Compared to my 1994 Superlight anyway! I've recently taken delivery of a 2005 1000ds & I'm loving the engine but struggling with the riding position which is a tad extreme. Has anyone done any improvements to theirs? I'm thinking of some bar raisers & perhaps higher screen? Anyone done anything with the foot pegs on theirs? Mine are higher than I'm used to & also there's not much room for my feet with the high level exhausts being so close to the pegs. Also what were they thinking of when they signed off the design of the belly end of that petrol tank? Love to hear your thoughts
yes, had the 1000 and 900 and failed to make them any comfier, eventually put the injection engine into the carby frame, much better!
Is it the red half faired one that was on Ebay recently ? As you say, wonderful engine but bit of a torture rack. I had Gillies adjustable bars on an old 900ssie and that helped but no getting away from the fact that they are not a comfy bike.
Glad you commented on the belly end, extra fuel capacity is great but at the expense of the comfort of the rider's (possible) extra capacity.
I tried a 750ssie a few years ago and a 100m down the road I knew there was no way I could ever own one. It felt like I was craning my head back as far as it would go just to be able to see ahead! It felt like sitting on the loo grasping a couple of toilet roll tubes on the floor Nearly gave up on the idea is owning a carby version as I thought they would have a similar riding position. It was only when Rich at Louigi Moto said they were completely different that I started to look for one. How right he was! I find it nearly as comfortable as my previous ST4 in terms of riding position and I personally prefer the lazier, more grunty feel of the 2v engine, even if it's not as ballistic as the 916 motor of the ST. I've just put it back on the road yesterday after a couple of years playing with my Ducati single and was really pleasently surprised as to how good it is. Mind you after the last couple of years riding round on a 175 with 1950's suspension and breaking technology, it maybe should not have been such a shock .
I put some inch high clip ons on my 900ie and had to slightly raise the wing mirror struts to accommodate brake reservoir etc and it has improved comfort no end.
my 750 ie is the same rather extreme riding position agree having to crane head back a lot for long period does have issues compared a friends gsxr 1000 riding position it was positively upright compared but I just love the ducati so stretching exercises and pain killers lol a few on here have done mods to raise the bars etc but also had to alter fairing in some cases but it is do able to get a more comfy position
I love the idea of getting a Carby donor bike and transplanting the motor, Fuel injection, Ohlins, wheels and Termis. You'll end up with a comfortable, better looking, really trick SS. Go on, you know you want to
I think the SSie frame is longer between seat and headstock, I think to give a bit more steering lock. So to make it as comfortable as a carb SS you need to pull bars back as much as raise them. The old ST4S clipons do a decent raise and pull back that might do it. These were a mod used on Sport classics which were even more stretched (or felt it) than the SSie frame.
My first Ducati was a 900SSie. I loved it and hated it for 20k miles. Never missed a beat except for beating up my wrists and getting me in the bollocks a good few times over bumps!! I even bought another one a few years later, had some fun but the pain was always there. Sold that, too. An 888 showed me that Ducati sports bikes could be more comfortable. Now I have a 1991 900SS and it's the best by far: comfortable, more compliant suspension (Ohlins helps) and throttle is softer and gentler. Even the seat is soft. All this helps makes it a very pleasant bike ride alongside the old school riding position. I always thought the injected, more modern bike would be better but I was wrong! "Terblanche...!!!! What did you do??" As for the 900SSie I would recommend softening the suspension as a serious consideration. But the 1000 engine is sweet..
I can't comment on the carb 91 900ss i've never ridin one but i love the looks of the 91 and i do love my 900ss ie looks too but it is as i've said before, marmite looks!!
My 900ss ie isn't too bad. I definitely would avoid riding it in town theres far too much weight on the wrists. I think I'm the opposite of everyone on this forum but I find the old 900ss outdated looking. I really prefer the looks the of IE. I used to have a TRX850 and realised that it was based on the 900ss then I seen it and was like I need this bike in my life.
Thanks Macca, do you know if these are a straight fit on the SSie? Any interference issues with fairing etc
I never tried the mod on an SSIE, I suspect there will be a bit of adjusting needed if my experience of fitting to a sport classic is a useful guide, where the lip of the fairing needed minor adjustment to clear the brake/clutch pots. I still have the said bars, and I'm saving them for my Superlight for when my aging back wants a bit more relief.
