Ducati | Feature | Charged

Patrick Littlejohn thought he loved his old Ducati. Then he popped by their brand new showroom and experienced the beast that is the 1198, the closest you can get a GP bike and still be street legal.

This is no Boy’s Toy. This is one seriously angry piece of machinery.

38 sept 2010

y – it’s furious. isn’t just angr ke bi bolts is th at th and the 1198 a le of tt t ro as th e be th is of black A tiny twist me near it). Th thing red and erea w br po re s fi fore they’d let it a be at is th s, forward. This p, it’s so light a triple dose of ian, good look gering ian that’s had bike has 170bh al ag It st g a in panna ucati; red, Ital to e am re os k sc en denied its ing. Thin ratio is cl yl t be s d st gh it an ei h ed it -w br so w to es gh en pr on, ev eine. thorou morning es d high on caff A Bugatti Veyr world and you tio p. an ra ke t bi bh ry 0 gh e ng 0 ei th 0 w hu 1 of , i to py er Ferrar s also cota: grum rner?” my ne, has a pow e. But perhap 1000bhp engi ke this into a co ugh it and ill do 0-100 in ta w ly 8 9 al get the pictur re 11 I e , an Th es “C ro r ton. lity issu on, and , when I slip th of 446bhp pe ind are reliabi you can hang stoic ad is debating if of proaching s, he al ap nd popping into m de st co fa od . se , go on .5 de about 2 nnel visi other si ms and a e tu le e th – t ob th pr ou le , al le nd ic rt ow tr ha hu elec can and out again ift. I kn 300kph if you to the second you get my dr hen getting on In – . w as ss at nd w ry I th ne co , t ve rn se y en bu e , bo m th th , g stub gs on akes are good traction It’s a good thin with these thin lerated too fast. The br it had a fancy ay t like at w bi th a I’ve had to deal ’s ew It t kn e. rned and acce I in ar tu I ke po tm bi k. to gh is ac u ni tr th yo c t of si t le to is telling me running ou own 1993 clas it, except in th stem, rumored r, my hear t is te sy d de ol ha an tr an or n s -h it co ga ft ve e le lo e th e only dealer , max through th marmite: you ad is saying th time. With no 8 into a corner e s, 9 he el m y 11 m sa he e ”; e w th o st th fa tw at o “This is to case it’s both e other side on the corner is to cal owners. appear out th or eating the ill get me out of en worse for lo w nd ev at like to sa u ’s th e it yo g th ai in at in ub th th D t in varian been taught. I’d your face e er , h w it I’v od w ne t as go a it no at is h th ug ke uched t to be 35 power thro Even if your bi would have to really is mean e owning a 19 It g ee lik in e. ’s kn st it nc y ju , fe m ad ed at d rt th the tank ds an or point out perhaps impo en gripping on dfather clock ing wheel spee won’t just cut be or an t it gr no on I ry m d tu n ha ce the ground d fuel, so it MG, an 18th . This leaves both ignition an , but help you through it. ophone player am d gr al an hua, but g in ig in n for dear life. or gg ur an no pet Chihua pping, be this wer mid-t y y ra nl tr po sc ai ’t e rt rs th dn ce ne di I is ow at y i the an , th This bike most Ducat ride. It’s light in my savior and ity is, of course ow), but this bike to al en re sy be e s ea Th ha ly ng ay si eB gadgets you kn it’s surpri borrowing; on feels perfect, pesky waiver, take a while. e llt y fu nc al ha a la It (t to ba t om e fr ge th r u’ll control eir corners, parts I orde eight traction t as close as yo ad legal. It has dealer and th y, ou ti la ab ca sp u is D di e ew th n ise that affair that is ro galore on Enter the an amazing no ing es ar ng superbike and gleaming ak ci y ge m tt ra d it re an d p a an on , liver (with ith spensi settings showroom engine can de the me clutch, su Autodrome. W n in sa ai e he tw b w u L th D n ce e ia en al th r It lives up confid side, only an based nea to go with it). It heeled toys in didn’t help my ing ue w it ar o d rq ge to tw an e d w th an t ne y er i ou oking it inted Ducat the pow lots of shin by how good lo i shepherd po etely s supplier, for st pl at rt ju m i uc pa D at co a is uc d D it an ld a p ns owd. Plus mea I shou to being a worksho y ce spec . This ds out of the cr -time coming. m ra an g ng in st as lo y w a ud nl cl en ai in rt be s, ador. are t bike is and ce owners it’s ability of a mat ill s of the past posite to mos ent d m er op le an ff e b t di th l ro un p ra gr ti ve e ca th se 8w it’s got say the Du ism that gets 1198 comes in toy – the 119 as cient stigmat l own. The timate power my test ride w al ; ul y e es round b th s m or ic ’s he It tr ag sc dr t ec more of an an a hing in tive pain ame fr yt ac g Italian: el d tr an in re t at i th y ou at an ab uc g D to st in ark rvic to burn, and beat ju attached with the tradem d gold suspension d the bikes se ve got money k an u’ ac le bl yo b if , lia re So . e er rrywurst de an a corn repor ts ar ngole over Cu e smaller. ing from the si Vo ar i ow s tt sh al he rv ag te Sp in e ke for you. e new you lik costs and could be the bi d pops e night was th s and shocks. is an th rk th of es fo en kl ke th ac bi i, cr ch sh it and because ne’s and Su The laun ve the option, ar t this baby up , ease the surprisinglyt caught everyo ha St u ha w yo t w bu , no t da i.

At leas Multistra into first i had kindly sert for Ducat angrily; slip it w 1198. Ducat no longer a de ke pulls away is bi e ai th ub d D an eye was the ne it around the track at t light clutch ou ride t lane I realized as I left the pi allowed me to ‘kindly’ even ut d B . or ly w e th th oo e sm e (I us ver the Autodrom e $27,500 wai th gn si to d ha though I

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sept 2010

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