New Trendy Helmets From Aita

The Aita network of stores has added new helmets for autumn-winter 2007-2008 period. The new models look trendy and cool, and ofcourse, work well towards safety, the first priority for helmets.

This new collection features 25 new designs for helmets, all upto the safety norms of the European Union. There is an ample range of colors and weaves, should you decide to personalize your helmet. Interiors of these helmets are made of fiber and are extractable for cleaning/dusting.

Ducati 1098

Ducati’s new 1098 has been one of the most talked about bikes this year. It’s the world’s most powerful twin-cylinder motorcycle with the highest torque-to-weight ratio of any sports bike and I couldn’t wait to ride it. Not only does the beautiful 1098 take giant steps away from the controversial styling of the current 999, it’s expected to snatch the superbike bike crown away from the competition with real conviction. I’d been excited for week.

Well, I have to report that the press launch left me breathless; sadly it also left the Ducati gasping for air. Some numpty decided Kyalami in South Africa would be a good location to let the world’s press ride the new bike. It’s a stunning track – sadly, it’s also 1,800m above sea level, which means the air is thinner, which means less oxygen, which means less power. How such a significant factor could’ve been overlooked is anyone’s guess, but up here the Testastretta Evoluzione V-twin engine loses 20bhp and suddenly Ducati’s ‘super-powerful’ 1098 can’t offer any more power than a 999 at sea level.

And so the suspense lingers on. There’s no question in my mind that the 1098 will eventually prove to be a very serious contender as the best superbike in 2007. And in truth, even in Kyalami, the bike has more than enough power for most bikers but nevertheless, it was stifled and didn’t feel anywhere near as brutal or raw as I’d hoped and expected, despite pulling strongly to the 10,700rpm red line. As well as the standard 1098, I also had the opportunity to ride the plusher S model.

Ducati Hypermotard 110 Tidings

The supermoto sector was a ‘supernatural’ one for Ducati to enter until recently. Ducati has neither significant off-road heritage nor engines suitable for dirt bikes, but in the last few years supermotos have become both more powerful and hardnosed, moving the class towards Ducati to the point where the hardware and its sports bike heritage began to rhyme.

Designed by Pierre Terblanche, a concept version was shown in Milan 2005 and in response to an eager public; the Hypermotard is now a production reality. Worth mentioning is the fact that it wasn’t just the public which went bizarre, even the experts thought likewise as it bagged the ‘Best of Show’ at the same event.

It went into production and is now a bike which ‘thrills’ you with its solid credentials. It uses Ducati’s outstanding 1,100cc air-cooled motor. A theme is carried on in the chassis which in total gives the bike a 17 kg advantage. The 90-degree V-trim power unit’s design is pure Ducati right through, as are the tubular steel trellis frame, a single-sided swingarm and high specification running gear.