Two years ago I got my 1098R. Have probably been on a dozen or so track days here in Dubai and Abu Dhabi since then. So, I feel pretty comfortable on it and, while not exactly competing for race glory, I like to give it some stick at the track. Well, Ducati Dubai offered me the chance to take a V4S out at Yas Marina this morning. 4 x 20 minute sessions. Sunny and 30 degrees, clean, grippy track. I took the 1098 out for the first session to get used to the circuit again, then rode the V4 for the remaining 3 sessions. Well, I was 3-4 seconds a lap faster on the V4 first time out and then took another 4 seconds out of that by the last session. That thing is a weapon. So smooth, so easy to go fast on, so easy to get comfortable with. It was just awesome fun. A couple of mates usually leave me on their S1000RRs, but I was passing them on the V4. Bloody loved it! So, the 1098 is going in the living room and I’ll be round to Ducati on Sunday with my deposit for a Speciale...
Great! Sounds promising. Can't wait to get mine next month.... I too have been using a 1098R which I love. Can't bring myself to sell it but very much doubt Mrs Hinge will tolerate it being plonked in front of the telly....
Was it the bikes actual performance or the fact that you threw caution to the wind as it wasn’t your bike?
I think some serious questions would need to be asked if a V4 wasn't significantly quicker than a 1098R.
I know the 1098R is coming up 10 years old but believe me, it's still a seriously potent machine. If you get a corner exit right with the gas it will stay with anything mainstream. And I mean anything. The brakes are shit hot too. The 1098R is a raw, uncut, wild thing. It has virtually no rider aids (ok, an agricultural traction control) so it takes loads of skill to get the most from it. It's a hefty beast to flick from one side to the other too. The latest bikes have an electronics package and better balanced chassis that will paper over a lot of cracks in rider inputs. That's perhaps where people (probably like me) are improving their lap times.
My 1098R was ridden by an ex professional endurance racer at Almeria and he was circulating in the mid 1’40”s with the traction set on 6 and he was complaining about the lack of drive out of the bend because of it. As @Mary Hinge quite rightly says, it’s the rider, not the bike. Andy
Yes, TC set at 6 will hinder a quick rider. It would even hinder me! (I leave it at 2 or off). Had matey boy knocked off TC he would probably have been low 1.40's. Bloody rapid!
Not saying the 1098R is slow but if a bike built now wasn't quicker than something built 10 years ago then surely there would be something wrong somewhere.
low sided my 1199R track bike at druids at brands a couple of years ago took my 50K 1198 190 bhp on jhp dyno (in profile pic) there the following week it felt like a dinosaur yes still quick but felt big and slow compared to 1199R. 1198 sits in the kitchen,now have a 1299 superleggera! so as Duke63 says there would be something wrong if you wasnt quicker on a new V4
unfortunately not but my missus's dad used to race back in the day so gets the bikes bit! you just have to keep them happy as happy wife happy life so buy her a Porsche 991 cab
Damn right. I could be on a V4 or a D16 and the deliveroo moped rider would still have my pants down on the inside of a bend round the one way system.
great to hear, thanks for sharing! only had the pleasure of driving a car around that pretty amazing circuit! loved it!
