lbs.

Seat Height: 32.2

List price: $16,495

Comes with a 2 years unlimited mileage Warranty.

The Ducati 1198 is the base model. Also available is the 1198S, 1198S Corse SE Special Edition and last but not least, 1198R Corse SE Special Edition. Some of the key features of the S models is top of the line suspension, traction control and light weight chasis components. The Corse comes with multi-color paint scheme, factory team-style aluminium fuel tank and race kit.

One fun key feature of the higher priced S and Corse model is the Ducati Data Analyzer (DDA). The system automatically records information such as, lap times, engine temperature, engine rpm, speed and more.

List price: $21,795 (1198S)

List price: $24,995 (1198S Corse).

List price: $39,995 (1198R Corse) with a Horse Power & Torque at 180/99.

Ducati Superbikes are race bike’s, pure and simple with its sleek design. Ducati is a winner both on the track and off. With that in mind Ducati takes its winning technology and applies it to their bikes whether they are being raced or enjoyed by the motorcycle enthusiast.

This motorcycle is not for everyone and since I always stress safety, be realistic with yourself. Like Clint Eastwood’s famous character, Dirty Harryonce said, “A man gots to know his limitations”. One can look cool but if you do not know what you are in for it can be a big surprise. Twist that throttle and the bike jumps up like a bull coming out of the shoot and the next thing you know you are wrapped around a telephone pole. Now who looks cool? Bottom line is do not bite off more than you can chew and respect the power of this motorcycle.

I have found that even in the Harley Davidson crowd the name Ducati draws positive attention and comments like, "that would be the one non-Harley motorcycle I would love to own".  Then the discussion turns to which one would you buy and roll into the garage next to your hog.  Just like many things from Italy; whether its the people, food, wine, cars and motorcycles one has to love things Italian.

Happy riding and keep the rubber side down.