I do consider myself lucky that despite always being on a budget I've sold a couple of bikes this year and pared the fleet down to 3 bikes I really enjoy owning. The 1000SS/900SL mongrel I built The 999 I rebuilt with some mods And my Multi 1260 Enduro that I've done less to but tidied up a bit. BUT, I know that sooner or later I'll get to the point where I'll need another bike project. I really adore my 999 and how it rides, it's far more performance bike than I'll ever want or need but lower spec 1098s and 1198s are a good price at the moment and come up in a rough state or crashed occasionally. Note, I have NO intension of selling the 999, but a 1098 or 1198 rebuild/modify project sounds like fun. What I'd like to know is how they ride compared to the 999? Are they as friendly/easy to live with or are they more extreme. I don't mean balls out speed or performance, more about normal riding. Note it would be my first single side swingarm Ducati despite how many I've owned, but I do have a cure for that issue as I have a spare Black 999 Swingarm hanging around
I think the ST4/ST3 is a much neglected member of the Ducati stable. Adding the mechanics from a 1198S would make it the bike it could have evolved into. Plus it would be an absolute Wolf in Sheep’s clothing, being able to embarrass many a sports bike.
I’ve got a 1098S incoming and I noticed as you have there’s a lot at the lower price bracket and I was up for a project although in the end I’ve done a trade for one somewhere in the middle. I too wondered what they’d be like to ride and also asked on a thread. I got some really good responses, and there’s three good articles on the Bennett’s website reviewing the 848/1098/1198. I tried to find out as much as I could but realistically it’s impossible to get a ride on one to see what it’s like. In the end I just decided to take a punt - I might love it, I might not but I won’t know until I try and I’ve scratched the itch. regarding projects, I’ve not looked for a couple of weeks but there was a 1098S in London which needed recommissioning and some work doing for a slightly optimistic 5k, and there was an 1198 in Leicestershire that didn’t sell for 7k but which had no service history - again a bit optimistic but a deal could be done. They were both on eBay.
