Hi all Been riding all sorts of bikes over the years, good ones for fun and leisure, crappy ones for my 120 mile daily commute. I have owned a number of v-twins over the years, even a Harley, and currently own a number of big twins from Austria, Japan and Italy. I've never considered owning a Ducati before, however, after 42 years of owning and riding bikes, I now have an itch for a Ducati. I don't want anything too modern (so that means carbs), too expensive (at least for my first Ducati) or too complicated. I dont like upright riding positions, and think after years of riding sports bikes, my back has assumed the position. Happened to come across a review of a 1997 900SS's and really liked what I read, so today I went and viewed one for sale that is local to me. Suffice to say, having had a test ride, I know I want one. Not this particular bike, but it was a good first bike to see. My search begins!
Hello and welcome. Great choice, the 900SS is an ace bike, and don't discount the 750SS either! The 900 is the poster child of the family for sure and has oodles of grunt, does the dry-clutched Ducati song and they're a pretty bike with a very decent riding position. Handling is great, suspension is quite basic by modern standards. Good tyres are very worthwhile and you'll feel the benefit when pressing on. The Superlight 1 had a few nice bits but subsequent Superlights were lower specc'ed, there's a silver Final Edition version too. Superlights have a single seat unit and high-level exhausts. I think all sizes were also available with half-fairing or full fairing. (Only mine has a chicken sandwich on the tank though. Special.) The 750 is almost the same, albeit with a slightly smaller and more rev-happy engine, still plenty of grunt and if you're not a fan of the dry-clutch rattle then you'll be delighted to find a silent wet-clutch on the 750. Still hydraulic operation though, mind. Suspension a little more basic as non-adjustable forks on this bike. For my money the 750 is the sweeter ride and better tempered. Yellow ones are clearly better, but red or black are kinda nice too... They're not a bad bike to keep in good fettle, and parts are available and reasonable. Tanks rust, belt and desmo services shouldn't be neglected and good quality oil is a must. Clocks often have faded needles, and it's not easy to disassemble these for remedial work. Plenty of spares of all kinds on eBay and through specialist providers. Carbs can suffer like any older bike and float issues are not uncommon. Wheels can be a bit fragile and susceptible to bends / dents. Some parts are interchangeable with Monsters of same era but not all. I'd say to buy the best bike you can find / afford, and don't assume that more expensive = better. Low miles bikes are out there, budget for a decent recommission service and get all fluids refreshed, belts replaced and clearances set / checked. Prices are allegedly on the rise... might be true but buy the bike you want because you love it, if it works out as an investment then that's a bonus. Early bikes (91-93) have the white frame, very early ones with white wheels too. Late (97) bikes have the rear cylinder cooling vent in the fairings. Other changes included relocation of the oil cooler, tank bump sizes (early small to later big) and windscreen profile changes (lower and flatter on the earlier bikes). On the whole though, they looked pretty similar from start to finish. 600 and 400 Junior models also available, perhaps also some other sizes. @Lumbux or @Arquebus are both carby experts and have forgotten more than I'll ever know about these. Good luck hunting, decent bikes are still out there for reasonable cash. we might be parting with one of our 750s if you get stuck... doesn't need too much (throttle return cable missing, rear brake dragging, needs supplied replacement carbs fitting and a replacement RH clip-on sourcing - will be under £2k as it stands, a few quid more with the jobs done and a fresh MOT. Selling as we've adopted an early 900 now)...
hello a d welcome dude. Good luck with the hunt, there's a few on ebay at the min that might be worth checking out. I have one and am thinking of getting another at some point to personalize a bit. Fantastic bikes that can surprise a lot of folk on more modern machines.
Thanks all for your input-some food for thought there with the 750. The 1994 bike I rode yesterday was quite a surprise when I swung my leg over it-never thought the seat height would be as low as it was. I really love my v-twins, and glad to say the engine felt as different from my other three bikes as they do from each other, which is a positive for me-to me having bikes that feel the same is a bit of a waste. I was a little concerned about the idiot lights (I couldn't work out what they were all for-I have since found out thanks to Google), but that's a minor point. I've resisted jumping in buying the first bike I saw (will I regret doing so?) and time is on my side in seeking out one to the spec I want. Looking forward to the hunt, whether it takes a week or six months.
Ian Falloons 'the ducati story' lists all the changes over the years. An early copy from amazon or ebay will cover the years you're interested in(I have a mint 2005 edition spare that I want £10 for).
I resisted Ducati for about 50 years of riding,bought an injected 750ss and loved it.Been riding it for the last 6 years it's brillo.Hope you find what you are looking for.
With what you've spent on petrol and tyres you could have bought a house closer to work, and a 900SS.
I work near Monument-couple of apartments round the corner just sold for £40 millon each. Couldn't bear to live in London anyway-but its great to work in though
Sadly true, there are fewer things more fun than commuter bikes. Had a Vespa when I lived in London (a '74 Sprint Veloce 150) and it was a riot... Chelsea GP, 8am daily.
