Happy Birthday to me! New Italian Stallion!

The day after my birthday I was feeling a bit bored so I bought a Ducati. Here is said Ducati.

Illustration for article titled Happy Birthday to me! New Italian Stallion!
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Illustration for article titled Happy Birthday to me! New Italian Stallion!
Illustration for article titled Happy Birthday to me! New Italian Stallion!
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This is a yellow 1997 Ducati SuperSport 900, one of 100 made for the US market (the California market is somehow distinct from “US” and had 150 models produced for it). It has a 900cc air-cooled 90 degree V-twin with a timing belt and Ducati’s signature Desmo valvetrain producing 80hp through Ducati’s other signature, a rattly dry clutch. This bike, thankfully, has the factory clutch cover intact as a common mod is to get a “skeleton” cover that shows off the spinning clutch and makes it UNREASONABLY loud.

Notes so far:

Makes amazing noises, does all kinds of wheelies, not as uncomfortable as I’d expected, the twin-disk Brembos are phenomenal, it starts STUPID easy, and the clutch operation is absolutely baffling.