Ducati SuperSport in the top test

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Ducati Supersport in the top test

The basis of driving pleasure

Basic models with more expensive S, R, RS or RR variants than sister models are heavily fashionable. The Ducati Supersport S has already collected a lot of merits. But what does the basic version, which is 1,600 euros cheaper, do?

Tea D.ucati Supersport S was voted the most beautiful motorcycle at the fair at EICMA 2016 in Milan. Wherever she appears, sympathies fly to her and she has done excellently in tests so far. On the other hand, at least 14,600 euros for a 110 hp motorcycle is a hearty announcement.

Ducati Supersport in the top test

The basis of driving pleasure

Sitting position

The Ducati Supersport shares the technical basis with the S version: the same 110 hp 937 cm³ V2 is in the same tubular frame, which is equipped with the same single-sided swing arm. There is a tie between the bikes and the seating arrangement: comfortable upholstery and a sporty, but not too narrow knee angle. The handlebar stubs are very accommodating to the driver thanks to the high extension arm and an upright, relaxed seating position.

Here we go! The Ducati Supersport starts work spontaneously. Oops, when it is cold the clutch tends to engage very sharply, which takes away some of the elegance from the first start. That seems to be a peculiarity of the 937 engine, as our long-term test Multistrada 950 and the Supersport S show. If the lamellas and oil are warmed up, the smooth slipper clutch can be dosed properly.

engine and gears

With the 937 Twin, Ducati has hung a wonderful drive for country road racing between the wheels. Even in the hustle and bustle of the city, the V2 is well mannered in the lower gears thanks to sufficient flywheel mass and good running smoothness below 3000 rpm.

Its true entertainment value, however, opens up to the pilot during a brisk ride over winding streets. Wacker pulls the Ducati Supersport out of the speed range. Its engine characteristics are made for relaxed, brisk highway robbers: At 4000 rpm it really grabs, toil confidently through the mid-rev range, which is blessed with a proper torque curve.

It cheerfully turns upwards and pushes out of curves so forcefully that even drivers of more powerful machines have to stretch to keep up. Without hectic turning horror, the Ducati Supersport offers plenty of propulsion for robust intermediate sprints.

The transmission, however, is not one of the most polished representatives of its kind. Especially at low speed, the gears rest hard, sometimes it rubs and hooks from the second to the first. But this is also already known from other models with this drive.

The V2 hangs cleanly on the gas and does not annoy you when you apply the gas with too harsh performance. It sounds self-confidently from its double barrel, and in push mode it crackles and sizzles to your heart’s content at 2500 rpm. When it has to go quickly, it can be squeezed out to the limiter. Even at 130 km / h in last gear, the Ducati Supersport accelerates vigorously.

Thanks to the proper wind protection, the driver does not have to fold behind the fairing even at 200 km / h. For a little more comfort, the pane can be raised by hand to a position around 40 millimeters higher. So the Ducati Supersport cuts a fine figure even on fast stretches of the motorway. Only at 253 km / h (according to the speedometer) does the limiter intercept it gently.

landing gear

Rivas

Ducati Supersport shock absorber

The Ducati Supersport is also tailor-made for relaxed cornering when it comes to the chassis. Their handling does not have the aggressive sharpness of thoroughbred sports files, but works precisely, reliably and predictably. She hits the desired line in a serene manner, free of nervousness, that makes you quick in a relaxed way. Although it is “only” equipped with a Marzocchi fork and a Sachs shock absorber, the Ducati Supersport does not suffer from ailments during parforcer ride even on a second-class surface. It parries lane ridges in fast motorway bends just as confidently as undulating country road asphalt.

The set-up tends to be on the comfortable side, especially on the fork. So the Duc does not stumble even at brisk pace and rapid lean changes, shines with great stability in lean positions and therefore does not have to hide behind the S version with Ohlins chassis in terms of driving dynamics. To do this, however, we have increased the spring preload at the rear a bit and opened the tight rebound stage significantly. Ducati deserves praise for indulging in the basic Supersport with the Pirelli Diablo Rosso III.

What can be seen on the country road is underpinned by the top test course: the times that Ducati Supersport and Ducati Supersport S achieve in fast and slow slalom are within a few tenths of a second. The S only achieves slight advantages in the circular path when crossing an edge. The Ohlins dampers act a little more confidently thanks to their better response and give the motorcycle even better contact with the road in deep lean angles.

The spring elements of the basic Supersport have a higher breakaway torque and do not scan the road surface as sensitively. You don’t work rough, but just a bit less smooth on small bumps. The differences are especially noticeable with stronger strokes, but there are no worlds that separate the two.

Brakes

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Ducati Supersport brake pump

The Ducati Supersport decelerates perfectly with a radial brake pump and monoblock calipers from Brembo, as long as you have selected the correct of the three modes for the deactivatable ABS. In defensive mode 3, the Duc remains extremely stable, but with 8.5 m / s² it is also well below its potential. She then needs 45.3 meters for an emergency stop from 100 km / h. The recommended mode 2 brings the Duc to a standstill safely and at 9.0 m / s² almost 2.5 meters earlier.

The sharp mode 1 deactivates the ABS on the rear wheel, so it is the tip for the racetrack. Because it grabs a lot at the beginning of the braking and allows strong stoppies towards the end in extreme cases. The driver’s sensitivity is required to achieve maximum deceleration. The excellent controllability of the stoppers helps not only in the border area. With up to 9.7 m / s² the Ducati Supersport decelerates robustly in mode 1 and is another 3 meters earlier than in mode 2.

Equipment and handling

Rivas

Ducati Supersport cockpit

The turning brings back memories of the Ducati Supersport from the 1990s: the steering angle is small, the turning circle is quite large at 8.6 meters, which sometimes requires several shunting trains on narrow streets. If you don’t grip the handlebars as far inside as possible, the space between your thumb and tank will also be tight.

The display of the Ducati Supersport has all the important information ready, but for example time, daily and total kilometers are stored in the same display field, but only one of this information can be displayed. To change, you can only zap through the menu in one direction, which is at least as impractical as changing the riding modes or the settings of the eight-level traction control and ABS.

When it comes to electronics, the Ducati Supersport is state-of-the-art, especially as there are three freely configurable driving modes on board. In addition, the driver has the choice between three performance levels: Sport and Touring release full performance with different responses, the rather dispensable Rain mode limits the performance to 75 HP and offers a very defensive response. Tester’s favorite was the straightforward sport mode.

The Ducati Supersport also scores with a large tank opening and moderate consumption of 4.7 l / 100 km at the pump. You shouldn’t fill up the Ducati Supersport to the brim if you want to turn it off afterwards with a hot engine, otherwise some of the expanding fuel will quickly run out of the overflow.

Better to go back on the road right away, because the Ducati Supersport is also good for that – not only because of the optional luggage case. Thanks to the successful ergonomics, you can easily last longer than a full tank of fuel in the saddle. The pillion seat is more than an emergency roll, which may not be suitable for the long journey, but is suitable for a longer stage. 193 kg payload leaves room for holiday luggage.

The Ducati Supersport manages to combine sporty qualities and suitability for everyday use, to be attractively packaged and – in the case of the basic version – to be offered at a reasonably affordable price.

MOTORCYCLE conclusion

Basic model equals lean food? Not in the case of the Ducati Supersport. The engine, brakes, wheels and tires, the electronics, it shares all of this with the more elegant S version. It offers slightly finer suspension comfort. But there are no worlds between the two. The basic Supersport is stingy on price, but not on driving pleasure.

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The MOTORRAD measured values ​​such as acceleration, torque, braking distance and consumption as well as the power and torque curve, the 1000-point rating and a competition overview: If you want to know exactly, you can find all the information for 2 euros in the original article.

Used Ducati Supersport in price comparison

1000PS marketplace app

You can save significantly on used Ducati Supersport.

If you don’t want to pay the full fee for a new Ducati Supersport, you are well advised to take a look at the used market. There you can find beautiful specimens with low mileage for significantly less money. You can see how much you can save with a used Ducati here: used Ducati Supersport in Germany.

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