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Only a very few will ever ride the best V-twin Superbike ever produced, the Ducati 1098R. At almost US$44,000 and more than double the price of the lower spec 1098 models, the Ducati is reserved for the wealthiest and/or most deeply committed Ducatisti. However for 2009, Ducati massively upgraded the specifications of the mainstream Superbike models turning the mid-range 1198S into a performance bargain that rivals the 1098R in specification for just half the outlay.

Ducati surprised many fans this year by introducing the 1198cc engine to the entire Superbike line-up replacing the 1099cc powered 1098 range with the 1198cc engine that formerly powered only the race spec 1098R. The driver for this was the change in World Superbike homologation rules that required all manufacturers to produce 3,000 bikes from 2010 onwards which would clearly not be practical with the limited production 1098R.

So How Different is the 1198S from the 1098R?

At a high level the 1198S has many more similarities than differences to the 1098R. The bore and stroke are the same, the gearbox ratios are identical (not the case with the 1098S & R) and they both have elliptical throttle bodies. They both have forged aluminum wheels, Ohlins suspension and Ducati Traction Control (DTC).

When you look a little closer you start to see the subtle and not so subtle differences that mark out the wannabe Superbike racer from the premium sportsbike. The 1098R has larger, titanium valves, a lightened crankshaft, sand cast cases and 2 injectors per throttle body to go with a soupçon more compression. The repli-racer also has a slipper clutch and a more sophisticated Ohlins TTX rear shock and despite lacking the vacuum die-cast crankcase process is still 4kg lighter. All of this provides just 10 more bhp (180 vs 170) and a meager 2lb-ft of extra torque.

Is this difference worth the price of a nice Ducati 1198S? Yes you read right. For the cost of a 1098R you could buy two 1198S’s and go riding with a friend. Before you decide also consider that the R comes with a full racing exhaust system including 102dB carbon fibre mufflers by Termignoni (strictly for track use only ), a dedicated ECU, branded bike cover and rear paddock stand.

There is one difference that actually falls in the cheaper bikes favor and it is the DTC. The 1098R’s system only works with the racing only exhaust system because it works by cutting the ignition which would damage the catalytic converter. The 1198S has a more sophisticated system that also cuts the fueling which makes it smoother in operation.

If (a loss of traction) is detected, then the torque at the back wheel is reduced. This is achieved first by retarding the ignition, but it’s only possible to lose up to 20 per cent of the torque this way before the possibility of inflicting damage on the engine, so the next step is to interrupt the combustion process. On the 1098 R and the race bikes the ignition is killed, but the problem for a road bike with this is unburnt fuel gets dumped into the exhaust system, which would damage the catalytic converters. As the 1198S is as much a road bike as a track one, the fuel injection is stopped instead. These interruptions happen at very high speed and the supply is constantly restored then interrupted again, so the DTC’s action is surprisingly smooth, especially on the S compared with the 1098 R.

link: Ash On Bikes

Conclusion

The 2009 Ducati 1198S offers ample opportunity to play Troy Bayliss by offering something like 90% of the raw ingredients of the more exotic 1098R for just 50% of the cash. If that’s not a bargain, I don’t know what is.

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