[Mulcahey]

Swapped bikes for a ride with a mate who has a 999.

Was quite interesting.
I found the seat height lower, bike felt longer, and real hard suspension.
I just did'nt quite gel with it.

Sure it had heaps of get up and go, and revved quick, similar to my Daytona triple.
It did'nt sound as good as my 1000 SS DS. 2V are much nicer sounding than 4V IMO.
Was fast and very throttle responsive.

We'd just done a good hard ride thru the country with a group of about 12 of us on a variety of bikes, mainly Jappa litres, and we were the only Ducs. We swapped for the last bit on the way home after a pub stop.

I'm always on the back foot riding with the litre Jappas, especially on the straights, but I can ride my bike well, and had no probs catching and passing a GSXR1000 and VTR1000 ahead of me thru twisties and short straight bits.
The 999 to me would feel to be ok keeping up the litres.

But in all honesty I love my SS and its set up fine now and goes well and even tho does'nt have the top end of the 999 would have it ahead of that.
Each to their own of course.

My mate thought the SS was high, seat height, but he remarked on how much torque it had and he felt that it would eat his 999 in that field as he had to rev more. he was quite impressed and surprised.

But its all good, and great to be able to compare, as I was considering updating my SS to a 999 or 1098, but dunno really.
Plus I've just ordered some bling from Ebay for the SS and located a full fairing set plus tank so that I can paint another colour scheme and do a bit of mods and retain all my original red bits.

 

[avocet]

yup, i will agree... the ss1000ds is a shockingly fast bike for the street.

i love it when guys on new liter bikes come up saying "huh, that thing is pretty fast" when they catch me at the next rest stop

it seems they only ask if i want a xx9/848/1098 at the start of a ride.

 

[bruce19]

For the past 2 seasons I've been riding an '02 Bayliss 998S. Last Thursday I picked up an '05 SS1000DS on the theory that I wanted a more versatile bike. I only have about 3 miles on the SS thus far because it doesn't get registered until tomorrow. But my impression of the ergos is similar. Suspension not as rigid...a little more upright and higher angle...and, acceleration without that locomotive like surge. Looking forward to more time on the SS but I have to say I feel much more "of a piece" on that 998. I'm sure time and experience with the SS will make it all the better.

 

[avocet]

For the past 2 seasons I've been riding an '02 Bayliss 998S. Last Thursday I picked up an '05 SS1000DS on the theory that I wanted a more versatile bike. I only have about 3 miles on the SS thus far because it doesn't get registered until tomorrow. But my impression of the ergos is similar. Suspension not as rigid...a little more upright and higher angle...and, acceleration without that locomotive like surge. Looking forward to more time on the SS but I have to say I feel much more "of a piece" on that 998. I'm sure time and experience with the SS will make it all the better.

ha! don't get me wrong! modern liter bikes and duc superbikes are much, much faster. my brother asked me seriously if something was wrong with my ss after he rode it. he rides a zx14. before he got the zx, he thought the ss was pretty quick.

although after riding the z, both my ss and vfr seem woefully inadequate...

 

[rz33v4]

ha! don't get me wrong! modern liter bikes and duc superbikes are much, much faster. my brother asked me seriously if something was wrong with my ss after he rode it. he rides a zx14. before he got the zx, he thought the ss was pretty quick.

although after riding the z, both my ss and vfr seem woefully inadequate...

Get that ZX-14 on a tight, curvy road with the SS and it will be left for dead.

 

[pandia]

Swapped bikes for a ride with a mate who has a 999.

Was quite interesting.
I found the seat height lower, bike felt longer, and real hard suspension.
I just did'nt quite gel with it.

Sure it had heaps of get up and go, and revved quick, similar to my Daytona triple.
It did'nt sound as good as my 1000 SS DS. 2V are much nicer sounding than 4V IMO.
Was fast and very throttle responsive.

i agree . imo , no 4v ducati sounds like the 2v motor . perhaps the desmoquattro a bit but not the testastretta engine . my 900cr with keihins , open airbox and carbon slipons was pure music and a joy to ride in twisty asphalt sections .lots of torque at very low rpm's makes for a very nice twisties bike . my 999 is sweet and fast but does not sound like a 2v at full song .

 

[ducdodger]

when i bought my 999 a couple summers ago i thought i wouldn't ride my 95 900 (944) SP as much. i was way wrong. the 999 is a great bike with a lot of power. at this point i actually would rather ride the super sport. The SBK just doesn't have the same soul

 

[bruce19]

Having now put about 1200 mi. on the SS1000DS, it's clear that it is just easier to be fast on it. As much as I love my Bayliss 998 the SS is the one I ride on a daily basis. For my riding needs the SS is the best bike Ducati ever made.

 

[rz33v4]

Bruce,

I couldn't agree more. After owning both a 900SS and a 748R and riding both on track and streets, I prefer the SS as the better all-rounder. That's why every time someone starts a new thread on the possibility of a new SS from Ducati I always give my opinion - we need a newly styled, lightweight, torquey 2V SS, preferably with a 1/2 fairing styled like the '93-98 version (minus the rectangular headlight, of course). There is nothing on the market today that meets these criteria.

 

[fishboy]

SS compared to 999

Having owned both, I like the SS for all around riding on the street. My 2004 999 was a great bike, I'd be still riding it today if a deer hadn't taken us out 2 years ago. Since then I've had a 2007 S2R1000 Monster,a 2001 SS 900 and now a 2006 SS1000. For the roads that I ride, mostly twisties, it does everything that I want out of a bike,handles well and all the power is usable. On the 999, it was hard to use all the power it offered unless it was at the track, for a road bike the SS is my choice for now.

 

[st2lemans]

On the 999, it was hard to use all the power it offered

Easy to use it in the Alps, especially when you need to pass a tour bus between switchbacks while going uphill.

Tom

 

[OldSkoolCool]

I am in the same boat now, i traded off a nicely modded GT1000 i had for my 999, and while i love the 999 when i get to take it to curvy roads, i much prefer everything about the aircooled DS1000...My next bike to accompany the 999 will hopfully be an SS as a nice sporty daily, whether it be an older 750/900 or a newer 800 or 1000. i love air cooled ducky's.

 

[rz33v4]

Let's see now... Many of us have owned both 4V and 2V Ducatis and prefer the 2V bikes on the streets, where most of us ride. But many here don't think a new SS would sell. I beg to differ.

 

[bruce19]

Let's see now... Many of us have owned both 4V and 2V Ducatis and prefer the 2V bikes on the streets, where most of us ride. But many here don't think a new SS would sell. I beg to differ.

Interesting logic. Sort of like asking the members of the Jim Jones religious sect if outsiders might want the Kool-Aid. "Why sure just ask anyone in the room."

 

[rz33v4]

Interesting logic. Sort of like asking the members of the Jim Jones religious sect if outsiders might want the Kool-Aid. "Why sure just ask anyone in the room."

No, I think the logic is fine. Your first/best customers are current owners of the model/brand. If they don't have any interest the idea is certainly DOA. The better discussion topic is whether enough buyers outside the Ducati community would bite on the concept, as I know its a "more HP is better" world out there.

Are there enough educated consumers who would consider an air-cooled 100 HP bike that looked as good as a Ducati superbike, handled/braked like a superbike, but was more attuned to the street than the track, engine-wise? It won't be your 18-year-olds on CBR600/R6/ZX-6/GSX-Rs in any great numbers.

 

[VTGPDUC]

I prefer my 749 on the road and my 900 on the track. If my 900 had the same HP, and power delivery as my 749 I would definitley ride it on the road. I'll be first in line for a 2V sport bike if Ducati makes another one.

 

[desmo2]

When the road gets really twisty, I prefer the 999 over the 900SS. The 999 handles the aggressive riding so much better, IMO. The SS was more comfortable. The 999 wants me to me tucked in or hanging off at all times. The SS was in its element when I was taking the curves at a more sane, responsible speed, and it was certainly better when cruising around town.

I had Remus cans on my SS, versus Termis on the 999, so I can't compare apples to apples on the exhaust note, but the SS did sound better. It had a deep, resounding roar, where the 999 is a bit higher pitched.

Regrettably, I never took the SS to the track, so I can't compare the two in that aspect. Now that I am attending track days, my street rides are almost always pretty sedate.

I would love to have a red Sport 1000S for street riding, and save the 999 for the track.

 

[bruce19]

......................... The better discussion topic is whether enough buyers outside the Ducati community would bite on the concept, as I know its a "more HP is better" world out there. QUOTE]

Now I'm with you.

 

[rz33v4]

......................... The better discussion topic is whether enough buyers outside the Ducati community would bite on the concept, as I know its a "more HP is better" world out there. QUOTE]

Now I'm with you.

Bruce, now that you can compare the 2V to the 4V riding experience first-hand you might better understand my passion for the new SS. It was a good concept back in 1973 and, I believe, is still relevant today, especially if Ducati could make it great looking, lightweight and affordable. I love the current Superbikes but don't see their relevance for normal street riding; you just can't explore their capabilities on the street.
On the other hand I don't care for what the manufacturers offer as "second-Tier" bikes, like the Sport Classics (too retro), Yamaha FZs (not sporty enough styling), BMW R1200S (too biased toward comfort, too big) and Buell 1125R (too weird).

 

[bruce19]

Bruce, now that you can compare the 2V to the 4V riding experience first-hand you might better understand my passion for the new SS.

FWIW, my first Ducati in 1998 was a new '97 SS/SP, next in '01 was a '96 SS/SP that I modified with a 944 kit, HC pistons, 41 mm FCR's, etc. Then came an '02 998 and after that my '02 998S Bayliss. Now, of course, the '05 SS1000DS to share garage space with the Bayliss. I absolutely understand the passion for a new SS. Which is why I spent two years looking for the SS1000DS. It bothers me is that Ducati does not believe they can sell a new SS. What troubles me even more is that I think they are right. I don't like it. But I think it's true.