Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Motorcycle News RSS Feed - A free online motorcycle magazine Clutch and Chrome

April 6th, 2009

Italian motorcycle manufacturer, Ducati is taking the performance found in its top of the line models and injecting it into a unique financing offer.

The special financing started on April 1st, but Ducati appears to be serious giving motorcycle enthusiasts the opportunity to park a performance bike in their garage.

After winning the World Superbike Championship aboard Ducati's 1098 R during its first year in production, Troy Bayliss climbed on an 1198 S in stock trim at the press launch in Portimao, Spain and bested the 2008 World Superstock racing lap record. What could be considered the most advanced piece of Superbike technology in the world is being offered with financing at rates as low as 3.99%* on the 1098 and 1198 and 4.99%* on the 1098 S and 1198 S.

The 1198 is a race bike, pure and simple. It is immediately recognizable for its purposeful, no-nonsense attitude. Performance is first and foremost in every detail. The trademark Ducati features like the high tail section and compact front end combine with twin under-seat silencers and single-sided swingarm to express the sheer engineering beauty of aerodynamics and agility. Add the 1198 Testastretta Evoluzione engine as the hearts of the machine and the result is all-out performance Ducati Superbikes that look fast even when parked.

The 1198 features fully adjustable 43mm Showa forks, with an additional special low friction titanium oxide treatment applied to the sliders.

Producing 170hp (125kW) and with a dry weight of just 169kg (372.6lb), the new 1198 S now incorporates more World Superbike technology than ever before by taking the 1198 motor and adding top-of-the-range suspension, lightweight chassis components and a true racing-style traction control system designed for road use.

The high performance, fully adjustable 43mm Öhlins forks, which sport low friction titanium nitride-treated fork sliders, respond effortlessly to every imperfection in the tarmac. Beyond their advanced engineering solutions, one of the most important characteristics of Öhlins forks is their ability to communicate the condition and quality of the tire-to-road contact patch, a feature that puts every rider in superior control. The suspension set-up at the rear is complemented with a fully adjustable Öhlins rear shock equipped with a ride enhancing top-out spring and mounted to a single-sided swingarm for outstanding drive and traction. The front-to-rear Öhlins package is completed with a control-enhancing adjustable steering damper.

The 'S' sets the standard for lightweight performance. On any sport or race bike, the most effective area to reduce weight is its 'unsprung weight'. These are components like tires, brakes and wheels. Lighter wheels have a lower 'moment of inertia' that is beneficial with every direction change and application of the brakes. The 1198 S addresses this important area by mounting new 7-spoke GP replica Marchesini forged and machined wheels. Both front and rear are super lightweight and their benefit is immediately apparent. The weight saving is further enhanced with the application of a carbon fibre front fender.

The 1198 S is supplied with the Ducati Data Analysis (DDA) and Ducati Traction Control (DTC) systems as standard equipment. The DDA package enables the retrieval and analysis of data collected from track sessions or road trips. DTC monitors front and rear wheel speeds to detect rear wheel-spin under acceleration and electronically reduces engine power to restore traction.

The special financing includes new, previously untitled Superbike 1198/1198 S/1098/1098 S models and is available until June 30th with further details available at Ducati dealerships.

No comments: