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/1390385
RIDE REVIEW I 2021 DUCATI SUPERSPORT 950 S P92 Out of the freeway and into the can- yons, this is close to all the motorcycle you'll ever need. The SuperSport 950 may only have 100 hp give or take, but it'll happily stay with bikes nearly twice as powerful when the road gets really twisty. It's not exactly a featherweight at a claimed 463 pounds ready to ride, but it's not a beast, either. The SuperSport changes direction on a whim, allowing you to dart from corner to corner with the kind of speed and agility that made us fall in love with performance naked bikes a decade ago. The Ohlins shock is not overly stiff but gives good sup- port throughout the corner and enough support for my 190-pound frame not to wallow wide on corner exit when I get back on the gas. Conversely, it's excel- lent on the freeway, soaking up plenty of the rough potholes I encounter on the 405 freeway. Ducati should get a pat on the back for giving the SuperSport 950 the DQS as standard fitment. The auto-blip rev- match on the downshift is near perfect, keeping the chassis nicely planted for the bend now rushing up towards you. It's interesting how adaptable the SuperSport 950 is to almost any kind of riding. In the two weeks I had it, I was on it every day running errands or riding to lunch or sneaking out for a sunset ride to Laguna Beach. Ev- erything I did on the SuperSport, it just lapped it up far better than I would have anticipated. Even the dreaded L-twin heat issue that dogged Ducati faired bikes for years wasn't as big a deal as I remember, proving the new fairing design does its job. As a street sport bike, this is a really good interpretation. Ducati really has created a jack of all trades motorcycle with the SuperSport 950. CN SPECIFICATIONS 2021 DUCATI SUPERSPORT 950 S ($13,495-$15,795) ENGINE Testastretta 11° L-twin, 4-stroke VALVETRAIN 4 valves per cylinder, Desmodromic DISPLACEMENT 937cc BORE X STROKE 94 x 67.5mm COOLING SYSTEM Liquid FUEL INJECTION Electronic fuel injection system, 53mm throttle bodies, ride-by-wire throttle, fixed length intake system COMPRESSION RATIO 12.6:1 POWER (CLAIMED) 110 hp at 9000 rpm TORQUE (CLAIMED) 69 lb-ft at 6500 rpm EXHAUST 2-2 TRANSMISSION 6-speed with bi-directional Quick Shift System CLUTCH Wet, multi-plate, slipper type ELECTRONICS Riding Modes, Power Modes, Cornering ABS, Ducati Traction Control, Ducati Wheelie Control, Daytime Running Light, Ducati Quick Shift, 4.3-in. TFT color display, Full LED headlight and lighting system, self-canceling turn indicators, USB power socket CHASSIS Aluminum front frame FRONT SUSPENSION 48mm Ohlins fork, fully adjustable REAR SUSPENSION Ohlins Monoshock, fully adjustable FRONT BRAKE Dual 320mm semi-floating discs, radially mounted Brembo M4.32 monobloc 4-piston calipers, radial master-cylinder, Cornering ABS Rear brake: 245mm disc, single-piston caliper, Cornering ABS FRONT TIRE Pirelli Diablo Rosso III 120/70 ZR17 in. REAR TIRE Pirelli Diablo Rosso III 180/55 ZR17 in. WHEELBASE 58.3 in. SEAT HEIGHT 31.9 in. FUEL CAPACITY 4.2 gal. WEIGHT (CURB, CLAIMED) 463 lbs. COLORS Ducati Red, Artic White Silk