Wallaroo

Nothing that I am not already doing to mine......hate to have to think I would have to buy a R as well, because it was something really special

RedScare

$30k.

PannyofDoom

All Tricolore owners should get the titanuim rods and new engine map :P :P

duckyduc

if this could be done, then i will keep mine

Hatchet

I want a Desmo also,I would sell my 1199Tri for a desmo anyway

RSR racer

Not feeling the subtle changes...not for the delta in coin.

Glad I picked the up Bayliss and will add the Desmo RR shortly.

Tricolore

I own a 1098R and every time I ride it is privilege. All the best components and a race inspired engine. I bought my 1098R after first wanting the Panigale. What got me to buy my R was the engine performance.

What is disappointing about the Panigale is the powerband, it is only powerful beyond 8000 rpm. Unfortunately, the Ducati execs felt is was best to go after horsepower and chase BMW's S1000RR rather than maintain a flat and high torque curve.

If in fact, these are the 1199R specs, the price and power reflect Ducati's inability to find additional performance from the 1199 engine. And what we are left with is a tricked out 1199 selling at the same price as the Tricolore. For those who are unfamiliar, 1098R/1198R list at $40K+ and have a significant boost in performance over their 1098/1198 brethren.

We can only hope in the future the engineers are given the green light to produce a truly powerful engine to put in a supremely beautiful motorcycle and while they are at it, solve the ridiculously hot exhaust.

d1098man

people buy the r's for the engine.....i dont care what nobodys says...thats wack they arent changing much....u can tell by the price tag

rm4two

I disagree with this statement. Have you watched a world superbike race lately? The 1098R's torque is no longer good enough to be competitive with the BMW's, ZX10's, RSV4's or even the CBR's in a straight line. All of these bikes run (not walk) by Checa as soon as the track straightens out! Checa works his ass off in the twisty bits only to have Melandri, Sykes & Biaggi laugh as they blow by him the straights. Ducati built the 1199 to mitigate most of that, which is why the power is higher in the rpm range.

Tricolore

With all due respect, what you are really talking about is curve exit speed. The electronics (TC), especially on the RSV4s is far superior to the Ducatis which enables a less powerful bike to pass the 1098R on the straights. (Not sure about the CBR's) Only the BMW has superior power and now that the chassis is more than adequate it is passing the Ducatis.

Unfortunately, most people when buying superbikes judge them using HP as the benchmark and that is why the Ducati execs are chasing it. What is ironic, is horsepower is not a value of rotational power but rather is derived from Torque.

HP = (Torque * RPM) / 5250

What Ducati needs to do for the 1199R is to create better TC, boost its Torque and try to achieve higher RPMs with Titanium valves and sandcasting ect.

With all that said, the 1199 is still the most beautiful bike ever made.

bolds

Well if they are doing one it isn't next year
There will be an SP though which will have Ti rods and diff colour that's about it

mat1529

I see what you are saying re BHP figures etc, but I thought that Ducati produced the power band to be a lot more usable than previous models...? The 1198 etc, the front end just keeps coming up every time you open the throttle which makes all that power un useable surely?

I've owned both the Beemer and I currently have the 1199S and to be honest we are talking about road bikes here, as even if you do track them I guarantee you will not be getting out of them what the likes of Checca does, so to that end that top end power that the Beemer has on the 1199 is not used on the road, trust me I go a lot faster on the 1199 than I ever did on the Beemer... And come home with a greater smile on my face, anyway I digress from the thread I apologise...!

Tricolore

The 1199 was created to allow everyone who wants a Ducati superbike to be able to own and ride one.

The 1198 and 1098R/1198Rs with the 1198 racing engines are not for everyone. When riding fast, it is all about minimal movements, easing into the throttle and easing into the brakes, grab either one and you’ve got problems.

I agree it is all about usable power and as engines become more powerful electronics play a bigger role in keeping the rider in control. The 1199 only approaches the Rs when near peak power and as you rightfully acknowledge we all don’t ride at redline nor get to track our bikes that often.

However, the Rs are not meant for everyone, they are for the rare owner who can afford to have the best and ride the best. It is all about performance and if you can’t control it don’t buy it unless you are poser.

Corsa

I will be definetely purchasing a 1098R in the near future to compliment the collection, it has race heritage and to me its is the ultimate R although I still love my 999R/749R the 1098R is something not to discount at the track or on the street

batmantis

Totally wrong i'm sorry. The 1098R road bike might have more power than the Aprilia road bike (not the BMW or Kwak though) but the WSB bike is miles down on power. Every commentator says it, Checa says it and the fact that the BMW, Kwak abnd Aprilia can pass two Ducatis on one straight (has happened more than once this season) should make that fairly clear. Road bikes are not WSB bikes. The BMW and Kwak are nuclear powered this year in comparison to the Ducati and the Aprilia is close to those in pure top end. The Honda is even slightly faster on the straights this year too (ive watched the whole season).

Magoo

The commentators made a point of mentioning that Johnny Rea had a new engine for the last race after watching the CBR actually pass another bike on the straight. Probably a duc

rm4two

Yeah I have to agree with Batmantis on this one. I doesn't matter how Checa exits a corner, the other bikes are running by him on the straights. The old Duc simply runs out of gas when the pass gets going.
Tricolore, with regards to corner exit speed and TC, I think what you're seeing is Checa trying to get on the gas even earlier than what he was doing last year so those other bikes do run by him so bad? Unfortunately, the end result is Checa logging a lot of DNF's this season.

tstephenson

+1 ^

jarelj

The Ducati Wsbk bikes are restricted per the rules, with a 50mm air intake restrictor and 6kg weight penalty. That was all part of the negotiated rules when the twins were allowed to go up to 1200cc vs. the 1000cc 4-cyl bikes in 2008. Take that air restrictor off and I doubt you'd see anyone passing Checa on the straights. And it would still be faster in the corners too, so none of the other bikes could compete and you'd have the "Ducati Cup" again, and the other manufacturers would pull out. That's the rub, let the Ducati run or have a better "show" with more manufacturers.

DimST

Restrictors are also on 4 cylinder bikes... and they are only 33mm. Also, the extra 6 kilos of weight were added from FIM for this season durring the fact that last year Ducati seemed unbeatable in the hands of Carlos Checa. The bike still lacked of power but it could really make the difference on close & small circuits, that's why they added weight.

The old era Ducati superbikes had 33% capacity advantage over the 4 cylinders and in the early years 20Kg advantage so it's not the same and that's why all the other manufacturers & drivers was screaming about.

If Ducati didn't have problems with the testastretta evo design they would make such radicaly changes on the next generation of their engines.
Is is a fact that with their current engine design they cannot rev more (~12.700 on Checas bike) and they cannot produce the power they need.