1098 picture special

In this week’s MCN, out Wednesday, December 6, Editor Marc Potter brings you news of the 1098 launch at Kyalami.

Here are just some of his thoughts and to read the rest check out MCN.

This is not just any Ducati. This is not just any motorcycle. This is the Ducati we’ve been waiting for since the original 916.

It’s a Ducati in the truest form. Blood red, stunning to look at and absolutely pure in its purpose. There’s nothing on it that doesn’t make it lap faster or look better.    This is the world’s most powerful production V-twin, with a claimed 160bhp – that’s more than any special limited-edition ‘R’ version before it.

It weighs a sylph-like 173kg (171kg for the S) and makes a claimed 92ftlb of torque, more than any four-cylinder sports bike.

Bikes like this only come round every few years.

In the 12 years I’ve tested bikes for MCN, the list of sports bikes that I feel have made a leap this big and had a lasting effect on the world is a very short one – they include the 916, 1994 FireBlade, original R1, RC45, ZX-12R and original GSX-R1000K1.

And now there’s a sixth bike to add to the list – the Ducati 1098S.