Sport Rider Photos
Twist the throttle at any reasonable rpm and Ducati's mighty 1098S lunges forward with more torque and immediacy than any true sportbike available (which rules out musclebikes like Hayabusas, ZX-14s and such). Between 6000 and 9000 rpm its torque curve towers over even the GSX-R1000, squirting the bike between corners with almost shocking suddenness. Lacking the high rev ceiling of the fours, the big twin's peak horsepower is 142.3 at 9650 rpm. But contrary to common wisdom, the 1098S offers a narrower rev range than the fours and less peak speed than the CBR600RR in first through fourth gears.
Powerband Ducati 1098S