I got my first ride on a 1098 yesterday. I took it for a 15 mi. ride up the Blue Ridge Pkway up from Asheville, NC.  The owner of the shop heard me tell my daughter that it really wasn't that much more powerful than my S4RS and he asked if I wanted a ride, saying that I would eat those words.  Well it ain't so.

It's been years since I've regularly ridden with clipons and rear sets so I'm definitely not used to the riding position, but it wasn't that uncomfortable. From what the dealer said I was expecting space shuttle lift off acceleration and really didn't get it.  There is a rush as the tack swept past 8000, but wasn't that big of a deal. The bike handled very well, but takes a little getting used - I can see where a novice could kill him/her self on one.

With 24,000 mi. on it now, the monster it fits me like a glove and is definitely a hooligan's dream ride. It can be thrown around so effortlessly and is so easy to control as compared to the 1098. The front end stayed down well, probably owed to the riding position. If I had hammered my bike in 1st and 2nd gear like I did the 1098 it would have flipped over backwards.

Don't get me wrong. I'd like to have that Black kitted 1098S that was on the showroom floor, but for something north of $25k for the kitted bike I'll just have to keep the RS for now. The 1.9% had me thinking though and my daughter said you really look great on that bike daddy.

Viva la Monster.

LA

now..... go race the bikes owner

I wonder how the 848 compares. I have had my S2R for a month now and I know it is no RS, but a firm twist in 1st or 2nd gets the front end of my bike prettty light.

Quote from: Brett on June 04, 2008, 08:08:30 AM
I wonder how the 848 compares. I have had my S2R for a month now and I know it is no RS, but a firm twist in 1st or 2nd gets the front end of my bike prettty light.

The 848 will lift the front end very easily.

I'm actually surprised to hear the 1098s front end stayed down well.  I know a bunch of people with them and they all say the opposite. 

ftr.... apples and oranges

the 1098 will lift the front in 1st ,2nd and 3rd , just rolling on the throttle. It's not violent fast excelleration. It's very smooth. around 7500 rpms,the bike gets a lil boost.  (mine is stock)

the bike makes power differently than the monster. While the monster is quite the wheelie machine, when the monster has it's wheel in the air,the 1098 is off and running. Also, the 1098 is waaaaaaay more stable at speeds over 120 than the monster.

the 1098 is a track based bike....the monster, not so much, not that you cant track a monster.

I test rode the 848 and 1098 before buying the 1098s.  Everyone has a different opinion on things, which is great! 

I personally found the 848 very light and agile, but really lacking in low end nuts compared to my S4r.  My S4r, with a 520 and gearing mods is pretty amazing in the low end.  My 1098 is also amazing in the low end, but much smoother than the Monster.

Maybe they only had one spark plug wire on.  The S4Rs is a great bike but having ridden both the S4Rs and the 1098 with Termi systems, I have to say you are either extremely biased or that bike was not running right.  Either that or you didn't open the throttle all the way.

Comparing the low end grunt of the 1098 to the S4Rs is like comparing an R1 to an R6 and the top end rush from 8K to redline has my bike lifting the front wheel at just over 100 mph.

I own both   

Low end power, meaning below 7500rpms

Silentbob,

while I respect your seat of the pants impression from intimate experience of both bikes, the power curves Brad at MotoOne obtained from the kitted 1098 here:

http://www.moto-one.com.au/performance/1098withtermi70mm.html

and the kitted S4Rs here:

http://www.moto-one.com.au/performance/s4rsmonstertermikit.html

seem to me to support LA's experience also.

We're looking at very little difference from 4k to 7k, and 10-15hp from 8K up. Plenty, but then the S4Rs has plenty way up there already.

I recognise dynos don't tell the whole story, and I'm surprised the 1098 didn't display more low-end.

Other point of course is that the fairing will make the 1098 feel slower. That's got pros and cons. But it could help explain different perceptions.

Should confess that I own an S4Rs and haven't had the pleasure of a 1098. Love the testastretta feel and don't want to know the evoluzione is better.

Quote from: Moronic on June 04, 2008, 10:43:31 AM
Silentbob,

while I respect your seat of the pants impression from intimate experience of both bikes, the power curves Brad at MotoOne obtained from the kitted 1098 here:

http://www.moto-one.com.au/performance/1098withtermi70mm.html

and the kitted S4Rs here:

http://www.moto-one.com.au/performance/s4rsmonstertermikit.html

seem to me to support LA's experience also.

We're looking at very little difference from 4k to 7k, and 10-15hp from 8K up. Plenty, but then the S4Rs has plenty way up there already.

I recognise dynos don't tell the whole story, and I'm surprised the 1098 didn't display more low-end.

Other point of course is that the fairing will make the 1098 feel slower. That's got pros and cons. But it could help explain different perceptions.

Should confess that I own an S4Rs and haven't had the pleasure of a 1098. Love the testastretta feel and don't want to know the evoluzione is better.

Brad never tested a 1098 without cats.  That makes a huge difference.  The 1098 is just as corked up as the S4Rs is with the stock exhaust.

Check the link - updated April 08. Am I missing something?

I test rode a 1098 and, of course, it SO different form the Paul Smart I had been tracking, or the Monster 620, any of the others, I wasn't quite comfortable on it.
I got an '07 1098 about 2 months ago, & now that I've spent some time on it, including 2 track days, I love it! Def took some getting used to the power & braking... OMG  
Just need to get to the track more often  

the plastic makes a huuuuuge difference to perception of speed.


and yes.... the bike does take a lot of getting used to, as would switching any bike.

My assometer thought the big difference was from 8K up.

Gearing makes a big difference in feel too don't forget.

But I was comparing stock 1098 to kitted RS.

Quote from: Moronic on June 04, 2008, 10:54:46 AM
Check the link - updated April 08. Am I missing something?

QuoteI don’t know where the power is, maybe the DP Carbon Termi muffler kit is where it’s hiding.

He is still running the cats.  You might as well run with a big cork in the muffler.