2009 Ducati 1198 Superbike First Ride

New Models

2009 Ducati 1198 Superbike First Ride

We ride Ducati's latest superbike motorcycle at Portimao, Portugal with Troy Bayliss showing us how to properly ride the Ducati 1198S.

Ken Hutchison | http://www.motorcycle-usa.com | Posted December 14, 2008 Eugene, Oregon

The Ducati 1198S cranks out 170 horsepower, ten more than its 1098 predecessor and it's a tad bit lighter as well. (Photo: motorcycle-usa.com)

Dozens of red Ducati flags whip in the wind along the front straight of the Autodromo Internacional Algarve circuit as a row of pristine 2009 Ducati 1198S superbikes glisten in the morning light below them. This is Portimao, a region near the southern edge of Portugal, and this is a big day for Ducati. It’s the international press launch for the new 1198, the latest in an ever-growing line of Italian superbikes that has taken the world by storm. Only two years removed from the arrival of the brilliant 1098, the 1198 is thoroughly redesigned and this is the first opportunity for the press to sample the goods. In brief, the new 1198 feels like its predecessor with a confident front-end and serious stability, but this bike is more powerful, faster and gnarlier than ever before.

At the heart of this new motorcycle is a stroked version of the Testastretta Evoluzione engine. It revs quicker, makes ten-more horsepower and is lighter and more durable than its predecessor. The S-version we will be testing is equipped with top-shelf suspension and wheels, as well as the latest Ducati Traction Control (DTC) and Ducati Data Acquisition (DDA) systems. This Ducati Corse racing technology has again spilled-over and sprinkled us with its scientific splendor.

Feeding fuel to the L-Twin are a pair of 63.9mm elliptical throttle bodies, now with one injector per cylinder, that are the same size as those on the 1098R. No swapping ECU and exhausts to get the full benefit on the 1198S is required, with the DTC system refined for the street right out of the box. The engine is lighter, stronger and more powerful. Like the 1098R, this engine is closer to the power output of the Inline-Four mills it is inevitably compared with. The question is whether the added displacement and slightly reduced weight of the base 1198 will close the gap enough on the competition in our annual Superbike Smackdown.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ken Hutchison

Motorcycle-USA.com

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