I really love Ducati’s both new and old, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that I’m currently equipped to own one. So, I resign myself to searching them out for sale, and then writing about them. Admittedly, it could be a lot worse. It seems that every time I look at a Ducati that I’m thinking on writing about, I muse, “now that is the best-looking Ducati I’ve ever seen”. It happened again this weekend.
The 1980 Ducati 900SS followed the styling cues of the 750SS based off Paul Smart’s race bike. This, as anyone who follows Ducatis know, is basically the blueprint for one of the most gorgeous bike designs of all time. Added to the 1980 900SS was the second-generation Ducati V twin engine. The 900 cut its teeth on the race track starting in 1974. Known as the “square case” it featured an updated design of the bevel drive valve gear that was also used in the 750. The 864cc engine produced around 70 horsepower and had a claimed top speed of about 131mph. At this point I could do a deep dive into mechanical workings of this bevel drive, but this amazing human uploaded a fascinating video detailing the workings of the bevel drive and the differences between the square and round cases. Ducati would soon after would move on to a belt drive for their valves:
This example for sale in California doesn’t disappoint. It’s as near to perfect as an almost 40-year-old bike could be. The seller claims the electrical system is in perfect working order. The bike has been ridden periodically to ensure it stays in good health. That said, the miles look to be low. From inspection of the picture it looks to have just over 4,000 miles on the clock. The seller has uploaded a number of pictures that really speak to how clean this bike is, even showing the bottom end of the engine that shows zero signs of leaks. I love this bike. I want this bike. I don’t have $35,000. Cheers to the lucky rider that does.
Find 1980 Ducati 900SS in Pasadena, California for $35,000 here on Craigslist.