Lukas' thoughts on the Ducati 600SS. Words by Lukas Foyle.

The 600SS is a bike often forgotten by the Ducatista at the local cafe. It was never the fastest model, it was never the most expensive, and it was never the rarest. For this reason, don’t be surprised when the fully carbon fibre Panigale V4R rider doesn’t look in your direction when you park next to him.

Despite this, the SuperSport still retains that Italian magic that makes a Ducati just that little bit more special: A carbureted, 90 degree twin with desmo valves and a beautiful soundtrack, coupled with that signature in-your-face red paint.

What separates this review from some of the other bikes I have ridden is that this is my personal daily ridden bike, and don’t worry, I certainly don’t have only good things to say about it.

When I first swung a leg over this bike 3 years and 90,000 kilometers ago, I instantly developed a new appreciation for yoga. A 96’ 600SS is quite a small bike, and I had to make quite an effort to fold myself onto it. Quite frankly, I look like I am wearing the bike more than riding it. Make no mistake, the 600SS is a proper sports bike: Upside-down forks and an aggressive forward leaning seating position coupled with narrow clip on handlebars makes it perfect for slicing up even the tightest of corners. The gearing is sporty too, with tight ratios to make sure you never run out of puff.

The SuperSport is a bad influence under acceleration. I have never experienced a bike that eggs you on to keep the power on quite like the 600SS does. Even when you run out of revs, the next gear is waiting on the sideline to yell the same encouragement, with an awesome L-twin soundtrack to help get its point across.

The SuperSport isn’t all good though. With 47 Italian stallions at your disposal, don’t expect to be keeping up with modern 600cc motorcycles at the traffic lights. Also, unlike modern alternatives, there’s no traction control, no ABS, a single front brake disc, and two carburettors where the throttle bodies should be. For these reasons I would not recommend the 600SS to an inexperienced or provisional rider. Where it really excels is in uniquity and charm. Comparing specifics on paper would be fruitless, and would miss the point entirely!

Short spirited rides are where the 600 SuperSport really shines, and I say that from experience. My 600SS has been my daily rider for over a year, and has accompanied me for two Honda Snowy Rides - a 2000 km 3 day trip, rain hail or shine, dirt or gravel road. If you have a desire to have the posture of a set square, do a few snowy rides on a SuperSport!

Finally there’s maintenance. If you like to tinker and have a bit of time on your hands, the 600SS isn’t too demanding. The two spark plugs are easy to get to and the oil filter has plenty of access. The panel air filter is a breeze (pun intended) to swap out under the bonnet (yes, this bike has a tiny little bonnet with a tiny little bonnet strut).

The L-twin is air cooled, and the wet clutch doesn’t require any special treatment. Plenty of oil changes will keep you out of trouble for the most part and for someone who’s a bit lazy, not having to worry about coolant makes maintenance that little bit easier. The timing belt isn’t too difficult either, and I would note that the timing tensioner is not self adjusting. Brake bleeding is standard, and note the hydraulic clutch, which can give a bit of grief if it isn't serviced on time (a fluid change every 2 years). The desmo valves require a bit of patience and understanding. They will need to have clearances checked every 30,000 kilometers and if you aren't confident, leave it to the experts.

Should you buy a secondhand Ducati 600 SuperSport? With prices around $5000-10,000, they’re a very good introduction to owning a ‘classic Ducati’, but often the 600SS is overshadowed by its equally inexpensive older brothers, the full fairing 750SS and the 900SS from 1988 to 1998. When in comes to a twin cylinder soundtrack and uncompromising handling, the SuperSport brothers are in a league of their own, but if you’re looking for an all rounder with a similar head-turning style and much more comfort, a classic Japanese 4 Cylinder like the Kawasaki GPZ-900 might be more your style. For me, the 600SS is a beautiful sports bike, which gets the right kind of attention from propper enthusiasts. It continues to eat up hundreds of kilometers without complaint, and doesn't cost so much that I hide her away when rain starts to fall, or the tarmac turns into gravel.