|  Ducati
Superbike - ENGINEERED BY THE STOPWATCH
The Superbike family for 2008 features two
important changes: the introduction of a mid-engine
size version, the light and nimble 848,
and an extreme 'racing' version for all those who demand
the maximum performance, the 1098 R version that will
take part in the 2008 World Superbike Championship.
The priority in every step of the 848 and 1098
development has been performance first. Every system,
every detail and every component has been studied, pared
down to its essence and performance increased to the
maximum. If it didn't make our Superbike lighter, faster
or deliver quicker lap times, it wasn't considered.
The result: the 1098 is the most powerful twin-cylinder
motorcycle in the world.
The 848 and 1098
are the lightest, fastest stopping, quickest lapping
Ducati Superbikes in history. For the first time Ducati
MotoGP and World Superbike technology have been combined
to create premier sport bikes. The results are stunning.
DESIGNED BY THE RACETRACK
The look and stance of the 848
and 1098 were designed
by the combination of race track technology, track-derived
components and Ducati heritage. Their striking aerodynamic
shape naturally embraces a riding position, configured
by our racers and test riders for optimum speed and
agility. The racing spirit takes form.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
The new Ducati Superbikes immediately strike you with
their purposeful, no-nonsense attitude. Performance
is first and foremost in every detail.
Trademark Ducati features like the high tail section
and compact front-end meld with twin under-seat silencers
and single-sided swingarm to express aerodynamics and
agility. Add the new Testastretta Evoluzione engine
at the heart of the machines and you get all-out performance
Ducati Superbikes that seem to be moving fast, even
when at rest.
A number of 'firsts' for Ducati and production sport
bike design have been introduced. The 848
and 1098 are the
first to have a data acquisition system integrated as
standard equipment and the first to use an ingenious
construction method for its weight-saving single-sided
swingarm. More 'firsts' for a road-going Ducati include
the direct application of MotoGP technology, like the
power producing GP6-derived elliptical throttle bodies
and the use of the information-rich instrumentation
originally developed for the Desmosedici GP7. Furthermore,
the 1098 is the first
production motorcycle to have the amazing stopping power
of Brembo Monobloc brakes.
The throaty roar of the twin under-seat exhausts are
synchronized with the howl of the elliptical throttle
bodies providing a fitting fanfare for the new Testastretta
Evoluzione engine.
POWER
The Testastretta Evoluzione engine is the crowning glory
of Ducati's development and perfection of the L-Twin
engine. World Superbike dominance for almost two decades
is the result of continual commitment to twin-cylinder
technology. The 1098
is the most powerful twin-cylinder production engine
in history, while the 848 is our most powerful middleweight
Superbike ever, boasting a power increase of more than
30% over its predecessor. Both are fitting rewards to
our engineers' continued ingenuity.
The Testastretta Evoluzione engine is immediately recognisable
by its completely new compact cylinders and cylinder
heads. Other innovations and revisions are less obvious
as they reside inside the Evoluzione's engine cases,
but whether external or internal, every new development
was conceived to create a lighter, more efficient, more
powerful and ultra-compact engine.
The 1098 and 848's
increased capacity is the result of significant increases
in the bore and stroke of the Evoluzione motor. Highly
'over-square', they sport big bores and relatively short
strokes. To optimise the benefits of the new, big Ducati
Twins, the redesigned cylinder heads combine with advanced
MotoGP induction technology, to enable even the standard
specification 848
and 1098 to produce more power than the previous extreme
Testastretta 'R' engines.
The Evoluzione features a narrow angle between intake
and exhaust valves allowing highly efficient, straight
intake ducts and newly shaped combustion chambers that
contain racing size 'R' valves operated by radical 'R'
derived camshafts.
After optimising the Evoluzione cylinder heads, engineers
focussed upon releasing the potential of the new design
by feeding them with MotoGP-derived elliptical throttle
bodies. With a 30% increase in air flow over conventional
throttle bodies, the new elliptical shape contributes
a substantial increase in power to the record-breaking
motors. 1098 and 848 owners will be the first to feel
the power of this MotoGP technology on the road.
The Testastretta Evoluzione engines are the lightest
ever in a Ducati Superbike, thanks to close scrutiny
of every engine component. New cylinder heads benefit
from fewer components and include magnesium covers to
achieve a weight-saving of over 3kg (6.5+lbs) in the
heads alone. The 848
takes the weight reduction even further with new crankcase
manufacturing technology that shaves off an additional
3 kg (6.5 lbs). By reducing the weight of many other
components, including transmission gears and the gear
selector drum as well as the oil pump and primary gears,
a staggering total reduction of 5 kg (11.1 lbs) for
the 1098 engine and 8 kg for the 848 engine is achieved.
The Testastretta Evoluzione's increase in power is
protected by a highly efficient oil cooler with a large
surface area and an advanced coolant radiator assisted
by lightweight, high flow electric fan assemblies.
Finally, both the 848
and 1098 feature
a beautiful and efficient exhaust system. Significantly
lighter, it has been engineered with a power-increasing
symmetrical 2-1-2 layout that uses 52 mm-57 mm diameter
tubing with wall thickness reduced by 30% to 0.8 mm
(.030 in). The system terminates with Ducati's trademark
twin under-seat silencers, delivering that unmistakable
signature sound of the big bore Desmo 90° L-Twin.
HANDLING
Advanced chassis
The 848 and 1098
chassis and suspension have received the same detailed
study and performance first priority approach to development.
The goal was to achieve considerable weight saving while
building in strength and rigidity to manage the new
high-powered Testastretta Evoluzione engines. Each and
every component not only contributes to achieving superior
road holding and stability, but when assembled, become
a system with value far greater than the sum of all
its parts.
Trellis frame
Developed in cooperation with Ducati Corse, the Trellis
frame has been designed with a simplified tube layout
featuring main section tubes increased in diameter from
28 mm to 34 mm, while being reduced in thickness from
2mm to 1.5mm. The result is a 14% increase in rigidity
and a weight saving of 1.5 kg (3.3 lbs).
Single-sided swingarm
Our engineers were encouraged to re-think the construction
technique for a single-sided swingarm. The solution
was to produce the main operational components using
individual aluminium castings so as to ensure strength
around the pivot points, wheel hub and suspension links,
with fabricated aluminium sections used to complete
the construction into a unique beautifully engineered
component.
Rear suspension
The new lightweight Trellis frame and single-sided swingarm
have enabled a more compact and further weight-saving
rear suspension linkage system that features separate
lower pick-up points for the push-rod and suspension
unit. This 'tandem' design effectively reduces stress
around the linkage pick-up area of the Trellis frame.
Working together with this highly efficient linkage
is a fully adjustable Showa single shock for the 848
and1098, while an
incredible Öhlins shock is used for the 1098 S.
Furthermore, the 1098
and 1098 S rear suspension system has an adjustable
rear ride-height, independent of spring pre-load and
other suspension settings, valuable when seeking the
perfect set-up for personal riding style or track conditions.
Front suspension
Both the 848 and 1098
feature fully adjustable 43 mm Showa forks, with special
low friction Titanium Oxide-treated sliders on the 1098,
and the spectacular 43 mm Öhlins, with low friction
Titanium Nitride-treated sliders on the 1098 S. Both
front suspension solutions have radial brake caliper
mountings and are professionally track-tuned to offer
superior road holding. As a result, they deliver incredible
feedback and help every rider to be more confident and
in control.
CONTROL
Race-bred brakes
The lightweight 848 features progressive and consistent
race-bred braking performance as standard equipment
with a tried and tested formula that includes radially
mounted Brembo P4-32 calipers gripping 320mm discs.
The 1098 is the
first production street bike to use Brembo's Monobloc
caliper racing technology. The M4-34 calipers are machined
from a single piece of alloy and, therefore, have a
higher rigidity and resistance to distortion during
extreme braking and a more precise feel at the brake
lever. The 1098 also
introduces, for the first time on a Ducati, big 330mm
discs which, when matched to the Monobloc calipers,
achieve spectacular braking power. Despite the larger
diameter of the discs, their weight has not increased
due to the use of racing-style narrow braking surfaces.
Super lightweight wheels
The weight saving achieved on the front wheel substantially
reduces the moment of inertia and enhances the 848
and 1098's change
of direction and braking performance. The rear wheel
is just as impressive with a complete redesign for its
single-sided swingarm application that has resulted
in a reduction of over 1 kg compared with traditional
Ducati single-sided swingarm fitments. The 848 and 1098
benefit from the lightweight Marchesini Y-shaped spoke
wheels, while the 1098 'S' goes even further by using
machine finished forged-aluminium, a special process
normally reserved for the production of race wheels.
Aerodynamic bodywork
The 848 and 1098
bodywork enables the rider to blend effortlessly into
the race-oriented riding position. Great care has been
taken in the design of the air supply ducts so to ensure
efficient air-flow through radiator and oil coolers
as well as provide ample air delivery to the airbox
feeding the powerful new Testastretta Evoluzione engine.
Moulded in lightweight Terblend®, the bodywork's
form becomes a considerable contributing factor to the
overall performance of the machine by helping reduce
weight even further while allowing the rider to effortlessly
'tuck in' from the wind stream.
INNOVATIVE ELECTRONICS
Instrumentation
MotoGP-style digital instrumentation is taken from Ducati's
Desmosedici GP7. This pure racing, minimalist solution
has no switches or buttons to compromise its clean lines.
Instead, information additional to the default read-outs
is managed by a handlebar-mounted switch gear, allowing
the rider to scroll through and select from various
menus. The default read-out presents rpm and speed,
with the former displayed across the screen in a progressive
bar graph. The instrument display also doubles as a
control panel for the activation of the data acquisition
system as well as listing lap times recorded by using
the high-beam flash button as a stopwatch.
Data acquisition
With the purchase of the Ducati Data Analyser (DDA),
which includes PC software, a USB-ready data retrieval
card and instructions, owners are ready to review and
analyse the performance of the bike and its rider, and
make comparisons between various channels of information.
The DDA is available from Ducati Accessories, and is
supplied as standard equipment on the 1098 S.
2008 RANGE MODELS
The Superbike is available in four versions: the lightweight
and agile 848, the
awesomely powerful 1098,
the refined 1098 S and the domineering 1098 R.
THE BEST BIKE OF THE YEAR
The 1098 received
the prestigious title of "Best Bike of the Year"
by SWA - Supertest World Association. This is another
international award that the Ducati Superbike can add
to its rich collection.
Ducati Superbike 848
Ducati Superbike 1098
Ducati Superbike 1098
S
Ducati Superbike
1098 R
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