Ducati 750SS

Combining the virtues of Ducatis past and present, the 750SS merges classic design and modern function. Its name, a tribute to the 1973-77 750SS that was a production version of the racebike Paul Smart rode to victory in the 1972 Imola 200, recalls a time when Ducatis were among the fastest motorcycles built. And the 750SS was considered the best of the best.

For 1992, however, the 750SS name does not grace a machine representing the pinnacle of Ducati's performance capabilities; instead, it is found on an entry-level exotic, a reasonably priced cover charge for the exclusive club of Ducati ownership.

As such, the 750SS is a product of cost-consciousness, and of parts-bin engineering. Its engine a 748cc, 90-de-gree ohc V-Twin, vastly oversquare at 88 x 61.5mm—was last seen on the 1989-90 750 Sport, and can trace its roots back to the 500cc Pantah of 1979. As do all modern Ducatis, the 750's engine features desmodromic valve actuation, with each of its two valves per cylinder opened and closed via rocker arms, its camshafts driven by toothed rubber belts.

But that's where the similarities end, because there are a couple of differences between the engine that powered the Sport and that which powers the Super Sport. Most significant are the clutch and the carburetion: Where the Sport's clutch was dry, the Super Sport's runs in an oil bath—the first Ducati-powered motorcycle since the mid-'80s Cagiva Alazzuras and Elefants to be so equipped. And where the Sport utilized a single, 44mm dual-throat Weber, the Super Sport employs a pair of 38mm flat-slide Mikunis—the same units found on the 900SS.

Like the engine, the chassis has also been lifted, more or less, from another bike, in this case the 900SS that was such a success for Ducati last year. Virtually identical in construction, the 750 chassis' only significant differences are in its motor mounts, which have been relocated to accept the Pantah engine cases; the 900's motor is based on 851 cases. As is standard Ducati practice, the triangulated space-frame is constructed of tubular chrome-moly steel, with the engine employed as a stressed member and the swingarm pivoting in the rear of the engine cases. A single, fully adjustable Showa shock—same as the 900's—is cantilevered at the rear, while a 41 mm Showa inverted fork—identical to the 900's, save for its lack of adjustments—supports the front end.

Wheels are 17 inchers front and rear, 3.5 inches wide at front and 5.5 inches wide at rear, the optimal sizes these days for sporting rubber. The 750, incidentally, sports Dunlop Sportmax radials; the 900 wears Michelins.

Another significant difference between the 750 and 900 chassis concerns the brakes: Where the 900 employs a pair of four-piston Brembos grasping twin 11.8-inch rotors, the 750 makes do with a single caliper-rotor combo.

In addition to the mechanical contrasts between the 900 and 750, there are cosmetic ones: The 900 gives the buyer his choice of red or black paint and half- or full-fairings, the 750 is available only in red, and only with a half-fairing. The net result of all this is a substantially lower-priced motorcycle. The 900SS retails for $8295 (half-fairing) or $8490 (full-fairing), the 750 costs $7350.

So, given that the 750SS is essentially a smaller-displacement, less-expensive version of the 900SS, how does it stack up?

Climb aboard the 750SS and you'll immediately feel right at home: Its riding position is far more civilized than its racy appearance suggests. The humpbacked seat looks and feels identical to that of the 900SS, but side-by-side comparison reveals that its hump is not quite as, well, humped. Reach to the clip-on handlebars is modest, the footpegs moderately rearset. The only complaint logged by our testers concerned the angle of the handlebars; some felt the bars were too flat and made their wrists ache.

Thumb the starter button and the Ducati's motor responds with its characteristic V-Twin rumble. It's a bit cold-blooded at first, requiring the choke to be left on for a few minutes on chilly mornings. The handlebar-mounted choke lever has two positions—in one, the revs zing to over 4000 rpm; in the other, the motor struggles at a mere 1200. Still, the bike can be ridden away with the choke in the first position. Once warm, our test bike displayed a lean surge at idle, the rpm gradually rising and falling. Underway, lean carburetion again became apparent, manifesting itself as a flat spot in the region of 4200-4600 rpm. Rejetting the carbs to European specs, we're told, would solve the problem; U.S. models are jetted lean in the interest of meeting EPA emissions standards.

Carburetion woes notwithstanding, the 750's motor works well, with oodles of grunt off the bottom and power that builds linearly to 7000 rpm, then maintains peak power to 8000 before tapering off to the 9000-rpm red-line. The 750 is not the wheelie monster that the 900 is, but a little clutch fanning in its lowest cog will send the front wheel skyward. Running through the slick-shifting five-speed gearbox, you'll hardly notice the carburetion flat spot; it's only bothersome at steady throttle. What you will notice is the stiff lever pull of the hydraulically actuated clutch. At least the throttle-return springs are manageable, a blessing for those who recall the he-man twist required by the original Pantah's twin Dell'Ortos.

We've complained about the chattering dry clutches on recent Ducatis, so we're happy to report that the 750 Super Sport's wet clutch is quieter, though it still can be made to squawk in slow, stop-and-go riding. But before you release that clutch lever, be warned: The neutral light sometimes lies. Ours illuminated with the bike in gear and didn't when it was in neutral. If sunlight hits the instrument panel, though, it doesn't matter: You won't be able to read any of the warning lights.

Fortunately, for the type of riding at which the Ducati is aimed, you needn't concern yourself with the warning lights: You'll be focused on the white-faced Veglia tachometer and the twisting road ahead. And in that environment, the 750SS truly excels. Compared to the 750 Sport with its 16-inch wheels and rakish steering angle, the 750 Super Sport is more stable and less twitchy, and at least as nimble. Weighing in at 388 pounds dry, the SS is 27 pounds lighter than its predecessor. The Super Sport's triangular-profile front Dunlop causes the bike to teeter at partial lean angles, and to fall into turns a bit, but once the bike is banked over it stays planted. Generous cornering clearance encourages spirited riding, and on the street, the bike refuses to touch hard parts down.

Suspension works well at both ends: Our lightest testers felt the shock was oversprung, the fork spring a tad too soft in comparison, but damping rates at both ends were judged excellent for sport riding—a good thing, considering the fork is non-adjustable. Easing transitions is the minimal gyroscopic effect imparted by the use of a single front disc; steering effort is noticeably reduced from that required by the 900SS.

Those brakes, incidentally, work very well: The single front disc stops the lightweight machine better than expected. Lever feel, though, is spongy: A substantial improvement would likely accompany the purchase of a set of braided-steel brake lines.

While the 750SS embodies all that a V-Twin sportbike represents—a torquey, soulful motor enveloped in a lightweight, fine-handling chassis—it's life as a Twin may actually be a short one. According to Ernesto Vettore, president of Cagiva North America, the bike will soon be powered by Ducati's long-awaited horizontal Single, with its unique articulated-connecting-rod counterbalancer (see Roundup, CW, November, 1991). This new Single, Vettore says, will displace 750cc, and may debut as early as 1993. "It will be the fastest Single in the world," he says, promising that it will be at least as powerful as the Twin it replaces.

Until then, in the 750SS we have a classic, blood-red Ducati possessing all of the virtues its nameplate suggests in a reasonably priced package that is as sure to turn heads as it is to win hearts. In summation, we'd call the Ducati 750 Super Sport a winner. Even if Doug Polen never puts one into victory circle.

Source Cycle World 1992