Ducati 900ss Cr Sporting Italian Style At A Hot Price

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DUCATI 900SS CR Sporting Italian style at a hot price

DUCATI'S 900SS CR doesn't get the glory of the Italian firm's 916, but the half-faired CR earns a pile of praise as big as Rome’s Coliseum.

For $7725, you get a finely crafted motorcycle that’s a delight to experience even before you hit the road. Set the choke, fire up the 904cc Twin and bask in the heavy-hitting growl emi-

nating from the twin exhausts. The minute or so the 900 likes for its warm-up is well spent admiring the motorcycle. A sharpeyed observer will notice several differences between the CR and the $9950 900SS SP.

The more expensive model gets 5.5inch rear rim, compared to a 4.5inch rim for the CR. An adjustable fork is fitted to the SP, while the CR’s unit is nonadjustable. Front and rear fenders, made from carbon-fiber on the SP, are plastic on the CR.

Minimalist bodywork on the CR is the most noticable difference between it and the full-fairing SP, but in this case less might be more, because the CR’s mechanical finery, notably the air-and-oil-cooled engine and trellis frame, is more visible.

On the road, impressions are decidedly more visceral.

Torque pulls hard from 3000 rpm up to the 9000-rpm redline. That power spread means frequent shifting isn’t necessary, though changing gears is a smooth operation.

Engine vibration becomes evident around 6000 rpm, but because the Twin makes plenty of low-end power, at that point you’re well into the fun mode, less inclined to be concerned about vibration through the footpegs and handlebars. For highway cruising in the tall sixth gear, revs are around 4200, where the engine feels smooth and relaxed.

In the middle of the 1994 model year, Ducati fitted the bike with a new seat, said to be more comfortable than its predecessor. This new seat is by no

means plush, but it, like the riding position, won't leave you aching after 100 miles.

An SS rider sits with feet and knees relatively high, but little weight rests on his wrists.

Suspension feels less relaxed, partially because the CR has a short, 55.6-inch wheelbase. Around town and on the freeway, it’s a busy, jiggly ride if the road is rough, and potholes send a stiff jolt to the rider. Showa’s singleshock rear-suspension is adjustable for preload, rebound and compression. Although weekend sport-touring trips on the CR are not out of the question, this is more of a Sunday-morning sportbike.

As such, a two-lane winding road is where the Ducati truly comes alive. Ground clearance abounds, seamless torque muscles the bike out of comers, and Brembo brakes, twin 12.6-inch front discs and a 9.6-inch rear, provide excellent stopping power. In sport mode, there’s solid, stable feel when bike is heeled over, and mid-comer bumps don’t ruffle the suspension. Without fuel, the CR weighs 418 pounds, which enhances manueverability, as does the bike’s narrowness.

Those handling capabilities, combined with the Twin’s torque and a sensible riding position, make for an uncommonly pleasurable ride. And all this comes at a reasonable price. As a company spokesman says, “With the CR, we’ve tried to reduce the content as best we could and still keep it a Ducati.”

Mission accomplished. Robert Hough