2009 Ducati SportClassic 1000S
Miles: 7,540
Original Owner
Clean Arizona Title
Asking Price: $32,000
Ducati’s SportClassic range represents perhaps the best realized synthesis of modern and vintage styling cues yet, as embodied by this 2009 Ducati SportClassic 1000S. They aren’t meant to actually look like classic bike, they are clearly modern machines, but with shapes and colors and graphics that hint at an earlier age. There are really very few practical concessions to style, aside from the aggressive riding position: other than the chrome instrument bezels, the wire wheels, and the classic tread pattern on the Pirelli Phantoms, this is a thoroughly modern motorcycle. Albeit with a classic two-valve, air/oil-cooled engine by Ducati that’s desirable in the retro cafe genre Ducati’s two-valve, air/oil-cooled engine was well past its prime at this point. But even here, the engine saw significant improvements, and the 992cc unit used the newer DualSpark heads for better all around performance. The 92 claimed horses and claimed 414lb dry weight belie the over-the-road performance on tap, and the package makes for a famously enjoyable back-road partner.
Styled by the famous/infamous Pierre Terblanche and first shown at the 2003 Tokyo Motorcycle Show as a single model that was intended to evoke Paul Smart’s famous Imola race-winning Ducati, the SportClassic range went on sale in 2006 and was discontinuned in 2010. It was a simple concept: use Ducati’s elemental air/oil-cooled v-twin to power a range of bikes differentiated by their bodywork, or lack thereof, and included the fully-faired 1000LE Paul Smart and later 1000S, the cafe-styled Sport1000, and the practical all-rounder GT1000. The early Paul Smart replica with its striking tubular swingarm and offset single shock gave way to the more practical 1000S seen here that shared the earlier bike’s styling, but with a revised swingarm and a pair of shocks that allowed for a passenger to join in the fun. Suspension was non-adjustable on the later SportClassics, but was of good quality, and the entire range was noted for its excellent handling and charismatic, if modestly-powered engine.
Unfortunately for Ducati, after the initial excitement around the SportClassics died down, sales seemed to quickly slow, and the range was ultimately discontinued in 2010 after dwindling to just one model, the largely unloved GT1000. But prices in the used market never really seemed to fall very far, and instead have steadily risen over the years, with asking prices for the 1000S regularly exceeding double the bike’s original $10,995 asking price, a testament to the SportClassic’s combination of enduring style and accessible performance. And that may be part of the appeal here: unlike their more exotic superbikes, the two-valve Ducatis are relatively easy to own and ride, with less painful maintenance requirements and performance that’s usable on the road by riders with a wider range of skills.
SELLER
According to reports from Ducati, only 50 black 2009 Ducati Sport Classic Sport 1000S motorcycles were shipped to the USA. These 2009 models are considered rare, with some sources noting that only 51 units of the 2009 Sport1000S were produced worldwide, all of which were finished in Ducati Black. In the 17 years of US ownership and having searched European Moto GP parking lots, I have never seen another black model (The red models were mass produced). My Sport1000S features a distinctive black paint scheme with a white stripe, black spoked wheels and a black trellis frame.
This bike is a Unicorn of café bikes Italian art masquerading as a motorcycle. Original owner, original tires. 7540 Miles purchased in the fall of 2009 From Moto Corsa in Portland Oregon. Used on the occasional Sunday rides in the with the (baso-profundo) deep base sound echoing off the canyon wall in Arizona, would occasionally ride to work with riding duties shared among my collection of other café bikes to keep miles down. I always wanted a retro mod/café bike and a Ducati, fortunately this model came out before the café retro craze as it was already discontinued model by the time this happened, it was to be a life-long bike given how unique it is (still have never seen another one in person). It remained 100% stock up till about 2018 when I found the difficult to find new old stock Termignoni exhausts and a K&N air filter. It has a tank cover from Italy as the only other add on feature to protect the new gas tank that was under recall early in my ownership.
This year it just had its 7500-mile full service at the dealership in Scottsdale Az that resulted in a complete fork rebuild, new master cylinder, new battery, stator check, change of all fluids and valve adjustment totaling over $3500 work, since then I rode it once. As a mature sports bike enthusiast and healthcare professional it was well cared for, regularly serviced, never hot-rodded or abused, always stored indoors, never down or ridden in bad weather.
Reason for selling is cliché but getting older and not riding the cafe bikes very much anymore, so looking to liquidate my café collection for a collector or next care minded owner to enjoy this rare beauty.
Contact us at Riding [at] Rare-ones.com if you would like to be connected to the seller.
Features
992cc Desmodromic 90-degree V twin engine air and oil Cooled, 2 valve per cylinder.
Factory output 91hp and 67lb torque
Six Speed Transmission with wet clutch and chain
Fuel Injection from Marelli
160mph speedo and 11k rpm tachometer
Black trellis Frame
Stock Clip on bars
Two up seats with removable single seat cowl (never 2 up ridden)
Laced Black 17-inch wheels
Inverted Marzocchi 43mm fork and Sach Piggyback reservoirs on rear shocks
Double sided swingarm
Massive 320mm Brembo brakes
Comes with spare stock OEM exhaust (heavy)
Service Records, Owner’s manual, clean title, 3 keys (2 black, 1 red for service)
Extremely light and nimble bike
This particular Ducati SportClassic 1000S is about as nice as you’ll ever find. The original limited run of 1000LE Paul Smart replicas with slightly different specification is at the very top, in terms of desirability, but this later example has very low miles, meticulous maintenance, one-owner status, and that rare and handsome color going for it: according to the seller, just 50 black 1000S were imported in 2009. The bike is almost completely original as well, aside from the tasteful and desirable Termignoni exhausts that have been fitted. As the seller mentions: the original pipes are included in the sale, if you’re worried about originality or upsetting the neighbors. The price for this basically perfect example of the ultimate two-valve, air-cooled production Ducati? The seller is asking $32,000 which is obviously at the high end for a SportClassic, but is in line with other premium examples that have sold in recent years.
-tad
Contact us at: Riding [at] Rare-ones.com if you would like to be connected to the seller.
