Ducati 800ss

[Delta]

Any input on this bike? any good? as opposed to a sv650s

[army scope jock]

Ask these guys:

http://www.ducati.ms/forums/cmps_index.php

Probably a bit biased but oh well. I think the 1000SS DS is a better bike. I believe if you want to track it, Ducati sells it sans lights, mirror for around $8500.

Or look at www.motorcycle.com as they did a review of the 1000 and the 800. I think most will agree the 2v aircooled Duc motor is the best one for street riding. They stuff it in everything monsters, SS, mutistrada and all the new replica retros.

[Carbon Can Kat]

My son has had a 750SS for about 5 years now. It does double duty as his race bike and street bike. The 800SS is not much different just with a bit more power. He races WERA and the 750 is down on power compared the SV650 and he has trouble keeping up with them. The 800SS can keep up with a superstock or mildly modded SV and the 1000SS smokes the SV650. He has thought about moving up to an 800SS or a 1000SS recently. The biggest thing he says the SV650 has over the Duc is the availibilty of aftermarket parts. The second generation SV650 (2003+) has a problem with cranks and connecting rods breaking. The biggest maintenance item on the Duc is valves and belts. For a 2 valve motor like the 800SS you should be able to get them adjusted in the $300-350 range every 6K to 8K miles. His 750SS has nearly 26K miles on it and he is on his third valve adjustment and second set of belts. The only other maintenace issue we have found is it eats aluminum rear sprockets at a fairly regular rate so we switched to steel and that seems to have cured the problem.

[Delta]

Thanks, Im going to talk to my local ducati dealer one of these days. They seem like fairly good bikes. I just dont want to get in over my head, and bite off more than i can chew.

[Firebolter]

Ride one before you buy it. The ergo's on the SS line are very uncomfortable. Good for the track, but horrible for weekend riding more than a 100 miles. The seats are also pretty uncomfortable. I had a 900SSie. Nice bike, made good power for what is was, but not comfortable at all.

They are easy to work on though.

[Carbon Can Kat]

Ergos on the SS series aren't the greatest on the street if you are under 5'11" or have short legs. I'm 5'10" and it knots my shoulders up on long street rides. My son is 6'2" and has no problems. It will take a couple of rides for muscle memory to adapt. They have a long reach to the bars and a fairly high seat height.

[MaSK]

Make sure you cover all of the costs. Get comparative $$ for how much it is for a minor service, a major service, and insurance. Also look at the service interval requirements and what work gets done. Service costs are horrific on Ducati's in Australia - about double that of the Aprilia Milles.

Having said that, I think an 800SS would be a pretty nice bike if it fits you.

Mike

[vsgofast]

If this is your first street bike a Ducati may not be the best choice. SV's are pretty easy to work on and parts are plentiful.

[Prilliant03]

The air cooled 2 valve Ducatis are a cinch to work on. Belt changes are easy, and valve checks no problem. Altering valve clearences might be best left to the pros, but if you've got good mechanical skills and a decent workshop manual it's no big deal.

The old Ducati engines are pretty reliable if looked after and have a lovely lazy power delivery, which can be deceptively fast. My Multistrada 1000 had a fantastic engine and was mechanically great. Electrics were the only weak point, but I would expect the less complex electrics of the SS to cause less hassle. Just use lots of WD40 on all the connectors to keep moisture at bay.

If the ergos suit you, and you like the bike, an 800 SS would make a great first big bike. Not too powerful, but fast enough to be a lot of fun, and not remotely intimidating in the way a high revving I4 600 can be. The bonus is that you'd be on a bike that stands out from the herd, and you'd have an Italian exotic for not a lot of cash. The Ducati badge still carries a lot of kudos amongst non-bikers and bikers alike. It's not that long ago Ducati was voted as the coolest brand name in the world by a panel of style and image consultants. Above Ferrari, Rolex, Lear, Gucci, Prada, Rolls Royce etc.

Just go into any deal with your eyes open and use common sense. Ask about servicing prices. Check the cost of insuarnce. Above all, get a good test ride. It doesn't matter how pretty the bike is (very pretty IMHO), if you don't want to ride it because it leaves you in agony.

One other bike you might want to check as a good first big bike is the Yamaha Thundercat. Faster than an SV or an 800 SS. Bombproof reliability. Great brakes, and a lovely flexible engine (a lot more usable than any R6). Plus you get all day comfort, with enough of a sporty edge to make the twisty bits fun.

[theduckllr]

I rode a 800ss on the track in Portland in 2004 and was unable to discern any power difference between it and my 96 900ss/sp. I have owned two 900ss over the years, and am currently seriously considering another. The new 1000 motor really is a runner for my needs and desires. I've toured 24k miles on my last one with soft bags. (I'm 6'2") The stock seat makes my ass hurt just looking at it, so go get a Corbin or Sergent before even taking it home. I've found the SS bikes to be the most reliable bikes to come out of Italy, and that includes my Aprilia. The nicest thing about the SS is that it really doesn't matter what year you get. Kinda like a Porsche 911. Sure they evolve over time, but the basic design was so well concieved in my opinion, that drastic redesigns have been unwarranted over the years. The same basic frame on her has been around for what.. 17 years?!? If that isn't "proof in the pudding", I don't know what is...