A Sportbike Blog by Dylan Weiss
Besides introducing the new Monster, this morning Ducati also unveiled the new 1098R & 848. The 1098R makes 180 horsepower, includes traction control, and has a new exhaust. The 848 weights 44 pounds lighter then the 749 and 11 pounds lighter then the 1098. The bike also makes 134 horsepower. No word on pricing on either bike as of yet. If the 848 can come in around 10 or 11 grand that’d be a heck of a lot of bike for the money…
Honda, Part 6
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Here’s a writeup and more pics on the 848 - that white color is cool!
http://sundaymorningrides.com/motorcycle-news/ducati-2007/17-superbike-848.shtml
I’m not sure how I feel about the “silent modular wet clutch”
- Abel
Holy Shizzle! The R has a 1:2 power-to-weight ratio and is rumored to cost $40g’s. Good thing or there’d be 20 year-olds stuffing them into a mountainside every weekend. Wile E. Coyote doesn’t need to strap a rocket on his back anymore–he can just buy a Duc!
Gotta say I’m not sure what I think about the new ‘R’ just yet — don’t get me wrong 180 horsepower is nice, and traction control is great move forward, but for 40 grand (or thereabouts) I’m not sure Ducati did a great job differentiating the ‘R’ from the ‘S’. Is 20 more horsepower worth 14 grand? Plus for less then 12 grand you can get just as much horsepower from the new Gixxer if their press releases are to be believed (classic argument I know, but true nonetheless). Perhaps the ‘R’ was a bit handicapped a bit by having the Desmosedici RR in the line up???
Yeah, 40 large is a lot considering that the 1098 was supposed to be a less expensive bike than the 999 and then they price the 1098R 8g’s more than a 999R. Seems like they could have included a version of the FGR700 Superbike fork that some people were anticipating. Evidently Ducati is really pushing the horsepower limits of a V-twin with this engine and they had to spend a lot of engineering time to make something that wouldn’t detonate, so maybe the consumer is having to foot the R&D bill!
You guys are barking mad. I almost bought the Desmosedici, but was caught out in terms of timing. (Picked up a set of Ohlins FG 670s instead, then another Duc, then another still.) I’ve watched rather carefully. My love for Ducati is first, all things Ducati, but secondly, it stems from their L-Twins. I love them. The more you ring their necks, the wilder it sounds and the more blissfully serene the riding gets. The sedici while an excellent bike, is nowhere near the factory bike. In many respects is micmics it, but you’re down 50hp from the start, among other things. Don’t forget what a nice Gixxer one thou will bring you. However, the 1098R (which I DO have a deposit on) is ONLY 8 hp less @ the crank. (In case you mistake quotes, the sedici is 188 without the exhaust and 200 with). The 1098R is 180 without the Termis. AND ITS A TWIN!!!! Maybe you can get more power from other bikes, but thanks to WSBK homologation requirements, you’ll be racing what is in reality, very close to the same bike Troy will be campaigning in WSBK to win back his crown!!! They can change suspension, the swingarm, and make some other, minor mods, but the engine must remain largely OEM. That’s what you got on the street!!!! Further, it is by far the MOST powerful streetable twin of it’s kind in history. And I just cannot wait to try it. When you look at the prices, suddenly $40K makes an AWFUL lot of sense compared to the MotoGP replica. The devil is in the details gentlemen. Take a closer look. By the way, the R sounds awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!