Sponsored by
Dan Kyle

Yes I know I have some explaining to do... Bear with me through this little story and you will understand why I am doing this page.

Those of you that know me from the web forums or as the Lead Instructor for a trackday organization know I have had a strong presence against the Ducati's for a long time. My online moniker (Lord Duckhunter) derived from my RC51.org website as well as my Duc-Eater mascot would seem to preclude any rational and unbiased opinion of the Ducati brand. My love for the sport though has always given me an appreciation for the beauty and achievements of the Ducati marquee, but I have never been a fan of their practicality or reliability - Until Now...

Over the years I have developed quite a few bikes from the ground up testing various parts & configurations until I was content that I had the best possible and practical set-up for performance always keeping a close eye on value for the dollar as well. I had traditionally performed all my work in small steps so I could evaluate each & every mod (i.e. fork oil & spring change then a cartridge kit install then Ohlins forks etc). When I do things in this order I know firsthand exactly how appreciable or deficient each mod performed was for the performance of the bike.

Three seasons ago Dan Kyle sent me a GSXR1000 to develop that he had built from the ground up with all the best parts. It was the hardest task I have ever been given with a motorcycle. I had no idea how the bike performed in its bone stock state so I wasn't quite sure if my changes were making it better or worse until I pushed it to that point of either almost wadding it or bettering my last lap time. I learned a lot during that development phase, but it was pure hell trying to figure out what was right or wrong with a bike I had not been developing along the way plus worrying about crashing someone else's pristine and expensive bike at any given moment out there on the track...

Dan has once again given me a task this time with a gorgeous pearl white Ducati 848 built to the hilt with a long list of goodies from Forged Marchesini's all the way up to Brembo calipers & Full Ohlins compliment.

The problem is while I got to pretty much build the bike myself I didn't get any seat time on it while it was stock which puts me right back into the same position I was in with the GSXR1000.

Well Dan found a solution! He purchased another 848 (also pearl white) to be used as a test mule for me. One I can build up in small steps this time & not only try new parts & set-up configurations for direct comparisons, but I can also ride the fully set-up bike as a comparo piece along the way.

This page will be devoted to that project. Below you will find a list of mods I will be testing as well as some helpful tips and info I have discovered over the years and who knows maybe if I don't screw this up Dan will even let me ride the 1098S with the ceramic rotors and superbike forks someday

Just for starters: I've worked on a dozen or so of these new model Duc's so far and I have to say that Ducati really stepped up their game with this 1098/848 platform. It's not even the same bike as the 999/749 at all not in the way it feels, puts the power down, weight bias and definitely not in the fit & finish which believe it or not is encroaching on Honda standards.

Having ridden both of them I would pick the 848 over the 1098 and can't fathom that anyone won't enjoy one immensely whether street or track. The 848 is more fun than work if you know what I mean.

First real ride: 10/08/08
Just put the 848 Test Mule we have through a pretty good workout. Bone stock everything except some Marchesini gold wheels on it (the front OEM wheel was FUBAR so we threw on a new set) All in all I doubt it is all that much different from stock just due to the rim swap.

A few quick notes with a lot more to come later:

This thing is a weapon. It really needs better brakes and it doesn't like to steer or even roll for that matter off the gas, but put the spurs to it and it plain flat hooks up and propels you out of the turn at a stupid pace with little to no dram!

Redline comes way too quick, but it also builds power lightning fast and like the RC51 it is very deceptive as to how quick you are actually moving.

For any die-hard twin fans this is an incredible piece of machinery and I cannot wait to start building it up piece by piece.

Oh & Yes it does wheelie off the throttle quite well :-)

THIS SECTION IS UNDER HEAVY CONSTRUCTION AND THE FOLLOWING INFO IS NOT ACCURATE YET

MODS