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mid 90s ducati 900 super sport as a track bike

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whoa

whoa

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I'm thinking about circa 1994. Just as a track bike, not to race all season. Has anybody owned an SS, or run one much on the track?

I have a thing for the agricultural growl of the twin, they are reasonable to buy, simpler 2 valve, and there is a Ducati guy in Austin that can keep it up for me.
 
I've had several '91 - 98' 900SS's, with the '93 Superlight and '98 FE models being my favorites. I used to run them at Hallett MRC in the late 90's and they were fantastic track bikes. The clutches are notoriously heavy, but the Evoluzione clutch slave cylinder will fix that issue easily. Plus, the 2-valve Desmos are easy to adjust once you've done it a couple of times.

Tons of aftermarket support and parts are pretty easy to find. Hard to go wrong with one of these classic bikes.
 
Mark (igo-wfo) has a 1996 900SS CR that he has let me ride...

HPIM0083.jpg


(Unlike inline 4's, these sound GREAT with a D&D exhaust :mrgreen: )
 
Track days ain't racin'. Run what ya want, ain't like you're going to miss a plastic trophy. :lol2: Personally, I'd want a slipper clutch on any big twin. I'd yank the lights and stuff off of it and ebay as much as possible to go toward a slipper clutch. I assume you can get a slipper clutch, though.
 
Jack Giesecke said:
Track days ain't racin'. Run what ya want, ain't like you're going to miss a plastic trophy. :lol2: Personally, I'd want a slipper clutch on any big twin. I'd yank the lights and stuff off of it and ebay as much as possible to go toward a slipper clutch. I assume you can get a slipper clutch, though.
Click to expand...

About $900 for a slipper clutch for a dry-clutched Duc.
 
Squidward said:
About $900 for a slipper clutch for a dry-clutched Duc.
Click to expand...

That's not that bad, not as bad as I'd thought. Yes, I'd definitely go for the slipper clutch. It would give you a very easy bike to ride and allow you to concentrate on lines, braking points, and body position and such in your learning curve rather than shift points and power bands. Twins are much easier to ride than 600s and that's why I like my SV over one of the faster 4 cylinder sport bikes for the street. Sure wish I could afford a slipper clutch for it, too, but I don't push it hard enough into corners on the street to need one. The one time I had it to a track day, I was sliding the rear all over the place backin' it in and really didn't want to, was throwing off my rhythm. Too much engine braking can hurt ya if you push it too hard. Slipper clutches are REAL useful, especially on a big twin.
 
Jack Giesecke said:
That's not that bad, not as bad as I'd thought. Yes, I'd definitely go for the slipper clutch. It would give you a very easy bike to ride and allow you to concentrate on lines, braking points, and body position and such in your learning curve rather than shift points and power bands. Twins are much easier to ride that 600s and that's why I like my SV over one of the faster sport bikes for the street. Sure wish I could afford a slipper clutch for it, too, but I don't push it hard enough into corners on the street to need one. The one time I had it to a track day, I was sliding the rear all over the place backin' it in and really didn't want to, was throwing off my rhythm. Too much engine braking can hurt ya if you push it too hard. Slipper clutches are REAL useful, especially on a big twin.
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I agree that they are almost a necessity on a regularly ridden big-twin track bike, but I just see them as a waste of money for a street bike.
 
Yeah, that's why I don't worry much about the SV. I don't push it hard enough for compression braking to bother me on the street.

I rode a big Yamaha thumper for a year when I came back to road racing, an SRX600 that Chuck Ergle built in the early 90s and won a couple of sprint championships on. WOW, that thing had compression braking! The only way I could control it is idle it up to about 2200 rpm. It was still a handful in heavy breaking corners, but I could keep it from hurting me at least. :lol2: I'm a two stroke kinda guy, don't like all that compression braking, messes me up. :lol2:
 
That is one of my favorite bikes of all time.

I've owned several Duc's over the years and the two valve 900's can't be beat. There is just nothing like the mechanical sounds. I would always chuckle when somebody heard a dry clutch for the first time and thought my bike was about to disintegrate.
 
I would always chuckle when somebody heard a dry clutch for the first time and thought my bike was about to disintegrate.
Click to expand...

I had a TZ250 who's clutch basket was worn. The outside plate would disintegrate on the start sometimes and throw chunks of shrapnel all over the place. Good reason for eye protection. :lol2:
 
whoa said:
I'm thinking about circa 1994. Just as a track bike, not to race all season. Has anybody owned an SS, or run one much on the track?

I have a thing for the agricultural growl of the twin, they are reasonable to buy, simpler 2 valve, and there is a Ducati guy in Austin that can keep it up for me.
Click to expand...

I've been walking along that same L-twin cliff, but I need something to bump me over the edge. Maybe we should make a pact?

I've also been thinking about the RC51 and the TLR (I'm not too enamored with the very angular styling of the SV). Then there are the 'Prillers.

Decisions, decisions.
 
Thanks for the replies. Somehow I expected more concerns over this twin. My friend has a Monster S4R, which I think is a beautiful machine.

Randy from Lone Star works with Italian bikes and thinks a track version can be had for around $2000.

Stephen, do you have a track bike now? I've avoided this subject for a while now.
 
No I don't, and I don't think I will ever have a track-specific bike (i.e. not street legal). But I would really like to have something smaller and more fun in the twisties than the zx11 and relegate the 11 to commuting and long distance riding. I had a Yamaha FZR1000 for a while, which pretty much fit the bill, but I would like something besides an I-4.

I'm not sure I can convince the wife that I really need two bikes, though.
 
Oh man, I came so close to bidding on a 1999 Ducati 900 Supersport that was up in Ft Worth. Must...back...away...from...keyboard...
 
Stephen Max said:
I'm not sure I can convince the wife that I really need two bikes, though.
Click to expand...

I draw the line there too. But in terms of multi road use. I'd have a dirt bike, or track bike. But my dream of a Daytona and Tiger will not be fulfilled, just one or the other.
 
Stephen Max said:
No I don't, and I don't think I will ever have a track-specific bike (i.e. not street legal). But I would really like to have something smaller and more fun in the twisties than the zx11 and relegate the 11 to commuting and long distance riding. I had a Yamaha FZR1000 for a while, which pretty much fit the bill, but I would like something besides an I-4.
Click to expand...

I'm right there with you. I have used my Multistrada at the track a few times and it's fun, but I'm looking right now for something more suited to the purpose. For reasons I can't quite explain, I have been looking at Buell xb12r Firebolts lately and even test-rode one the other day:eek2:
 
Here ya go, a 1996 model set up for track days...:trust:

afa0_1.jpg


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...=ADME:B%3***:US:1&viewitem=&item=200111913174

1996 DUCATI 900 SS CR TRACK DAYS SPECIAL. THIS DUCATI WAS SET UP FOR TRACK DAYS GREAT FIRST TRACK DUCK. INCLUDES ALL OEM PARTS TO MAKE IT A ROAD BIKE AGAIN.

WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET

BRAND NEW FRAME PER DUCATI RECALL DEALER REFITTED
996 FRONT FORKS & BRAKES
FRESH SET OR RACE TIRES MOUNTED AND READY
NEW STOCK TIRES MOUNTED
OEM DUCATI RACESTAND
LOT OF SPARE PARTS

LOW COST CRATED SHIPPING AVAILABLE VIA FORWARD AIR
Click to expand...

Buy It Now: $2,500.00 :rider:
 
Stephen Max said:
So, if you had a choice between a Ducati 900SS, an RC51 or a TL1000R, which would you choose and why?
Click to expand...

Who art thou asking?

For me, the 900SS hands down...something about the dry clutch and the exhaust being intoxicating. And...I'm a little vertically challenged for the other 2, although Squidward would take all 3 :lol2:
 
wonder91178 said:
Who art thou asking?
Click to expand...

Anybody who would care to answer.

I haven't ridden any of the three, but my impressions from reading what the motorcycling press has to offer are that the Honda and the Zook offer much better engine performance, while the Duc offers nimbler handling and a certain indefinable old world cachet. I'm pretty performance oriented, but I have owned fine Italian bicycles in the past and if a Ducati is anything like the Colnago and Tommassini, then the joy of riding increases with every mile.
 
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