If you can get a standard model cheap enough its worth upgrading the suspension yourself. I had Ohlins TTX fitted at the rear and K-Tech internals up front. OK you don't get blingy gold forks but the suspension shop who did the work (£1600 supply and fit ride-in/ride-out including final set-up) told me after considering lots of options (including trading in for an S) that the factory Ohlins and K-Tech options would give better performance than the production Ohlins used as standard fitment on the S. They said the units supplied by Ohlins to be fitted to new bikes at the point of manufacture are not the same as those after market items you buy from Ohlins direct. I have to say it was worth every penny. Its now one of the best handling bikes I've ridden. The next thing is a really decent reactive steering damper, especially as I've lifted the forks 10 mm in the yokes to quicken the steering. It is a little twitchy when the front wheel lifts off, but in a predictable non-scary way. I swear that if I removed the OE damper I wouldn't notice it was gone. Its the same on my KTM, and the fact that they offer a "Race" alternative from the accessories catalogue is pretty much an admission the the stock item is shite..
there is no doubt that a tech after market sb kit will be far better than a std ohlins (esp if set up with springs and oil for you) but ohlins std can easily be made very good, front and back, showa and marcozzi can't
Personally I would go 848 if it was going to be used for mostly road, and 1098/1198 for more track work. Looking forward to trying out my newly purchased 1098S ie this week, that has Ktech internals in the front and a Ktech spring on the rear. See if it feels any different to my standard 1098S that I had two years ago.
Guess I was a riding god too as my 1098SF didn't live it's life with me below 5k revs either. The bike is quite tractable for the road, the 1098 lump is like all Ducati big twins of that age, lumpy around town and fluffy fueling around 3k. You can get that sorted but I didn't bother as it didn't upset me like it does others. A 14t sprocket helps, i used to do that to all my Duactis (monsters) but, again I didn't feel the need on the Streetfighter. Showa v Ohlins. If you get the standard bike the Showa stuff is fine, theyre not a crap ride and have a level of adjustment. Ohlins are better but the Showa stuff is perfectly fine for road riding. Again, I don't get too hung up on suspension for my riding, I make sure it's working for me and ride what I've got. I rate the Streetfighter as one of the finest bikes Ducati made. I'm also aware I'm in the minority in that opinion. The Streetfighter was there for those who didn't want the ergos and sportsbike characteristics but wanted the shove in a useable package. The big Streetfighter is a very rideable bike and is perfectly suited to road use. .... Right, I'm off to scour listings for one myself.
You little tear away scamps! 6k is 55mph in 2nd on a 1098...most live their lives in 4-6 gear at 60-100mph... Gearingcommander.com....providing facts to match pub talk for 10 years
To make the bike more special and fun i've had a 1098R engine modified and placed in to the streetfighter. 192.2 bhp on the rear wheel with 143nm of torque. Nearly all torque available at 5500 rpm . Can't drive normally anymore... keeps on pulling power wheelies...
Not on the SF, the 1098 uses the newer 1198 bottom end with later spec bearings - think your talking SBK
I'm talking 1098 SF that makes about 80lbft not much over 4K. And didn't realise engines where different tbh, although bearings won't impact power too much surely with such a small change
I don't see how utilising mid-range torque can be stressful to the engine as long as it is pulling willingly at those revs. Short-shifting and surfing mid-range punch is part and parcel of big twins and does no harm. (Well, OK, as long as they haven't got crap main bearings, which I guess is what you mean Bradders..) Get the fuelling right and the 1098 will pull happily from 3000 rpm, 500 rm lower than my 1290 KTM will. It'll pop the front wheel up at 4-5K pulling away from a standstill or gassing out of corners. My cam timing isn't standard though, and it is pretty gnarly low down. But before I'd had it tuned and it was just remapped and fuelling sweetly is was silky smooth and fluid and low revs. Never felt laboured. Fuelling, I think, is key.
I'm not aware of any reliability issues with the 1098 SF, certainly not with mine. If there was no 1098SFS, I wouldn't have looked at the 848 and would have bought something else. I'm not saying it's not a good bike, it just does nothing for me. The big SFS is a beast though with loads of presence and a bit of bling. Fuel tanks are crap though.
