2009 Ducati 1198s

2009 DUCATI 1198S

Hook a brother up

DON CANET

CW FIRST RIDE

IF EVER THERE WERE A COMPANY WITHOUT RESERVATION WHEN IT comes to bringing the latest race-bred technology to mass market, Ducati tops the list. Its 851 Superbike embraced electronic fuelinjection back in 1987, a time when carburetors were status quo for bikes both on and off the circuit. The ultimate expression of Ducati’s passion and commitment to slapping a license plate on the latest technologies was evidenced by last year’s outrageous Desmosedici RR, a veritable MotoGP replica.

So it comes as no surprise that Ducati has once again assumed a lead role as the first to equip a readily available road-going sportbike with fully functional traction control. While Ducati Traction Control debuted last year on the $43,995 limited-production 1098R homologation special, it now truly gains a grip on Main Street as a standard feature of the ’09 1198S. As with its 1098 predecessor, the 1198 is available as a base model (at $16,495, $1500 more than the first-year 1098), wTiile the $21,795 S-model features upgraded suspension, wheels, adjustable steering damper and perhaps best of all, the innovative DTC system.

While both bikes facilitate DDA (Ducati Data Analyzer), only the S comes with the required USB storage module and PC software included.

Styling and riding position are unchanged from that of the 1098, yet there’s plenty new lurking beneath the 1198’s skin. An increase in bore and stroke from 104 x 64.7mm to 106 x 67.9mm amounts to 1198.4cc displacement, matching that of the 1098R. Due to the increased stroke, shorter steel connecting rods (the R has titanium) are utilized to maintain the same cylinder deck height. Valve sizes have also grown 1.5mm, and the compression ratio has been bumped from 12.5:1 to 12.7:1. An R-style gearbox using physically wider gears for additional strength-and taller ratios for third through sixth-channels power to the road. Claimed output is 170 horsepower, delivering a 10-pony increase from 7000 rpm out to the 10,500-rpm rev limit.

The 1198 Testastretta Evoluzione engines are the lightest ever used in a Ducati superbike. The cases are now a substantial 6.5 pounds lighter, this credited to the use of the Vacural casting process first seen with the 848. Simply put, vacuum is used to draw metal into the mold, thereby greatly reducing porosity caused by trapped air bubbles, allowing for thinner-walled, yet stronger, castings. The cam covers are

magnesium for further weight savings.

Chassis changes are few, the S sporting new seven-spoke GP Replica forged aluminum, machine-finished wheels that are 4.4 pounds lighter than the standard model’s new 10-spoke cast hoops. The S also features Öhlins suspension front and rear, a step up from the Showa units of the base 1198. Both bikes benefit from a lighter magnesium front subframe supporting the headlamp, instruments and fairing. All said, the S has a claimed dry weight of 373 pounds, 4 less than its predecessor.

With Ducati’s affinity for the new, could there have been a more fitting venue to stage the 1198S world press launch than the brand-new Autódromo Internacional do Algarve located in Portimao, Portugal? Construction of the 2.85-mile circuit and its world-class amenities had been completed mere weeks prior to our arrival. The spectacular facility had also just hosted the final round of the World Superbike Championship, in which factory Ducati man Troy Bayliss claimed a third WSB title aboard his 1098R racebike.

When I was offered a chance to ride the 1198S, my bags were packed! Too bad Delta Airlines misplaced all my checked luggage en route, leaving me without a change of clothes, toiletries or, most importantly, my riding gear when I arrived in Portimäo for the bike’s one-day track-only press intro. As you can see from the action shots, I ended up looking like a brochure photo model decked out in Dbranded leather, boots, helmet and gloves, thanks to Ducati’s helpful accessory people. Hey, if Ducati offered underwear in its apparel line, I’d have worn that, as well!

Despite the one-piece suit being uncomfortably short from crotch to neck, finding my toes in a pinch and the helmet a size too large, I settled right into the 1198’s familiar ergonomics. With five 15-minute riding sessions throughout the day, I had ample opportunity to learn the challenging circuit and explore the bike’s capabilities. My attention was largely fixed on the DTC and its choice of eight settings. Setting number 1 induces very little intervention when rear wheel spin is detected, while setting number 8 (intended for wet conditions) reins back comer exit acceleration to a seemingly stuttering standstill on a nice day such as we had in Portugal.

There are a couple key differences between this system and that of the R-model. While both employ ignition retard as a means of smoothly reducing power during the onset of detected rear-wheel spin, the R cuts spark in a rapid stacatto when maximum intervention is deemed necessary. While that functions well with a race exhaust fitted, dumping unburnt fuel into the catalytic converter of the road bike’s stock exhaust is detrimental. The 1198S solves this by cutting fuel delivery instead. In response to 1098R owner feedback-many riders questioned whether the DTC was actually working at its lower settings-the four red-colored shift lights located above the tachometer now serve doubleduty by providing a visual indication of current DTC status. The lights illuminate sequentially left to right, the first three indicating increasing ignition pullback while the larger final light comes on when fuel is cut back.

I spent the first three sessions with DTC set at level 4. Once I had a pretty firm grasp of the track with its variety of blind rises, plummeting drops, changes in corner radius and road camber, I began paying close attention to the status lights on the dash. I was surprised to see the first two or three lights flicker very early in nearly every corner the very moment I cracked on the throttle to balance the chassis before beginning an exit drive. This happened regularly, even at times when I found it hard to believe the rear was on the verge of slippage. The system constantly monitors changes between front and rear wheel speed and is said to factor in the change of a tire’s rolling circumference as the bike is banked over. Whatever the case may be, the effect was transparent and seemed to smooth the on-throttle transition at deep angles of lean.

I’ve been a student of smooth and steady throttle application my entire riding career, so old habits die hard. Aside from the initial DTC effect, once I began opening the throttle and transferred weight to the rear Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SC2, it was lights out driving off the corner. Setting DTC to level 6 for a few laps promptly gave me a feel of fuel cut, which caused the bike to buck a bit and even induce a modest chassis wobble. Worse yet, the fuel cut light would come on while carrying a wheelie over a crest, resulting in the front slamming down abruptly and nearly bottoming the fork. A Ducati engineer assured me that the system recognizes a wheelie and shouldn’t intervene, even though front wheel speed drops. Perhaps, but not in my experience.

It could be a case of the bike getting light over the rise, although certainly both wheels weren’t getting airborne.

I finished the day lapping on settings 1 and 2, seeing only a single light or two briefly illuminate mid-corner and no issues at wheelie hill. The bike’s broad powerband combined with the safety net of DTC instilled a level of confidence that coaxed me to screw the power on aggressively enough out of second-gear corners to either push the front or have it elevate into a sweet leaned-over wheelie!

Before I had mustered the nerve to take the electronics plunge and willfully whack the throttle full open at deep lean, the day was done. I returned my borrowed riding gear unscathed. In fact, not a single bike had been crashed throughout the entire multi-wave press launch that saw 85 journalists each getting 75 minutes of track time aboard the 1198S. Now that is impressive! You might say Ducati appears to have a firm grip on the situation. Thanks, Ducati, for hookin’ a brother up, in more ways than one. E2