LOOK up ‘exhilarating’ in the dictionary, and you’ll find clearly printed next to it the word Ducati. Look up the phrase ‘beyond belief’ and you’ll find the legend ‘1098’. This bullet from Bologna is in a biking ballpark of its own, and really does bring the racetrack to the open road.

I’ve always been a big fan of Ducati’s top-end sports bikes, ever since paying good money to watch the likes of Carl Fogarty and Troy Corser spank the competition in the World Superbikes of the 1990s. In fact, a limited edition print of Foggy caning a homologated 916 around Donington Park still adorns my living room wall.

The 1098 was always going to be a crucial bike for Ducati. After the massive success of the 916 and later the 996 and 998, the rather more daring 999 failed to win over the press or the public in quite the same emphatic way. This new machine therefore had a lot to prove.

And by God does it succeed.

Before even turning the key, the 1098 scores highly in the drooling stakes. Just sat on the Riders forecourt in Brislington, it already looks like it’s doing 100mph. It’s angular, it’s sleek, it’s poised, it’s blood red. Press the start button and it gurgles and crackles into life. Flick the throttle and watch as the whole street turns round to see who‘s been shot. If you like your bike to be ostentatious, you’ve come to the right place.

I got a bit of a shock as I swung my leg over for the first time. Comfort-wise, it’s no match for its Japanese rivals. In fact, the seat is about as comfortable as a church pew, but a more deeply religious experience, I can assure you. The pegs feel high and the bars are low. Try to ride the 1098 in the upright position and you’ll need a hot bath when you get home, As such, this WSB contender is a dreadful proposition for regular commuting through traffic. It’s a pig at low revs, the mirrors are dreadful, and on my first trip out on the 1098, I spent altogether too long forcing my way from one side of Bath to the other. The Ducati’s temperature gauge hit a worrying 99 degrees, as did my backside from the heat generated by the underseat pipes.

But this is a bike which performs best when ridden hard. Tuck in behind the fairing and it all feels very natural. Foetal, almost. The drive out of corners from the huge V-twin is insane and makes you feel like you’re on a permanent qualifying lap. It’s just so, so quick. The 1098 blurs time. Long straights become short straights, tight left-handers become playgrounds, clean licences become instant bans. Blasting past traffic has to be seen to be believed, too. In gaps where you would normally expect to pass two or three cars, you’re past all six and off onto a clean section of track (ahem, I mean road). Just think the Ducati past, and you’re already there -- and all the while, the old-fashioned trellis chassis copes admirably with all the ferocious grunt thrown its way.

The feedback from the high quality components puts you firmly in control, making for a ride that is much safer than you would imagine. Far from being scary, the 1098 actually helps you to be a better rider. You never need worry about being in the wrong gear because with the spread of torque there is no such thing. The Pirelli Dragon Supercorsa Pro tyres offer unfeasible levels of grip, being as near to slicks as you can get away with. And the steering damper is perfection. On no occasion does it interfere with play. What it does, however, is keep the 1098’s head composed at full tilt on even the bumpiest of bends -- and that’s the kind of help from a bike which gives a rider ultimate confidence to keep pushing. If you do get a bit carried away though, the remarkable Brembo brakes front and rear are like dropping anchor. Under massive duress, I never once had them locking up, despite my best attempts.

The gearbox is super-sweet, allowing you to switch cogs at will, clutch or no clutch, but the rev counter was little short of useless. The rest of the LCD display is perfectly legible, but how you’re supposed to figure the revs out while travelling at pace I shall never know. Fortunately you don’t really need to as a bright light comes on to signify you’re approaching the redline. Lightweight Marchesini wheels keep the kilos down, and the stunning, polished, single-sided swingarm makes for swift wheel changes if you’re hitting the track.

Ducati engines have always taken some looking after, and the 1098 is no exception. Only a fool would dare over-run an oil service, and petrol-wise it has to be super unleaded to fire properly. Anything less is akin to giving your rich girlfriend cubic zirconia. You think it does the job, she doesn’t.

Owning a Ducati is the motorcycling equivalent of owning a Ferrari. You are elevated from standard biker status to some kind of superhero. And that’s not bad for a machine which, at £11,500, costs the same as a Citroen Xsara Picasso. If you’re not already a convert, it might just be time to start praying at the temple of Ducati.

Article written: October 6, 2007 

The Ducati 1098 was kindly loaned by Riders of Bath Road, Brislington. For more information about test rides, call Riders on 0117 958 8777. Or see the website at www.ridersofbristol.co.uk.

OUR STEER ON THE DUCATI 1098

Price: £ 11,500 (@ Jan 2009) 

Engine: 1099cc, 90deg Desmo V-twin

Top speed: 169mph (est)

0 to 60: 3.3 seconds

Power: 143 bhp at 9,750 rpm

Torque: 82.9 lb/ft at 8,000 rpm

Weight: 173 kg

Seat Height: 820 mm

Fuel capacity: 15.5 litres

by Jon Bennett