Soup's Dan Coe gave the 1098 Ducati a full work out in South Africa. Even with power limited because of the altitude, he says the new Ducati is impressive.

By now, the entire world is aware that the project that Ducati's Claudio Domenicali has so carefully driven from his perch as Managing Director is the new 1098 Testastretta Evoluzione Superbike. What the majority of the sporting world may not be completely aware of is what—in at a least pre-production form—the exquisite new Superbike is like to ride.

While still in South Africa, we shot a quick post immediately after our 1098 track day. And the day, at least for Soup's testing log, was a special one, indeed, as we were able to appropriate the services of one Mr. Troy Bayliss, and then try to keep the current WSBK world champ in sight for several very quick initiation laps. Not to make excuses, but this was not the track to attempt a Yoshimura-style trial-by-fire test. No matter how well we went, we were never going to leave Kyalami with a newly acquired factory ride or circulation record of any type. It also didn't help that at the pre-ride dinner, Ducati's Mr. Gojo warned Soup from a somewhat familiar Spanish viewpoint "Not to push", this in a concern for our safety. We thanked him and acknowledged his advice.

Taking Things One Lap At A Time

'Ho-hum, another day at the office,'. Lorenzo Lanzi twists the 1098 on itself at Kyalami.

Following Troy was for me perhaps the treat of the entire trip. He quickly set a pace using his mirrors and then as tires warmed, he steadily increased speeds everywhere. If I did not try to keep my distances to a reasonable minimum, the WSBK champ would have likely disappeared into the next realm. In retrospect, Troy's approach was straightforward and most effective: ride silky smooth, have a secure knowledge of the most efficient racing line, and know where to be on the track at all times. To our split-second fascination, this included his starting turning-in points from the outermost edges of the pavement (well into the painted curbing), and in other sections, using the painted curbs on the track's periphery to suit faster exiting drives. The other part of the puzzle was our observation of his approach with total lack of mistakes. The entire eight-lap demonstration was exactly what we expected and, needless to say, precisely what we saw. By the end of what was Soup's second session, we not only knew where to go, we also knew where we needed to go faster.

Once in the pits following the session Troy was quick to point out where the 1098 could use slightly different internal gear ratios to best match his corner speed around Kyalami. The particular section that he referred to was turn nine and the following chute. Here, indeed, you could run the Ducati out of rpm and well into the 10,700 limiter with little effort in second, while shifting up to third here was too tall, yet still necessary. The best compromise would be a short up-shift (to third) near the end of the chute prior to the turn ten chicane, and then quickly down again for the tight switchback. He was exactly right; here, the 1098 needed a half-ratio taller second gear, in which case, it would have eliminated what was an unavoidable series of shifts. We were aware that a change of internal ratio was not an available option so little more thought was given, but it provided insight into how the best riders are constantly thinking about how to go faster everywhere around the track, and this intense scrutiny is what makes riders like Troy Bayliss so good. They are always analyzing and approaching situations from a perspective of how to go faster.

Setting It Up

Troy's approach was straightforward and most effective: ride silky smooth, have a secure knowledge of the most efficient racing line, and know where to be on the track at all times. To our split-second fascination, this included his starting turning-in points from the outermost edges of the pavement (well into the painted curbing), and in other sections, using the painted curbs on the track's periphery to suit faster exiting drives. The other part of the puzzle was our observation of his approach with total lack of mistakes.

Following our introductory "chase the world champion and track acquisition session," we set out trying to get a definitive read on the standard model 1098, both with its engine performance and handling. To help us make changes, we made good use of Conrad, our responsive on-hand South African Ducati wrench. For Soup, Conrad proved to be more than a mechanic, as his track knowledge as a local rider and club-race/track-day participant made him even more valuable when we had questions regarding the track.

Our first impressions were very similar and we elected to make some minor suspension adjustments. Initially, we made changes to both the front and rear in an attempt to help the new 190/55 rear Pirelli gain traction exiting the slower corners and reduce the chassis movement following slides. I removed one turn of rear spring preload in efforts to gain a few millimeters of free rear sag and also increased rear rebound damping by two. In the front, we wanted to reduce both front dive and overall movement so we asked for more front preload and rebound. I was reluctant to add front compression damping as the Showa fork's reaction to higher speed bumps was already lively. Not wanting to stray too far from the initial overall settings determined by Ducati's testers, the changes we chose to make on the standard 1098 were minimal but did seem to help everywhere.

The Track

Riding at Kyalami is an awesome experience. The counterclockwise course begins with a relatively short straight that eventually crests near the top of fifth gear on the 1098. Due to the curvature of the track here, the approach to the first turn--an ultra-fast right-hand kink--cannot be seen until just before the corner's entrance. Quite literally, it was only Bayliss who, during demonstration laps, was able to haul through this section at full-tilt in fifth. Even so, observant onlookers would see a brake light flash on Troy's 1098 in this section, but never did we hear him back from the throttle. Although we never asked the obvious, we suspect at full throttle here he might have been using the brake to help transfer chassis weight. Whatever it was, it's apparent that when this man is doing his job, he's all business. By far, this first turn, the following fast-dipping left of turn two, and turn eight—another fourth-gear left near the end of the circuit—are the most serious corners on the demanding racetrack. We hate to admit it but, being seasoned testers or not, everyone except Bayliss had some growing-up to do, at least in Kyalami's right-hand turn one.

Kyalami was the perfect place to find the limits of the 1098. It paid to be precise on the 1098.

Turn two begins a series of sweeping lefts that are also very quick. Both entry and apex points are critical to a productive lap and, in this location, the track map doesn't do justice to the circuit's true layout. In this section, the 1098's speed and agility transform this double-apex bend into two separate lefts, with each deserving its own identity on the map. Turn two starts its approach descending into a bowl in the top of fourth gear, and on its exit starts to climb, tighten, and actually changes into a progression of two more lefts, the first of which changes to an off-camber exit. Riding through here, the 1098 first dips, then climbs, banks, apexes, downshifts, brakes and apexes again, all accomplished within a high-speed and very condensed period of time. Here, the Ducati exhibited stability, excellent ground clearance, and a willingness to turn.

In sparing Soup's loyal readers the details of what the track map identifies as 11 turns, but we respectfully negotiated as 15, it will suffice to describe Kyalami's technical layout as very demanding and affording the rider little time to rest. It's a 2.65-mile-long combination of second-, third-, and fourth-gear corners; minimally short straights; and no less than eight changes in elevation. As you might expect on a busy track with significant elevation change, Kyalami's layout keeps the rider constantly up on the tank and focused. It places an emphasis on establishing a rhythm and has the majority of each lap exacting high corner-entry speeds, matched with a decent amount of limited but fairly hard braking for the hairpin and curbed chicane. To work well here, the 1098 had to execute accurate entry lines required to intersect precise apex points, while also closely matching downshifts and aggressively changing directions. If we were to compare Kyalami's layout with racetracks stateside--direction of circulation notwithstanding--the tracks that come to mind would be the old Sears Point and Loudon (Bryar Motorsports Park), as well as today's Laguna Seca. One outstanding difference between Kyalami and everywhere else is in peak elevation.

The South African track may as well be nestled atop a mountain as our introductory notes placed Kyalami between 1,700 and 1,800 meters, or 5,909 feet high. Using the age-old mathematical calculation based on a measurement of five sandal-shod Romans with feet moving a length of one thousand paces (which was eventually substituted for the approximated distance needed for a nag to plow an Englishman's field before requiring a nap, 660ft), this numeric formula eventually resulted in the distance being deemed a furlong. Take the distance of eight furlongs and you have a mile. 5,909 divided by eight furlongs or 5,280 feet in a mile, and these Ducatis were circulating Kyalami at over a mile above sea level--1.11 miles to be exact.

More Potential Available

Nothing, with the possible exception of a Sherpa, will function well at a mile high, especially when compared to performance at sea level, fuel injected or not. Even Senor Domenicali realized that the lack of oxygen here would prove an unequivocal factor, so he did two things; advised everyone that the standard-model machines we were preparing to ride would not be anywhere near full power, and next, he told everyone that each "S" version had been equipped with the Performance-Accessorized full-open exhaust, matching ECU, and high-volume air cleaner. In other words, the full-performance upgrades that would normally only be supplied as original equipment on the Tri-Colore model were fit on each Ohlins-suspended "S" (you gotta love Ducati). Here, the kit parts were used to compensate for the unusual altitude and subsequent lack of oxygen.

Actually, the only time we noticed an obvious lack of power from the standard 1098 was during our first session when apprehensive riding had us spinning the Evoluzione well below any meaningful rpm. This performance deficit was most apparent during our initial sighting laps and was literally gone upon starting our second session. The 1098 in stock trim seemed to always pull hard above 4500 rpm and had no trouble pegging the rev limiter at 10,700. Honestly, this tester felt the lack of air much more than it seemed the engine did and the way these engines gained rpm, we suspect the true rpm limit, perhaps with a slight revision to ignition programming would permit much higher rpm limits, even for the large 104mm slipper pistons. (Much closer to 12,000 Mr. Domenicali?)

Testing The Standard 1098 And Sampling The Performance-Accessorized S Model

While the 1098 is heralded as 'all-new' clearly the single-sided swing-arm has been seen on previous Ducati models. Regardless, it's back.

Each press attendee was only permitted to experience the kitted "S" model for one session and, with Soup, it ended up being the final ride of the day. The obvious differences we noticed beyond the elevated roar of intake and full-open exhaust was its inclination to wheelie on demand, something the standard machine would not do willingly ay Kyalami's altitude. This was not really a problem since everyone was pre-warned not to wheelie--purely a safety-driven decision delivered by track management. Behave we did, admittedly only slipping-up twice. The "S" machine also seemed much crisper when accelerating and moving even more quickly through the rev-range. We also found that the two units we rode were as different in handling as in their model designation and components. After riding the standard 1098 in four straight sessions, our expectations of the "S" version should have had it behaving somewhat similar but actually it did not, as it seemed to turn more quickly and with less effort. We suspect both characteristics of more aggressive baseline geometry and differences in its Ohlins suspension's heights and travels.

For the 1098's geometry, Ducati has omitted the previous three-way tank-seat-rider positioning, as well as variable steering head adjustability, all attractive features on the 999. The new machine now settles on a fixed rake angle of 24.5 degrees and what feels like an ample amount of trail, now 97mm. At Kyalami, our Ducati was plenty quick turning, yet it required a fair amount of input at the bar to really place the motorcycle where you wanted it, especially in the higher-speed corners. This turning effort was most noticeable when driving towards the apex of Kyalami's turn eight, a very fast flat left that you approach near the top of fourth gear. The entry here is straightforward, with your arrival speed being helped by completing two up-shifts while descending a steep hill that originated with a the drive from the second gear plateau exiting turn seven. It was primarily in this corner that a sensitive riding feel and noticeable front tire wear on the Pirelli's Dragon Supercorsa Pro confirmed that the new Ducati has no shortage of front weight. Although we never pushed this tire, feel and feedback told us if it were to happen anywhere in South Africa, the entry to turn eight would have been the place. Here, in an effort to reduce front load once turned and aiming at the apex, instinct had us consciously picking-up the throttle again after corner entry. At least for us, this is a delicate technique, but we liked using it far more than the possible consequence of approaching the apex under a more normal neutral or trailing throttle and then counting on the left knee puck should the demand for traction here be too great. As with Kyalami's turns one and two, the run into and around turn eight is a serious but awesome endeavor.

As in the past, when using the more conservative geometric configuration with steering head angle, Ducati's superbikes are known for their stability. The 1098 now takes surefootedness a step further with its massive new single-sided swingarm--a component that adds 10mm to the wheelbase. Combined, the longer rear arm and greater front bias due to a more-forward engine placement are changes made possible by shorter more compact top-ends. The desired results are better overall handling stability and more front weight to counter the Testastrettas stronger acceleration and ability to transfer weight more quickly.

Weighty Subjects

Virtually every shared aspect of both 1098s is lighter. Starting with the front is the now-unseen all-magnesium front headlight housing, dash and fairing mount. Here, this front sub-frame saves 2.6 lbs from atop the chassis. The trademark ALS steel frame, already stiff, has been strengthened by 14% with the use of thinner-walled 34mm diameter tubing, an increase from the earlier 28mm down tubes. Savings on the new mainframe is also 3.3 pounds. The engine loses critical internal reciprocating weight by some 3.3 pounds and, combined with additional reductions in both internal and external parts, overall the engine loses a whopping 12 pounds. Next comes the exhaust system where tubing diameter increases to 57mm, but wall thickness is thinner, shaving 3.75 pounds. All told, the overall machine's weight numbers are down to an impressive claimed 381 pounds (dry) for the Standard and 377 pounds (dry) for the forged-wheel 1098 S.

Brembo Steps Up

The team that brought you the Ducati 1098. Claudio Domenicali on the right—he may be the most important man in the history of Ducati after Dr. T

There is no doubt that, with these new parts, the motorcycle can easily stop as hard and as quickly as traction and rider ability permit--the 1098's system is the most powerful in class--however, it also comes at the cost of greater gyroscopic mass. Although in this tester's opinion this does not represent a large deficit, the increase in rotational mass is noticeable, with the greatest effect felt during steering input and when forcefully changing direction.

Rolling Components And Rubber

Adding to the exclusivity and variance between the 1098 models are the wheels. Two different versions of lightweight aluminum Marchesini Y-spoke wheels are fit. The standard machine uses cast wheels, while the "S" model rolls on even lighter forgings with the same pattern. Use of the forged wheels enabled Ducati to remove another four pounds of unsprung weight from the "S." Another important wheel-related improvement is found in axle diameter. Both fork manufactures require wheels with larger-diameter axles. In the rear, a new spindle literally dwarfs the parts used on the final single-sided production 998. Although not mentioned during our press brief, the large spindle and wheel nut closely resemble the pieces only used exclusively on the full racing Corse models.

Housing the spindle is the reprised single-sided swingarm that is now lighter, longer, and stiffer than either the single-sided arm from the 998 or the dual arm on the 999. Ducati combined both castings and stampings to create a swingarm claimed to be 40% stiffer overall, yet similar in weight. Also different on the arm is the ride-height rod which is now shorter and mounts to the swingarm in a totally new location. This change allows for better adjustment accessibility and connects the arm to the chassis from a totally repositioned mount point and different linkage with a revised ratio. Compared to all past production Ducatis, this is an entirely new and completely different design.

For 2007, the tire fitment on the 1098 will be Pirelli Dragon Supercorsa Pro rubber. Officially homologated for the 1098 is a newly designed 190/55 rear, increased in aspect ratio from the previously sized 190/50. Ducati successfully worked with Pirelli to develop a rear tire that would suit the 6" rim and deliver increased traction from a larger footprint. Both the 120/70 front and the 190/55 rear have received slightly different profiles, with known constructions and compounds evolving from World Superstock competition. Before riding, Pirelli explained that in the 80-degree temperatures, the tires would warm quickly and not require warmers due to their compounding that contains a mixture of synthetic and natural rubbers. Another interesting point, Pirelli claims the Dragon's 100% content of Carbon Black will provide increased grip on wet or colder road surfaces, something we were fortunate not to experience. Overall, we were very satisfied with the performance from both the front and rear tires. Their scrub-in and warm-up were very quick and, in less than two laps, they felt secure and ready to push.

Showa Versus Ohlins

Bayliss astride the 1098 in South Africa. Following him was, truly, an awe-inspiring experience.

Suspension is also model-dependant. The standard 1098 that we became most familiar with while in South Africa uses full Showa hardware, with the exception of a non-adjustable Sachs steering damper. The fork's sliders have been treated with a black, low-friction Titanium Oxide coating over all five inches of available travel. As you would expect, the 43mm fork is fully adjustable for spring preload, compression, and rebound damping. Matched in the rear is a fully adjustable Showa shock that offers two ranges of compression damping in addition to the independent adjustability of rebound damping and spring preload.

The majority of the added cost for the "S" model is associated with wheels, electronics, and what Ducati considers "premium" suspension components. Up front is Ohlins' most current 43mm (FG511) production fork that uses the identifiable gold-colored Titanium Nitride for a low-friction surface treatment. The fork has slightly less overall travel, at 4.7 inches and offers full adjustability of spring and dampings. Helping to control steering is an adjustable Ohlins damper that can be rebuilt--both of these features we view as valuable capabilities. At the rear is also an Ohlins damper. Although both the Showa and Ohlins shocks have collar-type preload adjusters, the latest Ohlins includes an internal top-out spring, while Ducati has opted for single-stage compression damping adjustability for both rebound and compression settings. In riding both machines it is hard for this tester to say the Ohlins equipped "S" was noticeably better circulating Kyalami. If given only this opportunity to judge, we found that the settings and performance of the Showa pieces on the Standard 1098 worked perfectly and were also well up to the task, functioning without change or problem.

Telemetry For The Common Man

Looking at the dashboard, the 1098 reveals an entirely new and fully digital display that Ducati says is a direct result of the technology developed on their GP7 Desomosedici MotoGP machine. The sophisticated unit offers all critical information in numeric readouts, with the one exception being a sweeping bar-graph that indicates rpm. Numeric rpm readout is available but only when the 1098 is stationary. Once rolling, numbers representing rpm are replaced with vehicle speed. All separate and differently colored warning and indicator lights are located on the lower perimeter of the dash, while on the upper right of the Digitek dash are a series of four shift lights, positioned to catch the eye and preset to warn of what we suspect is a conservative 10,700-rpm limit.

What places this Ducati technically far ahead of its competitors is an advanced data acquisition system. Ducati's Data Analyzer (DDA) mode selection is accessed and operated via an up/down switch located on the left handlebar, while the enabling trigger for a dedicated lap-time function doubles as the hi-beam flash button on the front-side of the same switch. Available DDA functions include throttle-position openings, wheel speeds, engine temperatures, engine rpms, distance traveled, laps and lap times. Recording all data is a USB plug with 2mb, or approximately 3.5 hrs of memory. Located in the compartment under the passenger seat, even the longest riding stints can be easily downloaded on a laptop and quickly analyzed. All data is displayed in graphic format that is capable of zoom enlargement for specific detail--this being a useful feature for data comparison and related information.

If the differences of lighter wheels, premium suspension, an adjustable damper, a carbon- fiber front fender, aesthetically shaded mufflers and the very small "S" designation following the 1098 decal on the otherwise starkly painted fairing isn't convincing enough, perhaps the availability of an on-board data acquisition system will be the deciding factor in spending the additional $5000 for the "S"--although the Standard 1098 can be retrofitted with DDS for what Ducati quotes is "around $300". The S Model and the $25,000 Tri-Colore come standard with the software package, diskette, and DDA operating instructions.

Models And Availability

It was only recently that Ducati announced that the 1098s will be available in different liveries. The Standard model can be purchased in all red (as pictured), or in Yellow with black wheels and a grey frame. The "S", also following tradition will be red, or in all- black bodywork and wheels, with a red frame. Each scheme other than red will receive dark aluminum lettering.

Still Not Happy With The Identity Of Your 1098?

Ducati's factory accessory parts have the convenient solution. Without going into added detail, optional parts available include, a full open exhaust minus the stock Lambda probe and control valve, matching fully open Termignoni carbon mufflers with removable alternative sound-reducing baffles, a must-have and much more attractive anodized billet clutch cover, select carbon bodywork pieces for the seat and upper fairing, streamlined Daytona-style taller windscreen, and, of course, factory tire warmers and required Ducati Performance front and rear stands.

What else could you possibly need other than one of the 1198R's rumored to be available in 2008? Don't worry, if (and when) it happens, you will be the first to read about it here in Soup.