1199 Photo leak!

[muskrat]

disagree.   

price point only matters as it reflects on performance, if at all, for a flagship superbike from an italian manufacturer to me.

think Beemer.

[junior varsity]

Car manufacturers often change the vehicle name depending on where it will be marketed. The VW Jetta was initially called the Fox (vs the first gen Rabbit, which has always been the Golf in Europe), and in South America and Europe is/was called the Vento (which means wind in italian).

Sentra = Tsuru, iirc

[muskrat]

I luvs Sentra

[junior varsity]

think Beemer.

cars or bikes?  

I'd like a new M3, I'm aware it costs a fortune. I am not as interested in a dumbed down version just to make the price point more appealing.

For me, it is similar in bikes, and it is likely many would have the same opinion as I: when looking at buying a luxury good (a complete non-necessity item), the price-point isn't the deal-maker/breaker so long as we're talking apples-to-apples.   That's because the purchase (for me), regardless of specific selection, is not rationally based - I don't need it.

And while there's some resemblance to rationality - as in, I'm not looking at apples-to-oranges, (e.g., Honda Rebel 250 vs. 1989 Batmobile Replica for commuting..., or even BMW S1000RR vs. Desmosedici as 'superbikes' - both being apples-to-oranges comparos), I'm not going to purchase a bike with knobs that don't go to 11 just because its a cheaper version of a comparable item.

If I was interested in the bike's features, liked its aesthetics and ergonomics, and price was also better, that's a nice plus, but I'd not sacrifice getting what I wanted for a few dollars saved, I'd simply wait a bit longer until I had the money.  Or try to find wet floors without signs in large retail stores and hope gravity + faceless corporation will help me purchase the bike.

[muskrat]

i don't like the looks of it either but the price is appealing and cheap enough to have my own skins added.  lets just wait and see what the valve intervals are, the name and ultimately the price. 
And although beemer cars are nice I'm a Benz loyalist through and through.  Where's that AMG/Ducati special anyway? 

[El Matador]

It looks.... Interesting. Not sure if I like it or not yet.

[MadDuck]

Top triples harken back to the 999 top triple. Nice to see that level of detail again. Might end up paying more for it though.........

[Raux]

I'm on board.

But the price and the 849 version questions remain.

Love the HUGE mouth for the airbox. that thing is a big grouper of an air sucker.

Ohlins, magnesium everywhere, makes me wonder is this is the stock or S version.

but I see that name X-Treme 

[The Mad King Pepe']

I don't think the huge mouth leads to the airbox. Rather to be more aerodynamic and to get more air to the radiator.

From what I understand the airbox will still be fed from the runners that start under the headlights. First photo, down right "Effetto Venturi": "Da notare le prese d'aria accanto ai fari".

I'm curious about the exhaust being under the engine, seems like they copied it from Buell.

but I see that name X-Treme 

It wont be.

The distribution will still be desmo, just no more belts. Chain and gears together with a wet clutch...

[El Matador]

I don't think the huge mouth leads to the airbox. Rather to be more aerodynamic and to get more air to the radiator.

From what I understand the airbox will still be fed from the runners that start under the headlights. First photo, down right "Effetto Venturi": "Da notare le prese d'aria accanto ai fari".

I'm curious about the exhaust being under the engine, seems like they copied it from Buell.
It wont be.

The distribution will still be desmo, just no more belts. Chain and gears together with a wet clutch...

Yup, my rudimentary Italian is telling me the same.

I'm liking everything about the engine except the wet clutch. It's not like it really matters, but the jingle jangle of the dry clutch will be missed.

[DRKWNG]

with a wet clutch...

Looks like it's time to buy an 1198SP

[RichD]

TPG sold the last of it's stake in Ducati in 2005...well over a year before the 1098 was released, which was the reasonably priced SBK that seems to have started the company's turn around.

That's not to discount TPG's positive influence prior to that though.

TPG had it's hand in the 1098.

Months after the 999 came out, work on the 1098 had already started.
TPG were the owners at that point.

[Triple J]

TPG had it's hand in the 1098.

Months after the 999 came out, work on the 1098 had already started.
TPG were the owners at that point.

How do you know that? I think it's more likely the 1098 concept came about after it was apparent that the 999 wasn't selling well due to price/styling. Terblanche was still head of design months after the 999 came out, and he had no involvement in the 1098. My guess is serious work started on the 1098 in early 2005...near the time TPG was selling. They may have had a part, but I don't think the bike can be attributed to them.

[Raux]

from the look of the clutch cover it's a dry clutch.
I wonder if the R or S models (like the one in the pic) are dry and the stock wet?

[The Mad King Pepe']

from the look of the clutch cover it's a dry clutch.

Second pic: "Frizione in bagno d'olio" = (lit.) clutch in a bath of oil, IE. wet clucth, the filler cap is just to the top right of the clutch plates.

Bike looks sexy, but I can't wait to see it naked! I want to see both how it's made and a nice StreetFighter version of it.