It was four years in the making, but Ducati finally released the revamped SuperSport family for the 2017 model year. This range brings sportbike handling and performance to the table with its race-inspired “Monster” frame and over 100 ponies on tap, but in a package meant to be less intimidating to prospective 'Ducatisti' than some of their, shall we say, spicier models. The factory touts the new line as “versatile and accessible,” and while the base SuperSport is meant to appeal to riders who want a sportbike that's a little light on the “sportier aspects,” the “S” model takes on some of the trappings of a proper racebike for a decidedly more sport-tastic nature.

Ducati SuperSport / SuperSport S Design

Head-on, the SuperSport presents an “angry alien” headlight arrangement set within the brow of the front fairing that continues down to a fairly typical engine cowl and radiator surround. The vented fairing peters out midway to the rear offering a tantalizing view of the rear cylinder and just a glimpse of the frame, and the rear end tapers off to nothing with the taillight housing tucked away neatly beneath. Short standoffs mount the rear turn signals, a detail that could certainly be improved upon, but the front turn signals come stashed in the mirror housings and so are about as clean as it gets.

Foot-to-butt orientation places the leg in the sport-typical jockey position, but the handlebars allow for an upright body position which plays a large role in the “relaxed sport” attitude. Both the SuperSport and SuperSport S come with pillion seating and passenger footrests, but the “S” comes with a p-pad cover that plays right into its race-tastic panache. Seat height is typical of the genre at 31.9-inches tall.

Ducati SuperSport / SuperSport S Chassis

Weight was a front-burner topic during development of the SuperSport and the factory used its tubular Trellis frame as the foundation. The stressed-engine arrangement substitutes the engine for a large portion of the frame, even going so far as to mount the rear shock and subframe on the mill.

Swingarm design is of the single-sided persuasion, and the die-cast aluminum construction does its part to keep weight down while leaving an unrestricted view of the rear wheel from the right side. Rake and trail are set up for nimble handling at 24-degrees and 3.6 inches with a 58.2-inch wheelbase.

The siblings differ a bit when we get to the factory's choices in suspension components. On the base model, a Sachs monoshock works on a progressive link while the front end runs 43 mm Marzocchi usd forks, and both ends come with adjustable preload and rebound damping. The “S” model gets a bit of a suspension upgrade with fully adjustable, usd, 48 mm Öhlins forks and monoshock from same.

Brembo M4-32 Monobloc four-pot opposed-piston calipers bind the pair of 320 mm front discs, and a twin-pot caliper binds the 245 mm rear disc with the Bosch 9MP ABS included with the standard equipment package. Additionally, the ABS comes with three separate maps for varying levels of slip before the system intervenes. Light alloy wheels with triple, Y-shaped spokes mount Pirelli's Diablo Rosso III tires with a nimble 120/70 up front and 180/55 in back.

Ducati SuperSport / SuperSport S Drivetrain

Now for the beating heart of the SuperSport, the 937 cc Testastretta 11-Degree L-Twin engine. This liquid-cooled mill runs in what most Americans would call a 90-degree "V." It sports Ducati's signature Desmodromic valvetrain that actuates the four-valve heads with push-open and pull-closed cams and preclude the need for valve springs and eliminate valve float at high rpms. The 11-degrees refers to amount of crankshaft rotation that occurs during valve overlap, a feature that keeps emissions low and helps it meet Euro-4 requirements.

Decidedly oversquare, the engine runs a 94 mm bore and 67.5 mm stroke. A pair of 53mm throttle bodies meters the induction via ride-by-wire control that provides the rider with the option of using three separate engine mappings for varied conditions and riding styles. Set to the hottest profile, the mill delivers its full horsepower with a sporty throttle response. In the middle setting, full horsepower is still on tap, but with a progressive delivery that keeps things somewhat relaxed. At the bottom of the scale, power is limited to 75 ponies with a progressive power curve for urban environs and conditions with less-than-stellar traction.

The mill cranks out a maximum of 113 ponies at 9 grand, and 71.3 pounds of grunt at 6,500 rpm, plenty for its 463-pound curb weight, but the smokin' hot, 12.6-to-1 compression ratio will put you at the premium pump every time. A six-speed transmixxer crunches the ratios with a slipper-clutch that limits backtorque to prevent wheel hop on aggressive downshifts and also has the happy side-effect of providing a softer pull at the lever.

Much like with the suspension components, the “S” model has a little something extra in the gearbox with an up/down Quick Shift feature as part of the standard equipment package, but the base model SuperSport has it as an available option. Traditionally, Desmodromic engines are considered high-maintenance items because of the need for frequent valve-lash adjustment, but Duc set a 30,000 mile service interval on the valve-lash adjustment, so routine maintenance no longer eats your lunch.

Ducati SuperSport / SuperSport S Price

Ducati covers your new Supersport with a 24-month unlimited mileage warranty.

Ducati SuperSport / SuperSport S Competitor

Since the base SuperSport is billed as a street-friendly sportbike with definite racy undertones, the first potential competitor to pop into my head was another street-centric ride with trackside DNA, the GSX-S1000 ABS from Suzuki.

Suzuki GSX-S1000

Both the SuperSport and the GSX-S1000 are undeniably sporty with the typical overall form normally associated with the genre, but while the Duc carries a bit of body paneling, the GSX-S rolls with a more naked panache that leaves less to the imagination.

Cheek fairings house the radiator, but fall away to nothing above the pointy and aggressive-looking chin spoiler. Beyond that, panache} Subjective, but there it is.

Suzuki goes the aluminum-bones route with a twin-spar frame versus the tubular-steel Trellis under the Duc. Suzuki opts for fully adjustable, usd KYB forks and a fully adjustable, link-type monoshock in back, so neither ride gains any advantage here. Brakes are likewise similar with Brembo Monobloc calipers up front, though Suzuki chucks a Nissin caliper on for the rear wheel, and ABS protection is present as standard equipment across the board.

What isn't so even is the power output. Suzuki comes out decidedly on top with 137.8 ponies and 74 pounds of grunt on tap versus 113 horsepower and 71.3 pound-feet from the Duc's Testastretta, and since these bikes weigh in within a couple of pounds of one another, this power goes directly to the pavement.}

Suzuki picks up another solid win at checkout with its $11,999 base MSRP, a shade or three lighter than the $13,095 sticker on the Duc. Granted, folks looking at Ducati usually aren't exactly bargain-basement shoppers and a couple grand or so is unlikely to dissuade them. Folks on the fence will certainly be able to figure out something useful to do with those savings.

Read our full review of the Suzuki GSX-S1000.

He Said

“Ducati, why do you do this to me? I'm already a fan of the brand, and eyeball your bikes often with a mixture of envy and anticipation, and then you go and add a bike that is made for folks who aren't necessarily of the fiery-eyed pegdragger ilk and would be more rider-friendly than the overall looks suggest. Thanks a lot, guys...”

She Said

My wife and fellow motorcycle writer, Allyn Hinton, says, "The SuperSport definitely has a strong Panigale superbike flavor without the superbike ability to get yourself into trouble. By their own admission, Ducati presents this as a sportbike for any road, so it's as comfortable as a commuter as it is a twisty-road thrill-seeker with features that even folks new-to-two-wheels can appreciate."

Ducati SuperSport / SuperSport S Specifications

Further Reading

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