1098 Airbox
 

OK first off, yes I know this picture has been posted before but the reason I include it here is to draw your attention to the airbox sides. Much has been made by me of this feature on other forums but this shot perhaps shows off best what it potentially will look like. As with the "giant rider" recent shots posted on here, you can clearly see the Dzus fasteners that secure it to the bike and that the lower edge of the tank runs in parallel along its top edge. (unlike the 999 fuel tank which curves up at the rear end to expose more of the rear cylinder head).

Interestingly, the 1098 airbox cover has a vent in it's midst unlike the 916 airbox sides of old. The only thing that cannot be made out is if at the rear of this panel it meets up with the front of the seat unit to form one continuous line. I hope so.

There are American sites saying that the 1098 is available there in February with the 3 specs all immediately available.... standard, S and R. They reckon the dealer pack is saying the base model will out perfrom a 999R in every aspect and that the 1098R will also be available in Tricolour.... i.e. Red, Green and White. Hurry up November....... although I have already put my name down for one as Im sure I will like it!!! Well I hope I will!

My understanding is that there will be a 1098 base model, a 1098S with all the usual Ohlins stuff and a few bits of carbon thrown in and the 1098 Tri Colore which is simply a hyped up version of the 1098S (pretty paint job and the Termis thrown in, plus maybe a cover and a stand as well). The R version is only available as a 1200 (1198cc) version and is not due out until 2008 in line with Ducati's entry into WSB and back in AMA that year and for homologation purposes. Anyway about this airbox? ...as we seem to have got off topic here!

Clearly I'm missing something here.

In what way is the airbox off the new 1098 of any particular interest?

BC

It is of interest, perhaps, to some people who are interested in details of new Ducati models.

The same way the those interested in the minutiae of older Ducatis like to discuss things.

In other words, it's a topic for conversation. HTH!

Because it differs from the 999 in as much as the 999 does not have one with sides that cover up the ugly rear cylinder (like the 916 used to) Sorry I thought that much was obvious. I posted the picture (again as explained) to highlight the feature. Did not think I needed to be any more explicit than I was.