Thursday 9 February 2017

Ducati 900SS (1989) Specification, Review, HD Photos

Posted By: ygshhd 09:32 Leave a Reply

Ducati 900ss

A traditional tubular steel ladder frame used the V-twin engine as a stressed member of the chassis, and gave excellent rigidity.

The original 90055 handled well despite its simple cantilever rear suspension system and rather basic, non-adjustable front forks, which were uprated when the model was restyled in 1991.

Ducati sprung a surprise in 1989 when the I firm reintroduced the 900 Super Sport 1 name, made famous in the 1970s, with a totally new V-tw in. The revival of the name was no coincidence, for this Ducati was a relatively lean and simple sportster, designed along much the same lines as the thundering air-cooled 900SS model of the previous decade. It was intended as a relatively simple and inexpensive bike for riders who liked their Bolognese dish red and raw.

The new Super Sport’s 904cc, two-valves-per- cylinder motor was cooled by a combination of air and oil, rather than by water like the 851 flagship. The cooling system was one that Ducati had used on its Paris-Dakar racing bikes, and had the advantage of reducing noise without adding much to either weight or expense. Valve operation was by Ducati's traditional desmodromic (positive closure) system. But soft tuning and a low compression ratio combined to keep maximum power to a relatively modest 83bhp at 8400rpm.

Tucked away behind the red-and-white full fairing, the engine was barely visible. The 900’s steel ladder frame was red, too. It used the engine as a stressed member and held its rear shock unit diagonally, attaching it directly to th^ swingarm instead of via a rising-rate system. Low clip-on handlebars gave a fairly sporty riding position in combination with the tall seat.

Great fun to ride

Although the 900SS was not the most powerful machine Ducati had ever produced, it was certainly one of the most fun to ride. The motor made plenty of mechanical noise, and the throaty exhaust bark left the rider in no doubt about the bike’s character. Low rev response was rather rough, mainly due to the Weber twin-choke carburettor. But the 900 came alive in the mid-range, before smoothing out and pulling harder still at 5000rpm.

By 6000rpm the Super Sport was accelerating hard past lOOmph (I6lkm/h). Shortly after that point it began to vibrate slightly through handlebars and footpegs. But there was still more to come before the top speed of about I35mph (2l7km/h). The 900 lacked a little straight-line performance compared to many rival superbikes, but had the advantage of feeling faster than it really was.

Handling was basically good, thanks mainly to the Ducati’s light weight and rigid frame. Its non- adjustable front forks were rather basic, but the Marzocchi shock gave good control. The front brake consisted of big twin discs gripped by four- piston Brembo calipers and w as normally ver\ powerful, although the system was prone to a soft feel at the lever.

In some respects the 900 felt crude alongside the sleek sophistication of Ducati's 851 flagship and most Japanese superbikes. It was an impressive machine, even so, and equally importantly it was very much a Ducati. Other bikes might have been faster and more sophisticated. But when it came to the feeling of excitement generated by cracking open the throttle, banking into a curve or even just blipping the throttle at a standstill, there were few bikes that could live with the 900SS.

Evolution of the Super Sport

The 1989 model 900SS was a fitting bike with which to revive the famous old name, and Ducati moved quickly to improve it. Two years later the SS was comprehensively revamped, gaining superior Showa front forks and Mikun carburettors, as well as new styling and all-red paintwork. By now the air/o - cooled V-twin was very popular. Subsequent redesigns, notably in 1998, kept it that way into the new millennium - still delivering the traditional Super Sport blend of raw V-twin performance.

Despite the Super Sport's full fairing, its air oil-cooled V-twin engine was partially visible, adding to the bike's character along with the rumbling sound from its rwin silencers.

The Ducati’s slim lines and racy riding position gave good aerodynamics, helping the bike to make the most of its relatively modest 83bhp power output.

Specification Ducati 900SS (1989)