Ducati 1098S race-build

The Buildbase Ducati team, based at John Hackett’s Ducati Coventry shop, are fielding John Laverty and Keiran Clarke in the National Superstock series this year on a pair of the exciting new 1098S V-twins.

MCN.com is following the transformation of the standard production bike into a fully-fledged superstock race bike and these are the first pictures of the work that’s been done.

The shop has already taken delivery of 13 new 1098s, four base models and nine S models, four of which have been allocated to the in-house race team. Three others have been sold to rival superstock competitors.

Hackett said: “We’ve stripped all four bikes and two spare engines right down to the last nut ands bolt for two reasons: the first one is to enable to ensure we can blueprint them so they are rebuilt absolutely spot-on to tolerances and the second is so our two technicians, Jason Jones (Laverty’s crew chief) and my son Richard (Clarke’s crew chief) know the bikes inside out.”

Former racer Hackett has already ridden the 1098S and said: “The handling of the new bike is incredible. One reason is the revised weight distribution (compared to a 999). The engine is five kilos lighter than the 999 and it’s shorter. The actually steering geometry is the same as the 999 but Ducati have altered the weight distribution and the wheelbase is 10mm longer.

“Ducati’s official test rider Vittoriano Guareschi rode an R1 and a GSX-R1000 back to back against the 1098S and was able to lap faster with the v-twin.

“There’s no slipper clutch but it won’t be a problem. It has a heavier crank than the 999S, which seems to help keep the motor spinning and maintain stability under braking when the throttle is closed.

“The stock Brembo calipers on the 1098S are one-piece forging (compared to the two-piece 999 calipers) to avoid flex and I reckon they are give phenomenal braking power and more feel than the best superbike race bikes have.”

Hackett’s already rebuilding engines but is still waiting on parts like exhausts, fairings and wheels. In fact he’s not expecting the wheels to arrive until after the team have carried out initial testing at Cartegena on March 1-4.