How Fast Is Your Bevel Twin? - Ducati.ms

Passinglane · Feb 2nd, 2011, 5:27 pm

Last fall I got my SS up to an indicated 180 kmh or so while chasing down another bike but it seemed like the next 20 would be possible but hard won. What kind of top speeds do people get out of their bevel twins?

Bruce

ducatidave · Feb 2nd, 2011, 10:27 pm

Back in the late 1970s three mates and I traveled from Sydney to Adelaide and back on a long weekend to see the Advertiser 3 Hour Race. Two were on 900SSs and the other mate and I were on 750 Sports. On the Hay plains we sat on an indicated 180kph with a couple of squirts up to an indicated 200kph. This was in the days of derestricted zones.
My two mates on 900SSs each copped heavy speeding fines in the restricted zones and I was arrested after being caught doing 160 in a 60 zone. I missed the 60 sign and thought I was still in a derestricted zone.
I don't know what our actual top speeds were but I fitted a SS fairing on my Sport after that trip.

nottonight68 · Feb 3rd, 2011, 1:01 am

My 900SS has seen 240 on the speedo,, but it IS a veglia.

Stick · Feb 3rd, 2011, 8:59 am

Had the MHR Mille up to a scant over 140mph, and that was with the mrs. as pillion. IIRC, I don't think she liked that...

Ventodue · Feb 5th, 2011, 1:09 pm

Hi Bruce,

My SSD will show 120mph/190kph on its ND speedo. It's still in standard trim, i.e. 32 Dells, standard jetting, air boxes, Lafranconis (yes, really!), standard cams and pistons, and 16/38 gearing. But it takes a time to get there ...

My MHR would regularly show 140mph/225kph - 40 Dells, Contis, can't remember the gearing - and that wasn't FWOT. But I start to not see well at those speeds, so I never found its max speed. In this case, the bike simply got the better of the rider ...

Alternatively, my 450 Scrambler can barely make it to 70mph/100kph ...

Ciao

Craig

flynbulldog · Feb 5th, 2011, 4:24 pm

faster than the Bonnies and commandos of the day.

Passinglane · Feb 5th, 2011, 5:06 pm

I revisited my test stretch of highway and discovered that it actually has a pretty good uphill grade so probably that makes a difference. At 180 it was showing about 6 grand on the tach so there's still another 2500 to go before it hits red line.

Around here those sorts of speeds have serious consequences - financial and loss of licence.

Bruce

andys · Feb 5th, 2011, 5:58 pm

Back in the 80's on a ride back from victor I wondered how fast my 900ss would go so I gave it a squirt down noarlunga hill when I looked at the speedo the needle was on 250kph who knows the real speed but it was fast.

620rossco · Feb 5th, 2011, 7:04 pm

Seen 210kmph on mine. Speed confirmed by a couple of jappers that were there. However other times 200 flat out. Really depends on the tuning on the day.

Duccout · Feb 6th, 2011, 2:11 am

Interestingly, Ducati 750/900 SS models were never able to beat Norton Commandos in production races, here in the UK. The Nortons were specially produced 'production' models, called 'Yellow Peril', and they had altered frames fitted with clip ons and rearsets and top-half fairings, just like the Ducatis really. I remember watching races at Silverstone and Snetterton and seeing the Nortons leaving the Ducatis for dead coming out of corners.

Of course the Nortons were about 100LBS lighter and 4 inches shorter on the wheelbase + they had more ground clearance. Eventually the Nortons were banned for not being standard road models.