With its last major refreshening in 2003, the Ducati Supersport waited out the inevitable without much fanfare. Concentrating on the 1000cc variant, even Ducati’s own model archive doesn’t show the 800 SuperSport after 2004. Lightweight and simple compared to the SuperBikes, the SS models are great riders and the sculptural Pierre Terblanche design is still…
Update 2.22.2106: Now listed with AMS Ducati Dallas. -dc Update 10.6.2015: Price dropped from $32,000 to $27,500. Good luck to buyers and seller! -dc If you’re an 851 fetishist, today’s Featured Listing Ducati 851 SP3 is a rare sight here in the USA. We first saw this particular example back in July from the same…
Following Ben Bostrom’s very successful 2000 World SuperBike season, Ducati commissioned a boldly painted first-year 998S special edition in his honor. Building only 155 ( his race number ) units for the USA and another 155 for Europe ensured their rarity, and using the 916-derived design and the new Testastretta engine ensured legendary performance. Often…
Following the 999 of 2003-06, Ducati returned to a more horizontal look to the superbike with the 1098. Cadging another 100cc from World SuperBike rulemakers, the 1098 claimed 160 hp, but more importantly a small car-like 90 ft-lbs. of torque. Improvements were made to the valve train and cooling system, mostly ending overheating and making…
We could argue all day long about the style of the unpopular but very effective Ducati 999 versus the 916-aping but also very effective 1098. I happen to like the striking Terblanche-styled older machine, but there’s no arguing with the popularity of the restyled bike: they practically flew out of showrooms, adding credibility to my…
The water-cooled Monster S4RS was a great engine in search of a bike. It was spawned from the original Monster that was itself the proverbial Franken-bike: frame from an 888, suspension and wheels from the 900SS-CR, and a dash that looks like someone ripped the idiot light cluster straight out of a Fiat. They’ve got…
For some the ultimate Ducati sportbike, the 916 launched a million dreams ( and posters ). After a 10-year run, the 998S Final Edition was the last 916-based model, and this one was tucked away right after delivery. 2004 Ducati 998S Final Edition for sale on eBay 998’s were produced only in 2002-03, and by…
For some people building their dream bikes, the ideal is to create something that’s truly new, something that’s never been seen before. Others take a different approach, building something that looks basically original, but is just subtly different. They’re asking, “What if the factory kept building my favorite bike, but updated it to keep it…