Every now and then, a motorcycle comes along that is described as a game-changer. As an innovative brand, Ducati has produced a few of these, namely its 916 sport bike, Monster 900 naked bike, Hypermotard supermotard model, and the Ducati 1098, which was released in 2007 to a rapturous reception.
With its roots in the Ducati 916, which Motorcycle News described as the most beautiful bike in the last 50 years, the 1098 adopted many of its most appealing features. These included the clean, fully-faired aerodynamics, twin under-seat exhausts, single-sided swingarm and, perhaps most importantly, a wholly enjoyable, immersive rider experience. This was further embellished by the quality of its 1,099cc Testastretta Evoluzione engine, which was Ducati’s most potent V-twin to date, delivering a whopping 160 brake horsepower and pushing the bike to a top speed of 171 miles per hour.
The 1098 was further improved for the racetrack and released in a limited-edition homologation special as the 1098R, but the original stock model was more than enough to satisfy even the most throttle-happy rider. Combine this performance with excellent reliability and high-spec features for the time, and the 1098 left little to be desired. Yet, it enjoyed a short-lived run, as it was taken out of production just two short years after its release and replaced by the larger-capacity Ducati 1198.
[Featured image by Klaus Nahr from Germany via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 2.0]
