Ducati 1198 reviews

I've been riding for many years and always admired Ducatis from afar. In 2006, I finally got one- an ST3s. I could go on and on about how wonderful that bike is, but I had always wanted a flat-out, no-compromises superbike. Not to replace the ST3s, but as an alternate for the street and track. I took the plunge in August 2009 with an 1198. All the glowing reviews are right: it is simply awesome! Let me explain the difference in more human terms: All the bikes before my first Ducati were nice girlfriends. Some better than others, all satisfying in their own way, but no feeling worth a long-term commitment. The ST3s, on the other hand, is that once-in-a-lifetime, love-at-first-ride soulmate. Think beautiful Italian woman in a perfect, low-cut, evening gown. Sexy, classy, and strong. Gina Lollobrigida or Claudia Cardinale at her very best. The 1198? Angelina Jolie in tight black leather. Got the idea? Show less

First I want to say this bike is awesome, I love nearly everything about it after my mods other than the fuel tank size. Most of my riding is longer 200-300 mile rides that are not in the city so my bike opinions and mods all reflect that. As a stock bike four issues I had were: 1 Suspension was rock hard and needed to be re-sprung or completely reworked for my weight and riding style. 2 Seat was not good for anything over an hour. I was ok up until that point but wasn't comfortable afterward. 3 I can't believe how bad the mirrors are! Horrible stock mirrors even with the extenders on which allow you to see past your elbows. 4 Gas tank size! I mean what the heck, after your low fuel light comes on it takes 2.5 gallons and if you run it dry it will maybe take 3.6 gallons. If ridden the way it was meant to that means you're empty at 100 miles which may be fine 90% of the time but can cause issues. I'd like a bit more but haven't done anything yet. Probably will go with a 5.62 gallon ETI fuel cell but I don't know yet. Suspension was easily remedied and gave me a chance to tear it down and see how well this bike is engineered (better than I would have guessed). The rear wheel removal is shockingly easy with the single sided swing arm. One clip with bolt and it is off. Remove the rear & mid sections of exhaust and the rearsets and you can drop a new shock in without issue. Forks were equally as easy to remove/replace once you get the many fairing bolts pulled to remove the fairings. One issue is the number of fasteners, in short there are LOTS. The seat took some time as I first bought a Sargent which have always been good in the past. I really didn't care for it as the side edges are not comfortable for aggressive riding although long term comfort was good. The Ducati Performance neoprene race seat is better. No edges and comfort is better than stock and you don't slide into the tank with this one. I can do 4 hours on it and my butt feels fine. A few of the mods I did improved the overall fit and function. The adjustable clipons added a bit of comfort and the progressive throttle tube with roller bearing movement makes off/on throttle transitions much smoother. The taller windscreen makes a big difference in fatigue level for longer periods at highway+ speeds. The CRG mirrors allow you to actually see behind you, Great! The Termi exhaust is uncorked and sounds awesome and may help with throttle response although I never rode the bike with stock ECU and cans as I had them pulled before I took it home. The carbon stuff is mostly just because I like it. Overall, This bike is light and I mean really light. With a full tank of fuel this bike is under 430 pounds. That is around 45 pounds lighter than the new R1 WOW! You can tell it's light when you ride it, really good stuff. It's also a narrow bike which I LOVE. Compared to my 07 CBR1000rr it's a dream and I think it may even have more seat to rearset room. The bikes flickability is a bit heavy stock but is better with the suspension changes and gets through twisties just fine with faster transitions. Brakes are outstanding and I wouldn't change a thing. Brembo Monoblocks, good job. Braided steel lines, good job. Brembo master cylinders, good job. The engine is awesome with torque galore and good top end punch. It power wheelies effortlessly and is super easy to control. Add the beautiful sound of the Italian L-twin and HOHA, it's a dream. Revlimiter is hard On a side note, women love this bike. When stopped for one of your many fuel stops during a ride don't be surprised when the most attractive young women around flock to your bike and ask you all kinds of leading question. It's true, so be ready. What else to say? I love it and plan on keeping it for a long time to come. Show less