You need to get down to Redhill on a saturday. You'd be surprised how evolution is changing people.:lol: :lol:

:lol: s'pose that's true enuff :lol:

maybe the "tricolour" version will be a sort of Burberry look :lol:

its growing on me FAST! oh no!

I am going the other way (hehe) I really liked it the moment I saw it, now the exhausts, swingarm and heat shield are making me stop and think.

It would be very, very sad to be hoping Ducati have tried to get to right, but everyone else thinks they have it wrong....

You'd change the exhausts and the heatshield anyway wouldn't you?

A nice carbon number ...

I don't mind the swingarm, but I can see one getting powdercoated/painted/whatever'd in black.

I LOVE the headlight and air intake look, gives me a woody :D

Did I mention the 90lb/ft torque? It'd go like STINK!

I like the way the fairing looking head on has the original bubble curve point profile from the 916 era bikes

There's a lot of comments about how the 1098 looks but how it goes is also important.

When I get on a Ducati I expect it to try and pull me arms off from standstill and not require a riverdance on the gear lever. The 1098 is gonna have more torque than the old bikes, like TP says 90lb/ft quoted.

I've often read that the 999 rides/goes better than the older bikes, that's probably true. Maybe it was a "mistake" (one I'm glad they made tho' :) :) )to put the testastretta engine in the 998, if it was only available in the 999 shape not only would the looks be different but the oily bits would have been a significant evolution as well.

Forget the looks, if ya want a Superbike with a big V twin Desmo engine you have just one choice.

Is that the unique thing about Ducati?

Ray.

I agree !
as the guru that is Swiss Tony, once said:
"riding a Ducati is like making love to a beautiful woman"
:lol:

Yeh what is that heatshield!!!! Rear end looks fantastic though... love the rear seat unit.... just have to get used to the front end! Oh well, have now been told I will get mine in December....... and have decided to go ahead and get it painted in silk black as I loved the colour of my dark so much!! But keep the red frame and red rim around the wheels! What do you reckon?

1098 in black and with mucho carbon
 

If you are curious to see the 1098 in black check these variations out:

http://www.ducati.ms/forums/showthre...t=13176&page=3

Blimey this forum is a bit behind the game when it comes to the 1098

Motociclismo article on 1098
 

Here is an extract from the Motociclismo magazine article thread (courtesy of the Ducati MS forum), where they seem a little better informed than most.


Motociclismo test the new Ducati 1098
Our Federico Aliverti reports exclusively on the Ducati 1098 at Monza.

“I have never ridden a production Ducati that is so fast and manageable.
When turning in it feels like a 600, but when opening the throttle you are reminded that you’re on a real, mean 1100, the power delivery is expolosive (a ‘bomb’) but I was expecting that because IMO ‘Borgo Panigale’ make the best twin cylinder motors in the world: smooth, low down up to 1500rpm, strong mid-range especially above 7000rpm, and the top-end power, above 10000rpm is of industrial strength!
The cycleparts however really blew me away. Handling is not like the classic user-friendly 999 neither is it like the highly effective, super-sporty, but a bit wooden, 998.
For me the 1098 is an all new concept of riding style for Ducati. The first ‘Red’ to really offer a 100% modern ride; Quick, precise turn-in, light as a feather, excellent stability, short and compact but equally comfortable. And the sound of that motor… When I hit 291kmh at the end at the straight at Monza it felt like the rear wheel was ripping the asphalt off the track with every gear-shift; One finger on the front brake lever provided enough stopping power to risk throwing me over the front! These 330mm discs are by far the best brakes I have ever tried on a production bike, but one problem I noticed under medium braking at high speed (over 150kmh) is that there is an annoying vibration through the clip-ons. I also noticed a few other ‘peculiarities’ on the 1098 but don’t make me say everything yet, it will be a surprise that will be revealed in the Moticlclismo article on 17 November.”

Note the speed the test rider obtained on the straight anyone?

I luuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurve the black one in that thread!!!!

YUM!

Yes, looked so much better in the black, might have to think about this

Minus the: will it goes this time when I press the right buttons, are those flakes under there, and beauty is in the eye of the beer holder!!

Genius, cheers for the link Rod..... looks good in Black... mine is going to be the more Matt variety.....

Go to http://blog.ducati.com/post/90/la-nu...98-godetevela/ and then click here..... good pics on the site........... what about that dash!!?

that's better Doogal.......thanks

now we just need to get rid of all those bolt heads in the fairing sides