A “Monster” 1098
Nov 3rd, 2008 by Leo
Ducati has decided to unleash it’s newest monster a few days after Halloween. Only it’s not a “Monster” this time…it’s a buck naked 1098. The people who invented the naked sportbike have jumped into the fray once again with the king of the hill streetfighter. (Click here for the teaser video)
Is it just me, or does it look like something I’ve seen before? Sure it’s nice. And I bet it’s fast, but the early Monsters were beautiful, and the 1098 is distinctive and clean… This looks nice, but nothing special. Perhaps I’ll change my mind when I see it in person. This model was just released today. At the same event Ducati announced that the 1098 will be replaced with a bigger bored 1198… Stuff like this is usually good news for bargain hunters looking for left overs of the older models (I think you can still find some new 999s out there). As Warren Buffet said, be cautious when others are Bullish, and when everyone is scared of the market put your money in motorcycles. Or at least that’s how I heard it. So what do you think of the new ducks?
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Those mirrors?? What were they thinking with those mirrors? I was actually anxious to see this bike once the story was leaked and frankly I’m a little let down by the design. Nothing about this design, other than the frame, says ‘Ducati’ to me. In fact, it looks a little too similar to the B-king – which I imagine is its primary competitor. I guess I will have to see it (and hopefully ride it) in person.
I don’t see B-King at all. Looks like a mash-up of an Aprilia Shiver and MV Agusta Brutale. Either of those bikes look more cohesive to me than this does. Doesn’t do much for me, personally. I’d go with a Monster 1100, lower power and all, before this, if I was truly hungry for a naked Duc. Makes me anxious to see what the rumored middleweight naked MV Agusta triples are going to look like.
All things considered, that’s a lotta cash ($15k base model) for a bike, especially a naked one. The premium one pays for bragging rights is too steep for me at the moment.
Definitely looks like a MV Agusta Brutale…I mean, if I saw that on the street without having heard Duc was coming out with a new model, I would think it WAS a Brutale. Ducati comes up with designs as great as the Monster and the Sportclassic, and then come out with this carbon-copy? I can’t believe how similar this is…
Just read a spread on this bike in this month’s Motorcyclist Magazine. Sort of changed my opinion. Better photos and a pretty glowing review.