The Total is Greater than the Sum of its Parts

Ducati's '99 version of their 900SS -- the little brother to their all-conquering 916 -- sounds at first like it's going to be nothing more than a minor improvement of the previous 900SS. Its spec numbers are all just barely different, here and there, creating the impression that the bike is nothing more than a slightly tweaked, re-skinned update. But riding the 900SS proves once again that any kind of prejudice is a foolish assumption. Riding the 900SS reveals that this bike is totally different from the last generation supersport and that numbers on paper don't begin to tell the story.

The new 900SS is not really an updated machine at all but is a mostly new evolution of the supersport series. Not only does it carry a new skin, but the frame hidden beneath it is also much different than the old 900SS, and the improvements to the engine, though minor, offer real improved drivability.

Ducati's supersport tradition goes all the way back to their 1972, 750SS that Paul Smart took to the top of the podium at Imola, with his teammate, Bruno Spaggiari, finishing right behind him in second. With that original 750SS, Ducati became one of the first manufacturers to build cafe racers for the street. Prior to that, sportbikes didn't exist and if you wanted a cafe racer you had to build it yourself.

The new 900SS was designed by Ducati's Design Director, Pierre Terblanche. Terblanche's concept was to create a machine that looked radically different from the previous 900SS but would extend the trends of Ducati's styling cues. To that end, the new 900SS hinted at the styling of Ducati's radical Supermono, and maintains Ducati's distinct image. The fairing lower is the most striking part of the 900SS's appearance with the big black tank pad an easy second. But that pad offers much appreciated comfort, and for my money it adds to the sporting look of the machine.

The engine of the 900SS is where the fewest changes occurred, but the differences amount to a much friendlier powerplant. Internally, the changes are in the valve timing. Both exhaust and intake valves now have longer durations, adding to the bike's horsepower. But the real news is in how the engine is fed. Gone are the old CV carburetors and in their place is a Weber electronic fuel injection system that Ducati refers to as ECU. The ECU is an engine management system that is much smaller than the units used by Ducati in the past and it includes a diagnostic system for servicing. The ECU system's benefits are many, giving the 900SS spot-on carbureting, lower emissions, and improved fuel economy.

Also altered on the new 900SS engine are the alternator and cooling system. The new alternator puts out more power at low rpms ensuring a happy battery for the 900SS that are destined to live most of their days in the city. The cooling system now includes air scoops that direct air to the cylinders when the bike is in motion. It seems simple enough and Ducati insists that it's effective, too.