Ducati 900SS (1975) Engine specification, Color, Weight

                                Ducati 900SS

                                     The Ducati’s fairing and slim build gave good aerodynamics, which combined with the twin s light weight to make it competitive against more powerful rivals.

                                    Few bikes come close to matching the aggressive look of the 900SS, with its clip-on bars, single seat and rearset footrests, plus the desmo V-twin engine’s unfdtered Dell'Or to carbs and free- breathing Conti pipes.

                                 Ducati’s original 900 Super Sport was one of the most singleminded sporting superbikes that ever devoured an innocent public road. It was essentially a street-legal production racer: fast, raw and uncompromising. It handled and stopped brilliantly, looked and sounded gorgeous and was a match for anything on road or track.

                                      The 900SS owed its existence to Ducati’s victory in the Imola 200 race in 1972, when factory pilots Paul Smart and Bruno Spaggiari had finished first and second ahead of numerous factory opponents. The factory celebrated by producing a small batch of road-legal replicas of the racebike. These were popular, so more were built, this time called the 750 Super Sport instead of Imola Replica as the model had initially been known.

                                            The half-faired 750SS mimicked Smart’s fully faired racer with its silver finish. Its 748cc V-twin engine came from the firm’s 750 Sport, and was tuned with desmodromic valve operation, high- compression forged pistons, polished internals, big Dell’Orto carbs and free-breathing Conti pipes.

                                      Fabio Taglioni’s engine format of 90-degree, inline V-twin with bevel drive to single overhead camshafts had already become a Ducati trademark, but this was the first roadgoing twin to use his desmodromic system of positive valve closure.

Racing success

                                          Ducati built only about 200 bikes, but all were snapped up and some were raced with good results in 1974. The Bologna factory was encouraged, and the following year created the more widely available 900SS, by replacing the smaller engine with a V-twin unit based on that of the existing 860GT. This combined a bigger, 86mm bore with the original 74.4mm stroke, giving a capacity of 864cc. Like the smaller model, it featured desmo valvegear, polished conrods, unfiltered 40mm DelTOrtos and barely silenced Contis.

                                     Those mods lifted peak power to an impressive 79bhp at 7000rpm at the crankshaft, or 68bhp at the rear wheel, and the 900SS had the chassis to match. Like its 750SS predecessor it was starkly functional, with its half-fairing, clip-on handlebars, rearset footrests, twin drilled Brembo front discs, and racy single seat. There was no electric starter, nor anything else not required for the bike’s sole purpose of providing high performance.

                                   The 900SS roared to a top speed of I35mph (2I7km/h), and cruised at lOOmph (I6lkm/h) with a smooth, long-legged feel. That was seriously fast in 1975, and the Ducati’s handling was even better. It was not the most agile of bikes, but no rival could match the cornering poise and high-speed stability provided by the lean V-twin’s blend of rigid frame, long wheelbase and taut Marzocchi suspension. Roadholding, braking and ground clearance were all exemplary too.

                                     The uncompromising 900SS demanded commitment from it rider, and was too extreme for some. But it made a superb production racer. And for road riders who were captivated by its beauty, speed and pure-bred character, there was no bike to touch it. To paraphrase a road test of the time, the 900SS was a distillation of all the thrills and sensations that made high-performance motorcycling worthwhile.

Just Like Mike's - The Hailwood Replica

                                 Paul Smart's Imola 200 win of 1972 was one great moment in Ducati's history, and another came six years later when Mike Hailwood, returning to racing from retirement, won the Isle of Man Formula One TT on a Ducati V-twm prepared by Sports Motorcycles. The following year Ducati introduced a special 900SS Hailwood Replica in honour of the victory. As well as a full fairing in Ha wood's red and green paint scheme, it featured gold-anodized Brembo brake calipers, new cast wheels and longer rear shocks. The Replica immediately became a bestseller, and remained in Ducati's range, with various modifications along the way, right up until 1985.

                                    Ducati’s 864cc, 90-degree V-twin engine featured bevel-shaft drive to its sohc, desmodromic valvegear. Long-legged power delivery and unshakeable high-speed stability were the 900SS trademarks.

                       Specification Ducati 900SS                                                     (1975)

• Engine Air-cooled sohc four-valve 90-degree V-twin
• Capacity 864cc (86 x 74.4mm)
• Maximum power 79bhp @ 7000rpm
• Transmission Five-speed, chain final drive
• Frame Steel ladder
• Suspension Telescopic front; twin shocks rear
• Brakes Twin discs front; single disc rear
• Weight 4141b (188kg) wet
• Top speed 135mph (217km/h)

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

                               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)

• Engine Air/oil-cooled sohc four-valve 90-degree V-twin
• Capacity 904cc (92 x 68mm)
• Maximum power 83bhp @ 8400rpm
• Transmission Six-speed, chain final drive
• Frame Tubular steel ladder
• Suspension Telescopic front; single shock rear
• Brakes Twin discs front; disc rear
• Weight 396lb (180kg)
• Top speed 135mph (217km/h)

Ducati 851 (1989) Wikipedia, Price, Top speed

                    
                                  Ducati 851

                    The 851. with its powerful liquid-cooled eight-valve V-twin engine, heralded the start of the modern era for Ducati. Previous superbikes from Bologna had been powered by air-cooled V-twin engines. Many had used the marque’s unique desmodromic system.

                         Which closes the valves with cams instead of the conventional springs. But the 851. w ith its four- valve heads and fuel-injection, was a considerably more modern and powerful unit.

                  Chief engineer Massimo Bordi had been determined to create an eight-valve desmo twin, something his famous predecessor Fabio Taglioni had always resisted. Bordi's 85lcc engine retained Ducati’s traditional 90-degree V-tw in layout. Liquid cooling, Wcber-Marelli injection and the improved breathing of the new' cylinder heads gave plenty of mid-range torque and a maximum output of lOObhp. making this the most powerful Ducati roadster yet.

                       Just a year after its lunch the 851 was tuned, aimed red and fitted with a modified frame and 17-h wheels, resulting in a c with looks, speed and rbly agile handling. vitalized 851 made a sent roadster and the basis of Ducati Superbike racer.

Smooth and refined engine

                              The eight-valve motor was an immediate success. Smooth and refined, it was particularly notable for its exhilarating top-end rush. But the chassis was a different story. Problems of supply meant the original 1988-model 851. which was finished in patriotic red. white and green, w'as fitted w'ith 16- inch w'heels, instead of the 17-inchers it should have worn. The result was unpredictable handling despite the steel ladder frame’s rigidity.

                                 A year later the 851 was revamped with all-red paint and so many changes that it was almost a completely new bike. Although the frame had a minor modification at the steering head, the key chassis features were the new 17-inch wheels. The Marzocchi suspension was of the highest quality, especially the longer rear shock, which had a compression-damping adjuster knob in the seat hump allowing easy fine-tuning.

                            The engine was also improved. Higher compression ratio, reshaped camshafts, modified fuel-injection and new exhaust mufflers combined to increase peak output to I04bhp, and the peaks of both power and torque were moved down the rev range. That meant that the 851 now had generous reserves of torque from 3000rpm to I0,()()()rpm.

                         The Ducati simply stretched its legs as the throttle was opened, and charged forward towards its top speed of almost I50mph (241 km/h).

                            The original 851 had been a disappointment but its successor was the opposite. Its engine was stronger still, its detailing slicker, and most of all its handling had been transformed from disappointing to outstanding. As well as being a great roadster, the revised 851 formed the basis of a hugely successful racebike that took riders Raymond Roche and Doug Polen to three consecutive World Superbike championships.

                                  Not only that, but the 851's liquid-cooled eight- valve V-twin engine was repeatedly enlarged and refined over the following decade and more, powering the string of stunning road bikes and World Superbike racing machines that made Ducati one of motorcycling’s biggest success stories. Few false starts can ever have been put right so promptly and to such brilliant effect.

Roadgoing Racer: the 888SPS

The fastest Ducati roadsters of all during the late 1981 limited-edition Sport Production or SP models creates 1992 the SP series had reached the SP4, and in that year : version of all: the 888SPS, or Sport Production Special, of built. The SPS featured an enlarged 888cc engine with big vat. e camshafts, higher compression, revised fuel-injection and loud Peak output was 120bhp at the rear wheel, 25bhp up on standar carbon-fibre fuel tank and bodywork, Ohlins suspension and other a modifications resulted in a roadgoing racebike with superb handling, a of over 160mph (257km/h), and a fearsome price tag to match.

                           Slots to either side of the rectangular headlamp ducted air to the fuel-injected 851’s airbox.

                                    The liquid-cooled, eight-valve, 851cc V-twin engine formed a stressed member of a typical Ducati-style tubular steel ladder frame.

                   Specification Ducati 851                                                        (1989)

• Engine Liquid-cooled dohc eight-valve 90-degree V-twin
• Capacity 851 cc (92 x 64mm)
• Maximum power 104bhp @ 9000rpm
• Transmission Six-speed, chain final drive
• Frame Tubular steel ladder
• Suspension Telescopic front; single shock rear
• Brakes Twin discs front; disc rear
• Weight 396lb (180kg)
• Top speed 145mph (233km/h)

Ducati 916 (1994) Price, Colors, Specification

                               Ducati 916

                  Stunning on the 916’s launch in 1994, and still being produced with a barely changed look well into the 21st century,

                      Ducati's eight-valve flagship proved that high style need not go out of fashion. The Italian firm had considered using an aluminium beam frame, before opting to combine a traditional tubular steel ladder frame with an eye-catching single­sided swin garni.

                         Rarely has a motorcycle combined style :W‘'sA and speed to such devastating effect as MkSIH Ducati’s 916. The Italian V-twin’s blend of breathtaking beauty, thunderous engine performance and sublime handling made it an instant hit on the bike’s launch in 1994. By the end of the decade. 916-based machines had won a string of World Superbike titles. Meanwhile the roadster went from strength to strength, its engine enlarged but its look proudly intact.

                       The 916 was a development of the liquid- cooled. eight-valve desmodromic V-twin line that stretched back to the 851 of 1988. More than simply aerodynamic, designer Massimo Tamburini’s creation was inspired. The fairing’s sharp nose held aggressive twin headlights. Elegant scarlet shapes wrere everywhere in the fuel tank and fairing. The rear end. with its diminutive tailpiece, high-level silencers and single-sided swingarm, was equally dramatic.

                          Ducati’s 916cc motor was a bored-out version of the unit from the previous 888 model. Other changes included a revised Weber fuel-injection system plus the addition of a larger, curved radiator. Breathing was uprated with a large airbox fed by intakes running back from the fairing nose. In combination with a new exhaust system, this raised the eight-valve motor’s peak output by a few horsepower to 114bhp at 9000rpm.

                            Chassis design combined Ducati’s traditional steel ladder frame with a tubular aluminium rear subframe. The 916 differed from the 888 by using a second rear engine mount for extra rigidity. There was nothing traditional about the aluminium swingarm that curved round the huge 190-section rear tyre before swooping back to anchor the three- spoke wheel. Tamburini admitted that this was not the purest engineering solution, but considered the compromise worthwhile for the boost it brought to the bike’s hieh-tech image.

Neat engineering

                         There was more neat engineering at the steering head, whieh featured adjustable geometry plus a horizontally mounted steering damper. More conventionally, the swingarm worked a vertical, multi-adjustable Showa shock. The Japanese firm also provided the 43mm upside-down forks, which held a 17-inch front wheel. Braking was by Brembo.

                         Ducati’s eight-valve engine had long been a torquey, charismatic powerplant, and the 916 unit was the best yet. Its mid-range response was majestic, sending the bike rocketing out of comers from as low as 5000rpm to the accompaniment of a spine-tingling exhaust growl. High-rev acceleration was smooth and strong, too, sending the 916 to a top speed of I60mph (257km/h).

                        Handling was superb, justifying Ducati's decision to stick with a steel frame, after considering a switch to aluminium. At 429lb (195kg) the 916 was light, its frame was rigid. and its suspension of high quality. Although the Ducati was not the quickest-steering of superbike'. it had a confidence-inspiring blend of stability and neutral cornering feel.

                               This most purposeful of Italian sportster^ wa' not always an easy companion. especially in town, where its racy riding position, firm suspension and snatchy power delivery made life unpleasant. Or the right road, though, the 916 was simply magical: one of those rare machines that left all those who rode it stunned by its unmatched combin.m : beauty, character and performance

Ducati's Superbike Dominance

                           The roadgoing 916 was a hit in the showrooms, and Ducati's factor. racec ke of the same name was even more successful in the World Superbike championsh p The red V-twins were the dominant force in the most prestigious four-stroke racing series, notably with Carl Fogarty. The British rider won in 1994 and again a year later. Australian ace Troy Corser retained the crown for Ducati in 1996 before Fogarty, who had left for Honda, returned to regain the title in 1998. His "ourth championship, in 1999, made it five in six years for the Italian V-tv. M

                             The 9l6cc capacity came from enlarging the previous 888cc V-twin engine. Other revisions included the fuel-injection system, a bigger airbox and a new exhaust system.

                        Superb handling was a key factor in the 916’s success on road and track. Although not the quickest- steering of bikes, the Ducati was beautifully balanced and immensely stable.

                            Specification Ducati 916                                                         (1994)

• Engine Liquid-cooled dohc eight-valve 90-degree V-twin
• Capacity 916cc (94 x 66mm)
• Maximum power 114bhp @ 9000rpm
• Transmission Six-speed, chain final drive
• Frame Tubular steel ladder
• Suspension Telescopic front; single shock rear
• Brakes Twin discs front; disc rear
• Weight 429lb (195kg)
• Top speed 160mph (257km/h)