Ducati 900SS anyone had one?

DavidJames

DavidJames

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My wonderful wife has agreed to let me get a second bike:kissy2 and the Ducati 900SS has come on my radar, so I was wondering if anyone had any experience of them?

The criteria for 'my other' bike is as follows:

1 - Different to a GS
2 - Sporty but not silly sporty
3 - Fun to ride
4 - budget 2-3K

In consideration are a VFR800, VTR1000, Thundercat and the rather sexy Ducati 900SS. There are a few available in the area with low miles and within budget. I like the look of them but I am struggling to find decent (unbiased!!) opinions - it useless going to the Ducati forum, they all say how great it is (sound familiar?). Is this one of the seriously unreliable Dukes? Is the engine as vibey as i have read? Is it all forgiveable for a great fun ride?

I am open to other suggestions too,!!



Cheers

David
 
DavidJames said:
Is this one of the seriously unreliable Dukes?
Click to expand...

I was looking at one just yesterday that looked very nice, a little bit of carbon some Termigs and a single seat helped the looks no end. The part that really suprised me however was it had 65,400 kms on the clock. I missed the owner but some of the other guys said it was always on the road and used and the only issue they knew of was a SMIDSY last year, apart from that the bike was great.
 
ovenpaa said:
I was looking at one just yesterday that looked very nice, a little bit of carbon some Termigs and a single seat helped the looks no end. The part that really suprised me however was it had 65,400 kms on the clock. I missed the owner but some of the other guys said it was always on the road and used and the only issue they knew of was a SMIDSY last year, apart from that the bike was great.
Click to expand...

Interesting!! I am suspicious because nearly all of the bikes for sale are pretty low mileage. Did you take it for a spin?
 
DavidJames said:
Interesting!! I am suspicious because nearly all of the bikes for sale are pretty low mileage. Did you take it for a spin?
Click to expand...
Nope, it belongs to one of our Developers in Norway and I am back in the UK now so little chance of any test rides :(

It did look rather nice though :)
 
A mate of mine has had one for a few years now. It's a nice looking bike (red), he loves it, but doesn't do many miles on it as he finds it very uncomfortable on long runs. Goes well though, handles brill.
 
DavidJames said:
Agreed, they are kind of unusual. They look really good in Black or Grey!!!


Off topic - but do you work for a company based in Aalborg?
Click to expand...
I wish! They have an Akvavit factory :beer: I do however know Aalborg quite well

I work for a Norwegian company, head office is based in Lysaker (Oslo) I work from the UK office in sunny Milton Scrubs
 
fatal said:
A mate of mine has had one for a few years now. It's a nice looking bike (red), he loves it, but doesn't do many miles on it as he finds it very uncomfortable on long runs. Goes well though, handles brill.
Click to expand...

Seems the norm to not do a lot of miles on these things - has it been reliable?
 
DavidJames said:
My wonderful wife has agreed to let me get a second bike:kissy2 and the Ducati 900SS has come on my radar, so I was wondering if anyone had any experience of them?

The criteria for 'my other' bike is as follows:

1 - Different to a GS
2 - Sporty but not silly sporty
3 - Fun to ride
4 - budget 2-3K
5 - a bastard to push home!

Cheers

David
Click to expand...

Fixed it for you.

:D

Greg
 
You mean like mine :D

Lovely bike.
No problems at all. Just needed hanging off to get it round tight corners :thumb
Maserini carbon cans sounded awesome.

my-ss-nearside.jpg


Mermoto
 
I had one for a year.
Bought new, put 12000 miles on it and not a single problem.
Relaxed riding position and your hands, feet and bum constantly feel exactly what the road and engine conditions are :thumb2
Good fun road bike - but crap on the trails.
 
mermoto said:
You mean like mine :D

Lovely bike.
No problems at all. Just needed hanging off to get it round tight corners :thumb
Maserini carbon cans sounded awesome.

my-ss-nearside.jpg


Mermoto
Click to expand...


That is nice - very nice actually, but not the version i was looking at - it was an 02 model.
 
get a VTR and put some pipes on it....all the sound and more comfort and reliability.

awesome engine :thumb
 
mermoto said:
You mean like mine :D

Lovely bike.
No problems at all. Just needed hanging off to get it round tight corners :thumb
Maserini carbon cans sounded awesome.

my-ss-nearside.jpg


Mermoto
Click to expand...

I had one like the above although not quite so tidy.

Ran it for 18 months as second bike, no problems, loads of fun. I've ridden a VTR and very nice they are too but for me the Duc is the real thing:thumb

Stumpy
 
this was my 91 SS. first one 3X sold, so probably one of the very first in the country.

143362018-L.jpg


bought after trying it and an 851 back to back, and finding the SS much better under 120mph :)

very fast point to point, loads of torque, handled very well indeed, wheelies, stoppies, good brakes, comfy (i took it to italy twice), good mpg & relatively easy to service (compared to an 851), IF someone shows you how to set desmo valves.

they are now cheap as chips & look like a good buy to me :thumb2

they are not without problems though...

braying clutch noises: easy fix by swapping a friction plate for a steel one. factory mod. i had 3 new clutches before they came out with that one.

clutches should sizzle as they are dry. they very soon start a nasty knocking rattle. this is 'cos the clutch basket & plates are worn. you can fit a new clutch for about £450, but it will come back. good chipping point though :augie

mixture screws on the carbs are right in the spray from the front wheel. all but earliest models had rubber bungs fitted to protect the screws but they always fall out or 3X mechanic monkeys don't replace them at service time. my screws siezed & new carbs fitted under warranty.

92/3ish models had persistently snapping head studs. most changed under warranty. trouble prone studs can be identified at a glance as they have W marked on the ends IIRC (best check that info).

if the chain is adjusted too tight (common), it can take out the gearbox output bearing. mine went & i'm positive the chain was tensioned correctly. i took the engine/gearbox apart to find 3 other bearings on the way out at 12,000 miles, all shimmed wrong at the factory :rolleyes:
relatively easy job to do anyway, put it back together & flogged it after another couple of thousand miles. met new owner years later with 32K of trouble free miles on it :rolleyes:

swing arm pivot pins can be undersize causing play at the rear wheel. i went through about 6 pins at 3X with a micrometer & they were all wrong. they must have got it sorted now or they'd all fail their MOTs.

paint fell off mine.


apart from that, they're brilliant fun :D

ps. don't be fooled by main dealer service historys. IME unless it's been done by a quality independent, it will either have been scrimped or just plain fecked up.
early bikes service interval was 3k, changed to 6k when ducati thought that would sell more that way. not as if they changed anything :mmmm
 
cookie said:
this was my 91 SS. first one 3X sold, so probably one of the very first in the country.

143362018-L.jpg


bought after trying it and an 851 back to back, and finding the SS much better under 120mph :)

very fast point to point, loads of torque, handled very well indeed, wheelies, stoppies, good brakes, comfy (i took it to italy twice), good mpg & relatively easy to service (compared to an 851), IF someone shows you how to set desmo valves.

they are now cheap as chips & look like a good buy to me :thumb2

they are not without problems though...

braying clutch noises: easy fix by swapping a friction plate for a steel one. factory mod. i had 3 new clutches before they came out with that one.

clutches should sizzle as they are dry. they very soon start a nasty knocking rattle. this is 'cos the clutch basket & plates are worn. you can fit a new clutch for about £450, but it will come back. good chipping point though :augie

mixture screws on the carbs are right in the spray from the front wheel. all but earliest models had rubber bungs fitted to protect the screws but they always fall out or 3X mechanic monkeys don't replace them at service time. my screws siezed & new carbs fitted under warranty.

92/3ish models had persistently snapping head studs. most changed under warranty. trouble prone studs can be identified at a glance as they have W marked on the ends IIRC (best check that info).

if the chain is adjusted too tight (common), it can take out the gearbox output bearing. mine went & i'm positive the chain was tensioned correctly. i took the engine/gearbox apart to find 3 other bearings on the way out at 12,000 miles, all shimmed wrong at the factory :rolleyes:
relatively easy job to do anyway, put it back together & flogged it after another couple of thousand miles. met new owner years later with 32K of trouble free miles on it :rolleyes:

swing arm pivot pins can be undersize causing play at the rear wheel. i went through about 6 pins at 3X with a micrometer & they were all wrong. they must have got it sorted now or they'd all fail their MOTs.

paint fell off mine.


apart from that, they're brilliant fun :D

ps. don't be fooled by main dealer service historys. IME unless it's been done by a quality independent, it will either have been scrimped or just plain fecked up.
early bikes service interval was 3k, changed to 6k when ducati thought that would sell more that way. not as if they changed anything :mmmm
Click to expand...

10,000 posts and that's the only one worth reading!

:D

Greg
 
ps. regulator rectifiers are weak spots too. fit a late 916 model to cure it, but you lose the charge light :eek

i used to service one for a chap who had termis on. that is certainly the way to go IMO.
my standard pipes would set car alarms off but the termis are mind blowing :thumb2 :thumb2 :thumb2

i always think i'll buy another one someday, but i think it will be M900 Monster as they look much nicer :)
 
Going to have a look at this one at the weekend :love
 

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