Last November at the massive EICMA motorcycle show in Milan, Italy, Ducati shocked the moto-press with news of the new 1098R. Priced at $39,995, it’s a Superbike with just enough street equipment to satisfy homologation standards.
Ducati calls the 1098R “the most powerful twin-cylinder motorcycle ever built.” That’s a heady claim, but the 1198cc powerplant is rated at 180 hp, just 20 ponies down on the MotoGP-derived, four-cylinder, 990cc Desmosedici RR. Further, claimed dry weight is a svelte 365 pounds. To manage that impressive power-to-weight ratio, the R’s race kit—included with each bike—features a competition ECU with adjustable traction control.
This week, Associate Editor Mark Cernicky and Technical Editor Kevin Cameron attended the 1098R press introduction in Jerez, Spain. We’ve set up a forum for you to post questions and read the latest feedback from the CW editors who were on the scene.
Check out the coverage of the 2008 Ducati 1098R in our Cycle World forum!
