New night pics of 1098
 

Saw these on the US forum this morning. I have lightened them up, since the were obviously taken at night with a poor quality camera, BUT for the first time we get to see a good view of the front of the bike, in which you can easily make out the twin headlights (like the D16) as well as the dual ram air inlets under each light and also the D16 style mirrors with clear indicator inserts (hopefully LED). At the back it seems as if Ducati are still experimenting with the style and shape of the exhaust cans as these appear to be oval as opposed to rounded (as in other spy shots). We also get a good view of the number plate hangar and rear indicators (again these appear to be clear lenses, and also the return of the rear grill vents on the rear seat unit. The side view is somewhat more obscure as it is hard to make out the frame rails and the airbox side panels, and it looks as though part of the tank's underlying paint (red) is exposed, since it appears to be smothered in gaffer tape. Ultimately, if you were going to keep a bike like this away from prying eyes you would most likely not park it up at night within the public's gaze, which if this is a true glimpse of the 1098 to come, smacks of Ducati having been somewhat remiss in allowing the bike to be left unattended, despite it being at night. What are your views, now that we at least have seen a peek at the front end?

It is not unusual for manufacturers to ride, drive or leave their prototype vehicles where they will be seen or photographed. They want the publicity after all and often the leaking of photographs is carefully choreographed. I have even known them feign anger and vow to find the leak when they have orchestrated it themselves.

I know in the car industry they are often in cahoots with the press who get the 'scoop' and in return they get publicity.

I still feel that the exhausts are a bit of a red herring.
remember this;http://twistingasphalt.com/blog_entr...ads/DS_RR1.jpg

Well if they are Doogalman, I for one won't be complaining if they go for the "exit through the tail/seat unit" approach like the D16RR. One other thing about the front end...it appears as though it is definitely twin ram air inlets under the lights (as on the 916) as the only one visible is too far offest to the right of the bike to be a single inlet, as on the say centrally located one on the RC51. In addition it looks as if they have finally shelved the side air deflectors which is no great loss in my book.

troube is they can make it look however they like at the moment with the use of other fairing panels duck tape and black tape. I'm not convinced this is much of the finished looks. Just look at the DD paddock to see how a bike can be disguised friom its original intended incarnation.
I recon it will be stunning. The factory knows it has to be.

Surprise, surprise it looks exactly like the three way love child of a 916, 999 & a 'Sedici.....

Looks like they've played it safe by taking something iconic from the 916 (swingarm), something most liked about the sedici (fairing shape, seat unit shape) and everything else from the 999. Lob a 1098 in there and away you go, a 999 replacement that won't set the world on fire but will result in a incremental increase in sales.

Design by committee methinks. Ho hum.

Well I see (hope) the new bike as a refinement and amalgamation of past well received designs (evolution as Ducati would perceive it) with some more contemporary elements included. Given the much publicized poor sales of the 999, I don't think Ducati have the luxury of producing something so far removed from the norm as the 999 was, so I would have to agree they may well be playing it safe but for good reason. The more I see of the bike, the less confident I am that the bodywork bears any resemblance to what will be lurking under the covers at Milan in November, but there are at least certain features which are visible, that allude to how it will look, without all the cloak and dagger gaffer tape and foam stuck all over it, that shroud it's true form. Namely the lights, twin air inlets, swingarm, rear light position, rear vents, number plate hangar, mirrors. Small points though these maybe, they at least feed the starved imagination of those waiting eagerly to see the finished article.

As has been said above you're kidding yourself if you think those pictures mean anything.

I spent a while living in Germany and used to ride Hondas with Kawasaki fairings and wheels on them.

They used to arrive like that from Japan.

As the launch time got nearer various styles of seat/tank would be tried.

The finished results did not look much like anything we tested in the pre-launch stages.

:) Crust

Looks like an MV agusta tail on that.
I'll wait until I see the final one,I actually like the 999's looks though its seat unit is a bit clumsy.
If those are the actual headlights then it'll look like all the other UJM's and that will be a bad thing. Come to think of it that nose does look like an R1 unit.

think you are right, cant see them leaving it lying aroundif it meant anything. its prolly been left there to create a few red herrings and hype