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Ducati 998 Goes Fishing In the Aftermarket Pond, Finds Bolt-On Treasure Chest

Before you get all heated up about the unorthodox act of customizing a 998, take a minute to appreciate the level of craftmanship that’s at work here.
Ducati 998 20 photos
Photo: Upcycle Garage via Facebook
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With its premium chassis specifications and an abundance of mechanical muscle on tap, Bologna’s ferocious 998 is an absolute rocket. The Duc comes equipped with a liquid-cooled Testastretta L-twin powerplant, which boasts eight desmodromic valves and a sizeable compression ratio of 11.4:1. At around 9,750 spins, the 998cc gladiator is capable of generating up to 123 feral ponies.

On the other hand, a maximum torque output of no less than 72 pound-feet (97 Nm) will be summoned at 8,000 revs. The force is channeled to the rear hoop by means of a six-speed gearbox and a chain final drive, leading to a staggering top speed of 170 mph (273 kph). Furthermore, Ducati’s two-wheeled stallion will cover the quarter-mile distance in as little as 10.9 face-melting seconds.

Given these characteristics, many gearheads would say that modifying a 998 is downright blasphemous, but Johnny Nguyen of Upcycle Garage doesn’t seem to have a problem with it. On the contrary, he’s subjected a 2002 model to a thorough cosmetic makeover that’ll make you go weak at the knees.

The very first thing you’ll notice is a full fairing resembling that of an old-school Yamaha TZ250. It is a fiberglass item developed by Airtech Streamlining, which had to be tweaked in order to fit the Duc’s geometry. We also spot a tiny LED headlight unit that’s been neatly tucked into the fairing, thus concluding the modifications up front.

Following the installation of an Antigravity lithium-ion battery, the project’s mastermind discarded the bike’s original subframe in favor of a minute bolt-on alternative. You will find a quilted leather solo saddle sitting atop the aforementioned module, while a new taillight can be seen underneath.

In the cockpit, we’re greeted by a plethora of aftermarket accessories, such as bar-end blinkers, Vans grips and a single digital gauge from Motogadget’s range. Lastly, 998's standard exhaust system was removed to make way for a custom masterpiece, which flaunts a Competition Werkes muffler.
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About the author: Silvian Secara
Silvian Secara profile photo

A bit of an artist himself, Silvian sees two- and four-wheeled machines as a form of art, especially restomods and custom rides. Oh, and if you come across a cafe racer article on our website, it’s most likely his doing.
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