Help Me Decide - 959 Vs 1098s

Not sure there will be that many contributors on here who have owned or ridden both for long enough to provide an informed opinion. Which is probably why you didn't get an answer. FWIW, my 1098R is an unrefined brute which, if you get it wrong, will bite .... hard. My Panigale V4 is a refined animal and much more forgiving. Andy

 

I'd fancied a 1198S from back when I almost bought a brand new one. And I was only £500 light from buying the last 1098R advertised on here. But the years Ducati warranty I got, swung it for a 1299S in the end.

 

959 all day long! Great all rounder with real world usability and road manners. Plus no cambelts to stress about. And still a right weapon in the right hands

 

959. Complete no brainier.

 

The 959 strikes me as easier to ride, my 1098 is occasionally hard work to flick about. The 959 is almost certainly a more refined machine and probably better as a do everything bike. The 1098, of course, is the most visually and aurally attractive production motorbike ever produced, so you might miss that part.

 

I wouldn’t buy a V2 for trackdays over a 959, I’d save the money and get a 959. The electronics might be better at the limit or near it but otherwise I’d save a load of money and ride a 959. I had a V2 and sold it, recently rode a 959 on track at Jerez and it was great even totally stock on wrecked road tyres

 

Hello.
I owned an 1198SP and it was a great looking bike that went well and I loved owning it, but it wasn't an easy bike to ride especially over longer distances. It was the last of the trellis frame bikes with the Testastretta Evo engine, and the riding position required an extended reach. The bike still had a low mileage when I sold it, and fortunately I didn't have any major issues, but I changed the clutch slave cylinder and had the slipper clutch set up by JHP. Some bikes had issues with the quick-shifter and consequential gearbox issues after higher and more aggressive usage.
I changed the 1198SP for a Panigale R, which is another great looking bike, but in a different way. It has a slightly less extreme riding position, and is easier to ride but still in a crouched "sports" position. It definitely does not like going slow, and use in traffic can be uncomfortable especially from the heat coming off the exhaust and warming-up the rider. I've not done much mileage on this bike, but there have been a couple of recalls done without issues. I've changed the clutch slave cylinder also, and the clutch can snatch sometimes until the bike warms-up, especially after having been unused for a while.
I considered keeping both bikes at the time, but didn't have room for an extra motorcycle, so the Panigale R was the replacement and I don't regret it at all.
I would recommend the 959 as the more recent option, having the benefit of the better technology and greater choice of bikes and potential enhancements.
Also, if you wait until later in the year, you might be able to buy a bike with a winter deal, and possible a V2 which looks like a very nice option indeed.
Best of luck.
Tom.

 

1098's are old bikes now.. if you don't like/aren't capable of doing in depth maintenance yourself then you want the newest, lowest miles bike you can afford, especially if you plan on putting any real miles on it and keeping it in excellent condition.

I'm mid-restoration/rebuild of my 1098 now (it's currently a bare frame sat on the engine) and despite being what most people would consider a very good condition bike (8k miles, dry use only) before I dropped it when you scratch the surface everything needs attention to be perfect - the little preventative maintenance things that simply don't get touched at an ride in/ride out annual service - the rubber components (hoses, seals, cable ties etc) really all want replacing, the wiring looms are old, at 16k miles if the wheel/swingarm/head bearings haven't been done then they probably want to be, when was the last time the forks and shock were serviced etc etc..