Twisting Asphalt - A SoCal Ducati Motorcycle Blog

A gigantic cloud of white steam is rising as the heat from the falling hot water finally begins to mellow out the dull, tired, and almost lethargic soreness. Every joint, every bone, and every muscle aches. They cry out for help and clamor for Advil, yet physically I feel like I’m well beyond over the counter solutions. At this point I can’t tell what I would like to have right now; another smoke, a good scotch or a very long massage from a gal with incredibly strong hands.

After twenty minutes of soaking in the heat it still feels like I’ve been awake for a million hours straight – and I guess in some respects I have. My day started sometime between last night and this morning and it never let up. From the moment I first woke until now, I have binged on a narcotic like addiction to motorcycling. From the early morning semiconscious daydreams and wonder, to the mid-day “I can’t fucking believe this is real” emotions, all the way to the late afternoon “I feel so tired it feels good” adventure, it has been a day filled with moto-excess.

Starbucks in hand, at 9:05 this morning MotorMilt and I pulled into Pro Italia. Jake meet us at the door and shortly thereafter I found myself filling out paperwork and DMV forms for the fourth time in three years (oddly enough three of the four having now been purchased in months starting with the letter ‘M’, go figure…). Only this time I signed on the dotted line with a very wicked smile already plastered on my face.

There is something that is simply magnificent – and all together evil - about showing up at your local Ducati dealer with a check that’s already made out in hand. After months of waiting (what would I have done without the 1098-forum to tide me over???) and slowly building anticipation, today arrived with a width and breadth that was astonishing, if not expected. I suppose it was part relief, part excitement and touches of insanity all rolled into one. It’s not everyday that you can stake your claim to a fantasy.

Without saying a word to Jake, he clearly understood that while I was enjoying shooting the shit with him, I had absolutely no desire to spend my day hanging out at PI. In less then an hour MotorMilt and I were out the door; bike in hand, rolling the 1098S into the bed of the pickup. It was by far the easiest bike purchase I’ve ever made. Snap your fingers fast.

Firing the bike up for its maiden voyage it was immediately apparent that this motorcycle was going to be unlike any Ducati I have ever ridden. Forget the technological advancements, the tasty bits or even the looks; this bike is all about the sound. At a stand still the bike emits a deep nails scrapping on pavement kind of noise that articulates pure up to no good evil. Grab the slightest bit of throttle and it instantly auditorially redefines wickedness in your lexicon. The higher you take the L-Twin engine, the more vicious it becomes until you feel like a Pit bull whose jaw is clenched and is clinging for dear life.

Of course motorcycles - and sportbikes in particular – aren’t solely about sounds, but more importantly actions. The 1098S offers both instantly, emitting massive doses of an emotional kind of magic that induces momentary out of body experiences while riding. Randomly while coming around corners you can’t help but feel like you’re playing yourself in an XBox game. The microsecond you merely begin to have the first inclination to even think about a movement or motion, it just happens. To say that this bike is responsive doesn’t even begin to describe how much movement it offers. While other bikes are fluid or fast, the 1098S acts on an entirely different level. It removes all hesitation or doubt, completely bypassing your central nervous system and taking its direction straight from the electrical impulses emanating in your mind. There is no other worldly explanation for how it can react so quickly and with so little fuss.

I usually hesitate to evoke religion when I write stuff for the blog since its such a divisive topic, but after four hours of riding through the Santa Monica Mountains just above Malibu, I find myself feeling fairly certain that this bike wasn’t designed in Ducati Corsa, but rather fell from the heavens. The fact that it is street legal is absolutely amazing and it’s just the first day, how crazy is that?

I’ll get into more specifics tomorrow after a second ride, but for right now its safe to say that I am one happy camper - The 1098S was worth the wait.

More Picts after the break.

Picts at Pro Italia

More 1098S Images

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