[JDuc]

Of those who use your SS on the track, what are your thoughts? Do you also have a superbike for the track? What else have you ridden for the track? What is your track experience?

 

[wdietz186]

I've raced a 91SS from almost new and it has been the most reliable and competitive bike I've ever had.Over the years I've been able to embarass many tricker/higher spec. bikes on the track.When it was newer the 851 and 888 was the bike to have but the older two valve only lacked the top end and often on tighter tracks it would be ahead due to being easier to ride.I came across an 851/955 and having about 130hp the thing was a rocket but a handful to go fast on. Not to mention frightfully expensive to fix if broken. As bikes progressed the SV650s were the main competition for the 900SS.A well prepared SV is tough to beat on an SS. The later 100DS has more potential and is still easy to ride.Unless you are dreaming of being a total road racing sex dude the SS series is an affordable and practical way of realizing your dreams of glory.

 

[JDuc]

Unless you are dreaming of being a total road racing sex dude the SS series is an affordable and practical way of realizing your dreams of glory.

lol - if that's what I'm going for, I had better stop worrying about the bike and had better look into a sex change operation...

I'm really loving my 900ss on the track. About the only thing I could want different would be the 1000DS motor...but at this point, I'm content to wait till this motor is old and tired and then grab the 1000DS up and drop it in.

 

[curveman99]

Stock 99 900SS

I love my bike at the track , this is my second season and find it fun to ride and very low maintains which saves me money for more track days.

A lighter bike would be nice and I now am thinking about a piston kit for more power.

 

[Libido]

This is my second year on the track and the '92 900SS with 41mm Keihins and Staintune/spaghetti exhaust is a blast I can afford to repair after occasional fall. I am not competitive and I get lapped often, but no one gets more fun for their entry fee.

 

[henk155]

i ride my SS only at the track.
it's a great bike on twisty tracks,you can keep up with modern bikes.
when you at a track with long straights it struggels a bit.
i drove a 916 and 998 on the track as well.
but what i like more with the SS is the light weight over the superbikes.


henk!!!

 

[beater]

i've only been out on short twisty tracks with about a 100mph straight. The biggest problem I have is my size on the ss. At almost 6'3", I seem to be having trouble moving around on it with stock sets. The FZR on the same track is way easier to ride and move around on, but i'm shifting twice as much to stay on the power band... the duc is way more "fun" though..

probably me more than anything, as I am just getting the hang of the track thing again anyway

 

[pegaxs]

I own a 999 and a 620ie and had a 750ie. I take/took all of them to the track. The 750 was by far the most fun. It was an unassuming bike. Not much power but i was able to ride around the oudside of a lot of people on bigger bikes. They would come back to the pits and ask "what in that?" or "is that a 900?" or my favorite..."is that a race bike ?" Um, its a 750SS stock as a rock. Did i overtake you as well ?? They handle great and the best part is the power delivery is so smooth. Its easy to keep it wide open throttle almost all the way round. More time on the gas and less time on the brakes makes for very quick lap times from a bike that shouldnt be able to do them.

The 999 is in a league of its own. Its not set up for racing, and its like a birthday when i take it to the track. Its been dialed in with the suspension and has an exhaust and air filter kit, other then that, its a bog stock standard 999. I slip up into the next rung of the track day groups, the fast group with all the race bikes and i only ever get passed along the straight by the R1's and CBR1000's... Into the corners and i just rope them back in, over take them in the fun sections and let them pass me on the straight. Some of them are hard core racers and i cant catch them, but they never lap me and are quite amazed at how i can ride a road bike at almost their pace and being the fact im also a tall fat bastard to boot... I just say its the bike.

Either way, i recommend either bike for track days. The SS's are so easy and forgiving to ride. The 999 Superbike just has so much torque that i pulls like a 14yo boy with a lock on his bedroom door. Two very different bikes to ride on track days, but both as equally rideable as each other...

 

[bruntr]

I think I have spent more time on the track with mine than off...... This ole girl has been on Mugello, Sachsenring, Brno, Nurburgring, Spa, Hochenheimring, Assen, and Barber last month.... Europe was tough as most tracks are very long, and lacking top speed sucked! I would work the whole lap to get around other riders then get passed down the straight. It will make a better rider out of you as you will work on corner speed rather than top speed down a straight to pass everyone.

Here we are at Spa.....

 

[Joe-B]

Jan, I only use my 1997 SS/SP at the track since I bought a 2007 ST3s. I had an MV Agusta F4-1000s that I rode at Miller and it kind of scared me; the power was hard to control, it was way heavier than the Ducati and too expensive to drop. I traded it in on the ST3s. As others have said, if the straights aren't too long, not much is better than a Supersport. Over the years I've modified mine to where it fits like a glove, handles superbly and pulls like a freight train!

Some stuff I did:
Wiseco FBF HC pistons, Keihin FCR 41 mm carbs, K&N filter and fully cut airbox, Hindle carbon fiber cans, Evoluzione clutch slave cylinder, Marvic magnesium wheels, Barnett clutch, Nichols aluminum rear rotor (for looks mainly...too soft to use much), Galfer green pads and Galfer brake lines, (stock awesome cast iron front rotors), DID chain w/39T aluminum rear sprocket (too low; it needs a 37), Penske rear shock, Superbike forks w/Goldvalves, Cyclecat top triple clamp and Cyclecat handlebars, Renthal grips, CR 1/2 fairings, lightweight battery, Dyna coils, SharkSkinz nose fairing, Woodcraft rearsets and brake and shift levers, NGK plug wires, added carbon, Sargent saddle, Pilot Power tires and removed all extra stuff. It weighs about 375 lbs without gas.

 

[dezmoduo]

I love my 93ish SS on the track. It used to be hot rodded up, now its just a stock 904 with 41's and light wheels + suspension work. Dynacoils too.

On the street its stock headers and stock high pipes, on the track I put some other system on for ground clearance.

 

[phillc]

We've been flogging our 1000SS in endurance races in the UK. It's been an interesting experience, but ultimately a bit heart braking. I hate to say it, but the SS just wasn't up to running for 6 hours constantly. We did 3 rounds, finished 2, one DNF and quite a lot of problems/expense after each one. Now, for our sins, we're going to try the same thing on a 996!

I'm keeping the SS though, and once the latest oil blowback issue has been sorted, I fully intend to keep riding the bike on track and maybe in some sprint races. This bike has been a number of years in the making, lots of dreaming, a fair amount of money and I'm not ready to totally give up on it just yet.

If you're just looking for a trackday bike, or even a race bike in the right class, then the SS is a good beast. Get the suspension setup properly and you're good to go.

 

[Pepita]

My 900ss

I had my first track day in May, and my second yesterday
The bike I`ve had 3 years...

I am a happy camper , love the bike!

[/IMG]

 

[brewmaster]

I have been racing a SS for 3 seasons now and really enjoy it. It is a wonderful moto for the track. It has a very user friendly attitude for learning how to improve your riding skills due to the engine & stable handling. With some modifications you can improve it even further as your skills increase (i.e. suspension, wheels, brakes and lastly engine). If you do your own maintenance it is not a very expensive bike for track duties as well. Additionally they seem to crash well as long as you equip them with sliders.

My advice is to go for a 2000 or newer as they handle the best and parts are plentiful.

Here's a picture from 2 years ago (p.s. that uas a stock motored 99 SS750 with redone stock forks and an Ohlin shock).

 

[jwemmenhove]

I just started track days last year (2 times at Zolder Belgium) and really got toxicated....

This year I've done Assen and have 2 more at Zolder, 1 at Spa and 1 at Ecuyers in France.

I really enjoy riding the SS on a track; easy, light, lots of torque and with the Dell Orto's on short mainfolds she runs strong up to 8,5k.

 

[xseal]

I race two 2006 SS1000s, one build to superbike specs (pic) and one to supersport specs.

They are great bikes for racing, provided your race organization's rules fit well. CCS is better than WERA, for these bikes.

They are not as good for track days. the problem is low HP bikes like these are much slower in the straights than 750s/1000s. A highly modified one is close to as fast as a 600, but a mildly modified one is closer to an SV650. So, you'll have people passing you by 20-30 mph in the straights, which can be squirrily.

If you're just starting out, they are fine. If you're an expert track day rider, get a 600 or 750. If you're a racer, they are great.

 

[rz33v4]

lol - if that's what I'm going for, I had better stop worrying about the bike and had better look into a sex change operation...

I'm really loving my 900ss on the track. About the only thing I could want different would be the 1000DS motor...but at this point, I'm content to wait till this motor is old and tired and then grab the 1000DS up and drop it in.

The DS motor would be nice, but you can get that power level from a 944 kit and ported cylinder heads (95 RWHP, 71 lbs-ft torque) for about $3800, which includes a Power Commander.

 

[JDuc]

They are not as good for track days. the problem is low HP bikes like these are much slower in the straights than 750s/1000s. A highly modified one is close to as fast as a 600, but a mildly modified one is closer to an SV650. So, you'll have people passing you by 20-30 mph in the straights, which can be squirrily.

I'm having a hard time understanding this bit here.

IMO, isn't the point of a track day to hone your skills? Who cares if you're being blown by on the straights? You're not at a track day to race, at least I'm not...

 

[phillc]

The DS motor would be nice, but you can get that power level from a 944 kit and ported cylinder heads (95 RWHP, 71 lbs-ft torque) for about $3800, which includes a Power Commander.

I honestly think you're better saving the money for a DS engine. It's a much better base to work from. What you've described with the 944 kit etc, is really the end game for the 900ss engine. Whereas for a 1000ss, it's just the beginning!

Now, having said all that, if you were going to big bore a carbed 900ss engine, that's a slightly different proposition. Still the same range of power outputs, but a more interesting project in my opinion (than a 900ssie engine I mean).

 

[ref]

Track Use

I purchased a 1098 and found it had a lot of power, perhaps too much for some smaller tracks. Purchased a '99 900 SS on the recommendation of my mechanic and really enjoy it. No question, on the long stretches it lacks a bit of power but corners pretty nice and easy to maintain.