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Review of the 1993 Ducati 900 SS:Italian Object d´ Art |
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Author: Gary L. Koch, 2004-12-05, viewed 159 times. | ||||||
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Personally I think the ´92-´97 Ducati 900 Supersport is one of the loveliest looking (and sounding) motorcycles ever produced. Even now, over ten years later, heads still turn and its styling appears only slightly dated. | ||||||
| I purchased my first 900 SS brand new in 1993. Years later I purchased a 1995 900 SS SP too. In those days Ducatis were largely hand made. In fact my new ´93 had a porous weld in its gas tank which proceeded to leak fuel the first time the dealer filled it, and my ´95 still has a small piece of welding rod jutting out of a frame weld. Such are the eccentricities of non-robotic hand assembly. If you mind this sort of thing don´t come near these machines. However, if you´re a lover of esoteria...when these bikes are properly sorted and maintained they´ll return very good reliability with the added bonus of sounding like a cammy small block Chevy that redlines at 9,000 RPM! Classic Italian looks, gobs of torque, a pretty comfy seat/riding position for a sport bike, plus you won´t see another one around every corner are all pretty cool attributes. On the negative side, these bikes steer poorly in tight situations, exhibit herky-jerky chain lash, have mediocre brakes, a ridiculously heavy clutch pull, useless mirrors, and on an open stretch you´ll eventually get dusted by most modern 600cc sport bikes. However you will totally embarrass them (and a lot of liter bikes) off the line. Basically you learn to steer the 900 SS with your posterior, and to improve braking feel you must, at the very least, install a set of braided brake lines, at most, install a larger master cylinder. A stage II jet kit, opening the air box, and slipping on some flow-thru cans make for fantastic flexibility throughout the rev range. To avoid carpal tunnel replace the slave cylinder with an aftermarket unit such as one by Yoyodyne. A 39 tooth rear sprocket boosts acceleration and allows a top speed of about 129 MPH. And if you´re really feeling ambitious you can improve the ride by replacing the rear shock/spring with an Ohlins or Penske unit. In the real world of cops, speed limits, and stoplights, this bike is very satisfying to ride and has way more performance than most riders will ever require. The Desmodromic ´springless´ valve train allows those 2 cylinders to scream and also makes the engine mechanically interesting. But if you´re not a hands-on kind of person the valve adjustments are expensive as are all dealer supplied parts and services. Note that eBay has become a great alternative parts resource nowadays. My guess is, when these bikes are about 25 years old they will be rediscovered and quite collectible. So if you want one, buy it now as very clean examples can be had for around Dollars 5-6K. In the meantime I intend to enjoy my Italian piece of industrial art for many years to come. |
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