2008 Ducati 1098R Review

[acecycleins]

Originally Posted by pplassm

Dude. I keep tellin' ya. AMA already approved 1200cc twins for THIS year!

1200cc Twins Approved For 2008 AMA Superbike Championship News Article // RoadracingWorld.com

Unfortunately, Ducati hasn't taken the bait in Superbike. I DO see a few 848s entered in FX, though.

AMASuperbike.com: AMA Superbike pre-entry lists

I wasn't saying that it wasn't approved. Corse won't send them. AMA made the rules "adjustable" in a way- like WSB. Corse wants one year under their belts before they set-up a "factory" backed AMA squad. The problem Ducati have with the AMA is restrictive weight. So, when the FIM tightens the rules for WSB and Ducati has time to adjust to what's changed then they should be able to build a single Corse bike for sale to customers. Originally, AMA had quite different rules for twins than the WSB boys. Ducati tried in vane to get the rules to look similar to the FIM rules but the AMA said no way. Ducati pulled out of the AMA because Corse was spending too much money to do "special" bikes for the AMA. So, they bailed. They want to come back, but the AMA approved something that doesn't quite jell with the Ducati race vision. So, Ducati is playing a waiting game. They will probably get things worked out with the AMA by middle summer, because the FIM will have adjusted the weight of the 1098R once (maybe twice) by that time-line. When that gets taken care of Ducati will go back to the AMA and ask them to look over the current FIM bike and try to get it approved for racing next season. Simple.......

[Duken4evr]

Beautiful bike. Ducati just has a focus going on that the Japanese can't emulate. The new ZX10 for example is an awe inspiring machine, but it evokes no emotion.

Pity the Japanese can't build a sporting bike that has personality. My last bike was a '97 TL1000S, flawed in so many ways, but it had amazing character for something out of Japan. The damn thing was fun to ride. That Duc is serious as a heart attack, but oh man, it has to be fun to ride also

[The_Aerodynamic_Head]

Eighty thousand dollar bike: half to ride it, half to the chiropracter whose office I ride it to. Amamzingly taut-but-compliant suspension on the track = fairings rattling off on potholed city roads, which is the only place I'd ride it because no one can see how big my penis must be on my favorite deserted country roads.

[Buzglyd]

Originally Posted by The_Aerodynamic_Head

Eighty thousand dollar bike: half to ride it, half to the chiropracter whose office I ride it to. Amamzingly taut-but-compliant suspension on the track = fairings rattling off on potholed city roads, which is the only place I'd ride it because no one can see how big my penis must be on my favorite deserted country roads.

Now there is a poster from the past! Maybe some of the old gang is coming back home.

[BrowningBAR]

Originally Posted by The_Aerodynamic_Head

Eighty thousand dollar bike: half to ride it, half to the chiropracter whose office I ride it to. Amamzingly taut-but-compliant suspension on the track = fairings rattling off on potholed city roads, which is the only place I'd ride it because no one can see how big my penis must be on my favorite deserted country roads.

Wow, haven't seen you around in a while!