Top Gear star Richard Hammond finally gets his dream Ducati 1098.


Richard `the Hamster' Hammond is well known as the bike-lover of the BBC Top Gear team and has enthused about the 1098 ever since he first laid eyes on the stunning new Ducati Superbike.


The Ducati 1098 was launched at the end of 2006 and immediately attracted Hammond’s attention as the bike wooed both press and public alike.


Even Hammond had to wait 6 months for the bike to find it's way to him due to the unprecedented supply demands on the Italian factory.


Now the Top Gear presenter has finally been granted his wish and has taken delivery of the 1098 for the first time.


Immediately Richard was awestruck as he watched the bike being wheeled out of the delivery vehicle, ‘This is a beautiful looking bike, and no mistake. You don’t know whether to pet it, caress it intimately or leap on and cane it round the lanes.’


Hammond was eager to see if the reality matched his expectations as he sat astride the bike and started it for the first and he was certainly not disappointed. ‘The moment had arrived; first ride. It feels small, narrow and nimble. Bloody Hell, I am in love. The gutsiness of the twin-cylinder engine means there is power from wherever you are in the power range. This is a toy I am going to enjoy a lot. I could wax lyrical again, or I could go out and ride it some more.’


That is exactly what Richard has done as he has barely been off the 1098 since. It looks like a summer of love for Richard and his Ducati.