Never have we seen more positive write ups than those given at the launch of the Ducati 1198 and 1198S in Portugal. From Kevin Ash of The Telegraph and MCN to Matt Hull of Ride Magazine who was on his maiden bike launch, the reports were astounding.

Although the Ducati 1198 looks pretty much identical to its predecessor, underneath there are several quite radical changes. The new crankcases are vacuum cast (stronger) which along with the new headlights has made the bike lighter, the gearbox that comes from the Ducati 1098R is an improvement. Horsepower is up by another 10bhp (now 170BHP) torque is improved and..... in the case of the Ducati 1198S, this model now comes standard with 8 way adjustable DTC (Ducati Traction Control). All this in a package that weighs less than 170KG (Dry weight).

DTC

Here's a bit of what Kevin Ash thought about DTC on the test of the Ducati 1198S:-

"Lay the bike on its ear in a turn then crack the throttle wide open. Yes, against the stop if you dare. Then, instead of being fired into a low earth orbit you're driven out of the corner with a thrust so ferocious you'd think twice about unleashing it with the bike bolt upright, let alone like this. In the lower gears your biggest problem is entirely new on a road bike: the Ducati 1198 S will actually wheelie while cranked right over. DTC will elevate most road riders and plenty of pretty reasonable racers to a whole new level of performance, up there with names you've heard of, in how fast you can charge out of a turn."

This new version of DTC works by manipulating fuel rather than ignition thus offering a much smoother retardation of power delivery that is really only noticeable by the red flashing light that appears on the dash.

Ducati 1198 Colours available:-

Ducati 1198 Standard Model - White or Red with Black frame and wheels
Ducati 1198S Model - Black or Red with Gold frame and wheels

What are the differences between the Ducati 1198 and Ducati 1198S models?

The Ducati 1198S comes standard with Ohlins suspension, Ohlins steering damper, lighter weight Marchesini wheels, carbon front mudguard and the Ducati Data Analyser (DDA) that allows the rider to download data to a computer for analysis and last but far from least Ducati Traction control.

The 1198S Corse not only comes with the exquisite corporate Corse paint scheme but also an 18L alloy tank and a set or termi cans with race ECU.

The latest edition of the 1198 , the SP has the alloy tank but also has a dry multiplate slipper clutch and a Ducati quickshifter factory fitted.

Come and visit Seastar Superbikes and test ride the Ducati 1198S for yourself.

Feel free to browse our range of Ducati 1198 accessories.