Supersport continuing ... ?

Okay when do you think, if ever, Ducati will drop the Supersport from their range?

I believe you can only buy the SS1000 DS now, ie. the 620 and 800's have been dropped.

Is this also hinting at phasing out the air cooled Ducatis?

Pete

I dont think they will ever phase them out. They have been their bread and butter for years. The air cooled Ducatis are superior as far as simplicity & reliability goes. Air cooled Ducatis will always be around, whether it be a new SS line of bikes, or classics being brought back.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by CaliDuc &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">They have been their bread and butter for years. </TD></TR></TABLE>

2 Valve engines yes - supersports, not necessarily. If I recall they sell fewer supersports than any other model...by a good margin. That said, they are simple to put together/maintain and there are lots of 2v engines laying around. No more R&D necessary to push them out the door so why not keep selling them.

The other thing is that Italians like their tradition. This is the bike the company was grown around so they probably like keeping it in the product lineup.


Modified by Kennedy at 1:02 PM 8/5/2005

I agree. The engineering, and the tooling for the engine and chassis have been paid for a long, long time ago for the Supersports. The biggest expenses they've incurred in recent years were the new body in '99, and the DS head (which really just copied what 2V tuners have been doing). If they can create continued interest in the same bike by doing some restyled specials (SportClassics), or making small improvements (like displacement increases) they will keep it alive.

However, the air-cooled bikes are noisy. With ever restrictive sound and emission regulations, you have to wonder how long before they are forced to go with liquid-cooling. Maybe the current Superbikes will become Supersports, and future Superbikes will be V-4s??? With the news that TPG is actively looking for a buyer for Ducati, who knows what a new owner will do.

They may not sell many supersports, but Monsters sell like hotcakes. The new S2R is exceeding all sales expectations, and it is probably only a matter of time until the 1000 gets the same treatment, or some other kind of updating. I say these motors will be around for a while yet.

Nick D, PaulST4 and I were actually talking about this last night but in the context of "why does it seem like there are no parts for my SS or ST? This should put things into context for 2004:
Line #Units %of total
Superbike 10,213 27.9%
Supersport 1,426 3.9%
Monster 18,027 49.3%
ST 2,996 8.2%
Multistrada 3,898 10.7%

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Kennedy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Nick D, PaulST4 and I were actually talking about this last night but in the context of "why does it seem like there are no parts for my SS or ST? This should put things into context for 2004:
Line #Units %of total
Superbike 10,213 27.9%
Supersport 1,426 3.9%
Monster 18,027 49.3%
ST 2,996 8.2%
Multistrada 3,898 10.7%
</TD></TR></TABLE>

I always thought in the 90's that the best selling bike was the SS. I may be wrong, but that is what I always heard. The stats above are alarming. They sell that many more MultiStradas? That seems odd. Maybe I am thinking the SS was their bread and butter BEFORE they came out with the Monster and the Multistrada. Oh how times change. I will take this time to readjust and stop living in the 90's.

Yes, BEFORE the monster, the carby 900ss was the mainstay for Cagiva/Ducati and the best seller by far. Then when Terblanche went apesh!t on the SS, the sales plumented. Not surprising how few SS's are now sold. I really like the 1000DS engine but ...

I too need to get out of living in the 90's.

Last info:
Supersport 2006: only the 1000 DS, red bodywork and red frame, black wheels.
No new SS.......

Ducati can really boost SS sales if they cut the price. For the (relatively) dated technology they ought to be selling the 800SS for around $7k and the 1000DS for around $8k.

I reckon the SS has only got a few years left at least in it's current form and the aircooled engine probably less.

Noise regulations here in Europe are getting crazy. Theres talk of reducing the noise bikes make from 80db to low 70's db (72/74db?). Chances are the only way the two valve will make that will be with a water jacket wrapped around it. For the added expense and to meet future emissions standards they'll need practically a whole new engine Ducati got the money...?

Although they are not listed anywhere, there is a 800 for '05. Don't know about '06 though.

It's a bummer that they don't sell. I think I decided today that my SS1000DS is the perfect street sport bike. Power is ample, and more importantly, useable, plenty of torque makes life fun, and the thing is just about as fast as any street bike needs to be.

And the best part - pulling away from guys on bikes that have almost 2x the horsepower as you. Oh man I love watching an R1 dissappear from my rearview on the third corner.

If you are walking off from an R1 on a 1000SS, that R1 doesn't have a rider on it.

Oh, the difference is rider skill, 100%. His bike is way faster than mine. But, when you are on a nice twisty road, the speeds are say 30-80mph, the supersport is, in my opinion, a better bike. For one, without significant regearing, the fast Japenese bikes will need to be in first gear to make use of their power, and who wants to ride around in first?
One day, i would like to take an R1 around a track a few times way too fast, but, I just can't see myself needing that kind of capability in the real world. Plus, theres the danger of getting passed or dropped by someone on a significantly slower bike. How embarrassing would that be.

I love the SS series, always have. IMO, it's classic as it gets. I hope there is always that choice there for the guys who don't need 4 valve per, a water cooler, etc..... I like to keep it simple as possible....... having said that, I don't think I'll ever go back to a carb...:-)
I can also live without ignition points.... remember those???
gregc

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by FiscusFish &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Chances are the only way the two valve will make that will be with a water jacket wrapped around it. For the added expense and to meet future emissions standards they'll need practically a whole new engine Ducati got the money...?</TD></TR></TABLE>
Er, take the engine out of the ST3 and put it in the SS ... done!, and then the SS also gets 3 valves per cylinder.

I personally (although I would be disappointed) think their numbers are up ... and a post talking about 2006 Ducatis (in the Superbike forum) states NO SS for 2006 ...
Pete

I dunno how true, but to re-iterate, a german dealer here said in aforum that definatelt no SS for 06!!

S*+T!!!!!

Adding a st3 motor in a supersport?

Whos been hanging around my garage?
I do alot of 2v swaps. ST3, 1000ds, fuel injected 900
All into the older frames. pre-97

The St3 is going to rip.. should make a nice package in the 900 superlight

Got any pics of a 1000DS engine in a 92-98 carby SS frame?