Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128199
2003 Oucati 620 Sport/Supersport Boo/Supersport 1000 OS the most power, in this case the 1000 OS, which as you'll read below offers a sledge-hammer blow of midrange grunt but seems to fall short in the handling department. The Supersport 800 is one of those great all-around bikes. It does it all. Strap on a tank bag and some soft bags on the back, and it's a sporttouring bike. Leave it as it is, and it's a perfectly competent weekend scratcher, with excellent handling and an entertaining powerband, and yet it The Supersport 1000 DS Is best exiting comers, when you can grab a handful of that intoxicating torque. 45mm throttle body. The motor has been tuned to give low down, midrange grunt - like V -twins used to deliver before they became peaky (Aprilia Mille, 999, Re51). The 800 features a wet, multiplate clutch, which has excellent feel and should prove to be a lot less finicky than the dry unit on the 1000 OS. The 800 features a six-speed gearbox, unlike its little brother the 620 and the old 750, which both feature a five-speed box. The thing that really impressed me the most about the 800 was how integrated the bike felt. It didn't have the wallop of the 1000's motor or the bicycle-light handling of the 620 Sport, but it was the best compromise of the two. The power delivery of the 800 is still really nice with plenty of usable torque and horsepower delivered in a perfectly smooth manner. The 800's handling is the best of the three bikes in my opinion. Not only does the smaller displaced motor offer less crankshaft effect than the 1000 OS, the fully adjustable Showa front forks make a world of difference compared to the units on the 620. The rear shock is a Boge unit that is fully adjustable and is mated to an aluminum swingarm instead of the steel unit on the 620 and 800 Sport models. The tires on the 800 are more suited to qUick handling than the tires on the 1000 OS with a middleof-the-roadish 170/60ZR17 on the rear. All of this, combined with the excellent power delivery of the 802cc motor, make it the best overall package in the range. I'm normally one to fall in love with the bike that makes @[JiJrf]D[JiJ@ [Jj)[f)@)&J11@~ • • • • • • • • 24 Two spark plugs per cylinder for better combustion. Camshafts supported by oil-pressurized plain bearings instead of ball bearings. Reduction of the included valve angle for more compact heads. Intake valves increased from 43mm to 45mm. Exhaust valves increased from 38mm to 40mm. Valve seats made from beryllium bronze, which offers low wear and good heat dissipation. Larger intake and exhaust ports. Shorter exhaust ports which reduce engine temperature by getting the gasses into the exhaust system more quickly. Bore and stroke changed from 92 x 68mm to 94 x 71.5mm. The new longer piston stoke combined with the added bore improves power throughout the rev-range. New forged connecting rods made from a new material, which allows the 1·beam shape to be stronger and lighter. A new forged crankshaft with the mass more centralized for lower vibration and less bearlng stress. Timing belt gears with only 18 teeth, down fro))') 20. New oil pump and channels to increase oil volume and higher oil pressure. New clutch basket, drive plates, driven plates all made out of aluminum. FEBRURY 5, 2003' eye I e The big dog in the Supersport line is without a doubt the 1000 OS. It's not just a bored-out version of the 900 Supersport, the engine has been completely changed for this application. OS stands for dual spark - for the twin spark plugs per cylinder. The 992cc engine is still air-cooled and features the two-valves-per-cylinder motor instead of the water-cooled four-valve version that the Monster S4 received. The heads are new, with several key changes over the old version. The included-valve angle is much steeper, which in turn makes the head more compact and improves the shape of the combustion chamber. The valves themselves are larger in diameter while having smaller stems. The camshafts now ride in plain bearings instead of the bulky roller bearings on the old motor, which not only reduces moving parts but also reduces the weight significantly. The cooling fins on the engine have been improved to help improve cooling efficiency. The fuel-injection system is similar to the systems on the other two mod- The brakes on all three bikes are new Brembo units that offer plenty of stopping power. Supersport 1000 DS • • • • • • SUPERSPORT 1000 OS n e _ s can filJ the role of the everyday commuter due to its comfortable riding position and hassle-free clutch and driveline. The 800 is a blast on the curvy roads with crisp yet solid, stable handling. The suspension really works well, but it's just a shame that the 800 doesn't have the Ohlins shock that the 1000 has, because it would make this bike that much better. Not that the Boge unit is lacking, but it would set the 800 head and shoulders above the other two models. This would be the bike I would go for if I were making a choice among the three we sampled. The Supers port 800 carries a $9195 MSRP and is available in Red, YelJow or Metallic Gray. Supcrsport 800 and 610 Sport §[JiJ[§JD[JiJ@ (Jj)[ffXfJ@{]@fB • The 620 and the 800 share the same Pantah-based engine cases. • The 620 is a stroked version of the previous 600, with the stroke increased from 58 to 61.5mm. The 800's displacement was also increased by upping the stroke from 61.5 to 66mm. • The 800cc motor features a six-speed gearbox, with Tedesigned selector forks. • New forged connecting rods are made from a new material, which allows the I-beam shape to be stronger and lighter. • The cast pistons in the 800 have graphite-coated skirts and new rings. • The camshafts now ride on two roller bearings instead of three. • Both the 800 and the 620 use the new lAW 5.9M Magnetti Marelli ECU. • All 620 models worldwide have catalytiC converters.