[DukeDesmo]

http://www.visordown.com/features/how-the-1098-saved-ducati/8048.html

 

[92GTA]

Good read, thanks for posting!

 

[angelo1000r]

I agree great article!!!!

I still would like to see the 996, 998 bike come back with the 1198 engine and electronics, now that would net some serious profits for Ducati!!!!!!!

 

[Bong]

Nice article, I took delivery of my 1098S in March of 2007

Awesome bike :yeah:

 

[Matt_P]

NO, the 999 saved ducati!

The 999 saved America!

All hail the 999!




....not....

 

[1198freak]

Very interesting article, Ducati really needed the 1098 at the time. But again, another opinion of how "bad" the 999 looks. Personally I have always thought that the 999R looks more like a racebike then the 1098/848/1198 do. They look like gorgeous Italian art to be sure, but not so much racebikes.

 

[kevin_hc]

Very interesting.

 

[Fueratoma]

They look like gorgeous Italian art to be sure, but not so much racebikes.

Really? I kinda think they look like gorgeous knock-off Japanese art

Edit: Just a joke! No one kill me!

 

[bromike666]

Just to make sure that we get another 1098 vrs 999 thread going........

999 = Revolutionary design
1098 = Evolutionary design

Think of them both as Metallica albums.

Kill em All = 999. Light years ahead of its time, small sales when it was released, no airplay, best Metallica album of all times.

Black Album = 1098. Tired, over produced, sold millions, airplay all day, bored of it after 1-2 listenings

I mean seriously, who still listens to the Black Album

 

[MV_999R]

Just to make sure that we get another 1098 vrs 999 thread going........

999 = Revolutionary design
1098 = Evolutionary design

Think of them both as Metallica albums.

Kill em All = 999. Light years ahead of its time, small sales when it was released, no airplay, best Metallica album of all times.

Black Album = 1098. Tired, over produced, sold millions, airplay all day, bored of it after 1-2 listenings

I mean seriously, who still listens to the Black Album

LMAO!!!

 

[Matt_P]

Just to make sure that we get another 1098 vrs 999 thread going........

999 = Revolutionary design
1098 = Evolutionary design

Think of them both as Metallica albums.

Kill em All = 999. Light years ahead of its time, small sales when it was released, no airplay, best Metallica album of all times.

Black Album = 1098. Tired, over produced, sold millions, airplay all day, bored of it after 1-2 listenings

I mean seriously, who still listens to the Black Album

So you'd get tired of a 1098 after riding it 1-2 times? Hahaha is this going to turn in to another disillusioned 999 circle jerk?

Newsflash: designs that are way ahead of their time always SUCK ASS

Have a nice day

 

[Matt_P]

Really? I kinda think they look like gorgeous knock-off Japanese art

Edit: Just a joke! No one kill me!

It's the other way around. If the 1098 looks Japanese, it is because the Japanese are trying their best to look Italian.

Even the OP's article mentions: "The arrival of the 999 coincided with the Japanese manufacturers raising their game another notch with machines like the Yamaha R1 sexy enough to be Italian. Yamaha and company must have not believed their luck when they saw the 999 and then its sales figures. But not so with this new Ducati."

 

[Yves_atlanta]

Articles like this can only be enjoyed by adoring 1098 fans.
The writer should consider himself lucky he's not writing for the Financial Times, or he might get really hungry.

The style of the article is very dramatic and black & white :
- one year they are in billions of debt, the next they are flourishing. Why : the 1098 !
- I don't know whether he noticed, but aside from the front, the 999 and 1098 actually have a lot in common
- the author forgets to mention that Ducati made massive changes to their production process and quality of components, thus improving margins and allowing for a different pricing strategy.
- my favorite : "the not so ugly Agusta F4". Unbelievable.....that thing is a work of art.

Luckily he did not kill any trees with this internet brainfart.

 

[yamadude]

Just to make sure that we get another 1098 vrs 999 thread going........

999 = Revolutionary design
1098 = Evolutionary design

Think of them both as Metallica albums.

Kill em All = 999. Light years ahead of its time, small sales when it was released, no airplay, best Metallica album of all times.

Black Album = 1098. Tired, over produced, sold millions, airplay all day, bored of it after 1-2 listenings

I mean seriously, who still listens to the Black Album

That was great! How did you come up with that? awesome.

 

[LessPeople_MoreRobots]

I mean seriously, who still listens to Metallica

There, I fixed it for you.

 

[couchflyer]

I always heard the Monster was the bike that pays Ducati's bills.

 

[kaos]

I always heard the Monster was the bike that pays Ducati's bills.

yes.....but thats not near as dramatic as reading the 1098 saved ducati.all hail the 1098 so ducati can stay alive to sell us parts for our ''lesser'' models.

 

[RedScare]

Although a strong proponent of the xx9's, I also love the newer bikes..... I thoroughly enjoyed the article, as I am also a number-crunching nerd.

 

[desmoduo]

It's the other way around. If the 1098 looks Japanese, it is because the Japanese are trying their best to look Italian.

The R1/1000RR/GSXR/10R etc all looked like the 1098 before it was ever produced. Let's face it, we have to love the 848-1198 for what it has done for Ducati's business, not for revolutionizing/revolutionizing/insetrtyourfavoriteizing motorcycling like the 916 and 999. The fact of the matter is, Ducati is cow-towing to the market with its latest generation of bikes. Hopefully, once the company is back on its feet, we'll get a little taste of something truly amazing

 

[John]

The writer sounds like hes out of touch, not a rider, just a writer. He forgot to mention price point. Instead of a whopping $17.9K for a base 999, the 1098 came out at what was it, $14.9? Compared to the 999 the bike was a steal. The 1098 was also bigger and more powerful than the 999, attracting customers that wanted I/4 power. The 999 set the standard for design streamlining and utilizing computers. If you compare the 999 with any of the earlier Desmoquattros you see the obvious fit and finish differences. The 999 was superior compared to the 998 and earlier bikes. For the first time the components inside the fairings made sense, parts were not just shoved in there with all the attention given to the exterior looks. They set the standard for future manufacturing. God I don't want to harp about these two bikes but the writer injects his own opinion which we all know is subjective. All I can say is whatever.