Lighter, faster, lower cost

Ducati's top engineer brought a “maniacal” approach to developing the 1098 superbike.

When a company assigns the director of its international racing program to head-up production vehicle development, it usually means drastic changes are in the works.

That certainly was the case at Ducati in 2004. The iconic Italian motorcycle maker, whose blood-red V-twin sportbikes with their unique desmodromic valvegear inspire a Ferrari- or Porsche 911-like fanaticism among two-wheeler enthusiasts, had a major dud on its hands.