1098 - my hopes are dashed

twpd

twpd

New member
I went to collect a 500 miles1098s at the weekend - helping a mate.

I am sure it's a fab machine, but I have to say I was utterly underwhelmed by it.

It lacked the design, form, integration and purpose that I am so used to seeing on sporting Ducatis.

The bodywork was a mess of fasteners and fixings everywhere. It looked overly complex, fussy and difficult to remove in the same way that many Jap bike fairings are. How long does it take to remove the fairing compared to a 748/916/996/998? Much longer I bet.
What's the idea behind those cheap black plastic side panels around the seat?
The exhaust link pipes and heat shield look cheap and messy - that whole area looks unfinished.
The rear sprocket carrier area looks messy compared to the 748/916 series.
Red rim stripes? WTF? That's for the chavvy Gixxer crowd!
It is supposed to be a lot lighter than the older bikes. It didn't feel like it to me nor to the new owner. We were both surprised by that.

I was looking forward to seeing the bike, but overall in the end I was left feeling really disappointed. I shoved it into the back of the van and never gave it a 2nd thought. When I first saw the 748/916 series they wowed me. They still do when I look at nice R or SP/SPS. I can look at an R and see some really lovely touches on it. You can see real thought has been given to it. They feel, look and seem like they were designed by someone with a real passion for a rider's machine. By comparison the 1098 lacked those things, it seemed clinical and felt mass produced in the way a Honda does.

I've been considering getting myself a low-miles 1098s or 1198s when they appear on the used market, but that's unlikely now. If I'm gonna splash £10k+ I want a bike that feels and looks special and exclusive. My race bike is far more special and exclusive.
 
Errr... No. Much to the relief of Jane as well. I've got a wedge of cash burning a hole in my pocket atm and with no racing this year it needed to be otherwise occupied rather than sat in a bank....nevertheless.....
 
Nige

I felt very much the same when they first came out. I was not fussed on the looks and when i sat on it it felt clunky and japanese.

Until I saw mine in black I was not taken at all. I now love how mine looks and the ride is just something amazing!!

The fairings are indeed a piece of @@@@ though! 34 (I think) fasteners to get the front end off and a right fiddle. I have dropped a washer inside and I am hating the thought of having to get them off to find it :(
 
there are shortcuts on fairing removal. the silly black triangular "airduct" piece inside the fairing stays attached to the fairing, look carefully. five fasteners along the top, two amidships and three underneath gets one side off. with a "T" bar it only takes seconds. not exactly race fast, but, c'mon, does that matter. :confused: they won't snap or break like the 749/999 airfoil things. they don't flap when the dzus fasteners fall out as with 996. the cheap black plastic side panels are like any other panel on any bike - change 'em if you want! carbon is always good. every ducati has had a heatshield on the downpipes, what's wrong with these? :confused: the rear sprocket carrier looks almost exactly like the 996 series. :confused: it weighs less than the old bikes - by how much did you reckon then? four stone? :confused: red rim stripes are cool. :D
 
I don't think it does weigh less - not a much as they claim at any rate. It feels just as heavy as my Triumph. I bet the real weight of a 1098 is 190kg. No wonder then it feels as heavy or heavier than a 996 cos it's about the same weight!

Re the side panels...it's a 14-16k bike. I expect better than that.

The heat shield - sure all Dukes have them but in this case it looks more tacky around there than normal.

The rear sprocket carrier ass'y is nothing like the older bikes.

And I've never had a Dzus fastener drop out of a Ducati so far.

Like I said...I'm sure it's fab to ride, but it doesn't look or feel special.

By comparison the old bikes are slim and athletic. Sorry....not for me unless a test ride can persuade me otherwise. I might look at an MV instead.
 
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Lily said:
Nige

I felt very much the same when they first came out. I was not fussed on the looks and when i sat on it it felt clunky and japanese.

Until I saw mine in black I was not taken at all. I now love how mine looks and the ride is just something amazing!!

The fairings are indeed a piece of @@@@ though! 34 (I think) fasteners to get the front end off and a right fiddle. I have dropped a washer inside and I am hating the thought of having to get them off to find it :(
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This one we collected was black too. Looked great at 20 yrds, but like I said, up close I wasn't impressed. I can't tell you how disappointed I was Lily as I've been seriously considering buying one. I skipped the 999 because I thought it fugly (allthough I quite like black 999 monos and R's and they do have some lovely engineering on them) and, I thought the 1098/1198 would be my next new Duke. Now it looks highly likely I will not be getting another one for a while.

Pah! :mad:
 
test ride

Whats the point of a test ride, you either love em or have no taste (hahah) honest they are stunning bikes, they ride like the devils own chariot and to be honest you,d have to prize the keys out of my dead hand, seriously tho there,s no point owning a bike that dosnt immediatly make you smile.
 
twpd said:
I don't think it does weigh less - not a much as they claim at any rate. It feels just as heavy as my Triumph. I bet the real weight of a 1098 is 190kg. No wonder then it feels as heavy or heavier than a 996 cos it's about the same weight!

193kg wet I believe. Anyway, weight is irrelevant, by and large. The ride is sublime, any "weight" (if there) isn't noticed and certainly not a problem. The top end mountain bikes I sell always attract the same question from punter's - and I tell them it doesn't really matter. One of my full susser custom frames often builds up to around 30lb, which some consider portly and on some bikes it feels that way, but the ride is nothing like heavy, just a great all round, all day bike.

Re the side panels...it's a 14-16k bike. I expect better than that.

you might have a small point here but the money has been spent elsewhere - the shape and style of the panel are both aesthetically pleasing, I presume it's just the material you have an issue with? What are the first "upgrades" anyone does to any Ducati - carbon bits. And don't tell me "you shouldn't have to with a 16k bike" - because everyone does it!

The heat shield - sure all Dukes have them but in this case it looks more tacky around there than normal.

tacky? it's painted steel and shaped to fit the area, you can see the power valve cables a little - do you reckon they should re-design the exhaust system to make it look better then?

The rear sprocket carrier ass'y is nothing like the older bikes.

sorry, but it is. look at them back to back. There is the sprocket, the carrier, the outer plate cover, the bolts and the castellated nut complete with circlip. The only differences are six bolts instead of five and the webbing on the sprocket can be seen a little more. it's hardly a problem

And I've never had a Dzus fastener drop out of a Ducati so far.

you may not have and neither have I, but I've heard of fairings coming loose having lost them - they are not always idiot proof.

Like I said...I'm sure it's fab to ride, but it doesn't look or feel special.

By comparison the old bikes are slim and athletic. Sorry....not for me unless a test ride can persuade me otherwise. I might look at an MV instead.
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anything else? :D
 
Lily said:
I felt very much the same when they first came out. I was not fussed on the looks and when i sat on it it felt clunky and japanese.

Until I saw mine in black I was not taken at all. I now love how mine looks and the ride is just something amazing!!
Click to expand...

you had to actually buy yours first before you decided you liked it? :confused:
 
rockjock620 said:
you had to actually buy yours first before you decided you liked it? :confused:
Click to expand...

sort of yes sort of no.

I didn't really like the look of them when i first saw them and as I need to like how a bike looks to want one (it's not just about how they perform for me as I cannot use most of that anyway) it didn't really hit the spot.

I knew that performance and everything else it was being reported as an awesome bike, but I still had some apprehension.

Then I saw the black one and I just thought it looked so much better that I ended up buying it and it became mine :D

Now I love it, how it looks, how it rides etc (but I still hate the fiddly fecking fairings...grrr )
 
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