2022 Ducati SuperSport 950 S Review | Motorcyclist
Not everyone wants, or needs, a 190 hp superbike. Enter Ducati’s SuperSport 950 S. Designed to be an everyday sportbike, this particular Ducati pays homage to the original 900 SuperSport, a simple, practical, and above all else charismatic air-cooled L-twin sportbike. The formula remains the same: trackdays, street riding, backpack day touring, this bike’s good for a little bit of everything. Think Honda’s VFR750 and VFR800.
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But the first trip is taken with the eyes. We’ve written about it when reviewing the various Panigales; Ducati aesthetic engineers do a remarkable job. The styling and the sheer presence of this motorcycle is matched by few other bikes on the road. We love the Panigale V4 S-esque front end, the LED running lights, the elemental steel trellis frame prominently visible on the motorcycle’s flanks. This streetbike pays elegant homage to where Ducati has been and where it is now.
The SuperSport is powered by Ducati’s 937cc Testastretta L-twin. Testastretta means “narrow head.” If you’re an old-school Ducati person, you’re going to like this powertrain. Compared to bikes like the Panigale V2 and other models with the high-revving Superquadro L-twin engine, the SuperSport’s powerplant is classic Ducati, similar to the engine used in the Hypermotard 939. It has good bottom-end torque, good midrange; don’t have to rev this engine to the moon to get decent acceleration out of it.
The S-specification SuperSport adds an electronic quickshifter, making it easy to go up and down through the six-speed gearbox. Just tap on the shift and it goes into the next cog without having to use the hydraulic clutch; super slick. Other electronics are typical Ducati: adjustable engine power modes, traction control, adjustable ABS modes...
Find out more: https://www.motorcyclistonline.com/story/reviews/2022-ducati-supersport-950-s/
Photography: Joseph Agustin
Video/edit: Ray Gauger
Motorcycle Riding Gear Worn
Helmet: Shoei RF-1400, https://www.shoei-helmets.com/
Jacket: Alpinestars SP-5 Rideknit, https://www.alpinestars.com/
Gloves: Alpinestars Chrome, https://www.alpinestars.com/
Pant: Alpinestars X DIESEL AS-DSL Shiro Denim Jean, https://www.alpinestars.com/
Boots: TCX Rush 2 Air, https://us.tcxboots.com/
Motorcyclist Shirts: https://teespring.com/stores/motorcyclist
Shop Products We Use: https://www.amazon.com/shop/motorcyclistmagazine
See more from us: http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/
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But the first trip is taken with the eyes. We’ve written about it when reviewing the various Panigales; Ducati aesthetic engineers do a remarkable job. The styling and the sheer presence of this motorcycle is matched by few other bikes on the road. We love the Panigale V4 S-esque front end, the LED running lights, the elemental steel trellis frame prominently visible on the motorcycle’s flanks. This streetbike pays elegant homage to where Ducati has been and where it is now.
The SuperSport is powered by Ducati’s 937cc Testastretta L-twin. Testastretta means “narrow head.” If you’re an old-school Ducati person, you’re going to like this powertrain. Compared to bikes like the Panigale V2 and other models with the high-revving Superquadro L-twin engine, the SuperSport’s powerplant is classic Ducati, similar to the engine used in the Hypermotard 939. It has good bottom-end torque, good midrange; don’t have to rev this engine to the moon to get decent acceleration out of it.
The S-specification SuperSport adds an electronic quickshifter, making it easy to go up and down through the six-speed gearbox. Just tap on the shift and it goes into the next cog without having to use the hydraulic clutch; super slick. Other electronics are typical Ducati: adjustable engine power modes, traction control, adjustable ABS modes...
Find out more: https://www.motorcyclistonline.com/story/reviews/2022-ducati-supersport-950-s/
Photography: Joseph Agustin
Video/edit: Ray Gauger
Motorcycle Riding Gear Worn
Helmet: Shoei RF-1400, https://www.shoei-helmets.com/
Jacket: Alpinestars SP-5 Rideknit, https://www.alpinestars.com/
Gloves: Alpinestars Chrome, https://www.alpinestars.com/
Pant: Alpinestars X DIESEL AS-DSL Shiro Denim Jean, https://www.alpinestars.com/
Boots: TCX Rush 2 Air, https://us.tcxboots.com/
Motorcyclist Shirts: https://teespring.com/stores/motorcyclist
Shop Products We Use: https://www.amazon.com/shop/motorcyclistmagazine
See more from us: http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/
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SportsTranscript
00:00 (upbeat music)
00:02 Hey folks, well today was a fun day.
00:24 We just got done riding Ducati's super sport ass.
00:29 Now the super sport S is a everyday man's sport bike
00:34 designed by Ducati.
00:39 Back in the day, they used to make a nice air cooled
00:44 L twin sport bike named the 900 super sport.
00:49 You could do track days on it.
00:51 You could do street bike riding on it.
00:53 You could do a little bit of everything.
00:55 Now the new super sport Ducati has put this vehicle
01:00 in a more gentleman's class sport bike segment.
01:05 Think Honda's VFR 750 and VFR 800.
01:10 That is what this Ducati super sport is like
01:16 in terms of class.
01:18 Let's begin with the styling.
01:21 We talked about it when we tested the Panigale V2.
01:24 We've talked about it when we've ridden the Panigale V4.
01:27 These Ducati aesthetic engineers, they do a great job.
01:32 The styling and the appearance on this motorcycle
01:34 is just awesome.
01:36 I love that Panigale V4-esque front end
01:41 with the LED running lights.
01:43 This motorcycle looks awesome.
01:46 I like the steel trellis frame that you can see poking out
01:51 the top of the motorcycle on the side.
01:54 This is a motorcycle that pays homage
01:58 to where Ducati's been and where it is now.
02:02 I really like the aesthetics of the motorcycle.
02:05 Let's get into the powertrain.
02:08 This vehicle is powered by Ducati's 937cc
02:13 Testastretta L-Twin.
02:17 Testastretta means narrow head.
02:20 This power plant is the same engine
02:24 that Ducati used in its Hypermotard 939.
02:29 If you're an old school Ducati guy or gal,
02:33 you're gonna like this powertrain
02:35 because while the Panigale V2
02:39 and the Superquattro L-Twin engine configuration
02:42 is a big high RPM horsepower revver,
02:44 this thing is classic Ducati.
02:47 It has good bottom end torque, good mid-range.
02:50 You don't have to rev this engine to the moon
02:53 to get decent acceleration out of it.
02:57 This S specification SuperSport
03:00 adds an electronic quick shifter
03:02 so it's much easier to go up and down
03:06 through the six speed gearbox.
03:08 You don't need to use the clutch lever.
03:11 You just tap on the shift lever up or down
03:13 and it goes into the next cog.
03:15 Super slick, super nice.
03:17 Speaking of electronics, in typical Ducati form,
03:21 this vehicle has adjustable engine power modes.
03:25 It has Ducati traction control.
03:28 It has adjustable ABS modes.
03:32 The instrument panel could be bigger.
03:36 While I like it is a nice color TFT display,
03:40 the actual surface area of the panel is just too small.
03:44 The fonts are too small.
03:46 Yes, it does have a fuel gauge, which is nice,
03:50 but the instrument panel needs to be bigger.
03:53 The menu navigation and the slickness of the switch gear
03:58 also needs to be improved.
04:00 There's way too much fumbling through the switch gear
04:04 to get in the menu, then get out of the menu,
04:07 then get out of that menu, then go to the home screen.
04:10 Way too much button pushing on this motorcycle.
04:13 Ducati could do really well if they invested more
04:17 in their user interface.
04:18 They really need to improve that.
04:21 Handling, I really like the handling of this motorcycle.
04:26 Now, where the Panigale V2 is designed for the circuit
04:31 and more high-speed corner-type riding,
04:34 this motorcycle really squirts well
04:37 off lower-speed corners.
04:39 Low to medium-speed corners is where this bike
04:43 really likes to be ridden.
04:44 I really like the handling of it.
04:46 I like how low you sit in the motorcycle.
04:51 It almost feels like a Suzuki GSX-R,
04:53 where you're feeling really low in the motorcycle
04:55 and just turn left, right, left, right, left, right.
04:57 Very agile, very composed handling.
05:01 I like this up-spec O-lean suspension on this motorcycle.
05:07 I typically am not a big fan of O-lean's production
05:10 suspension on Ducati's S-model motorcycles,
05:13 but the O-lean suspension package on this motorcycle
05:16 is very well calibrated.
05:17 I like the light spring rate that Ducati used.
05:21 This motorcycle is very comfortable around town,
05:24 yet it still offers good support when I'm leaning on it
05:28 through the turns here.
05:30 One gripe is I wish the shock had a remote preload
05:36 adjuster if you wanna change the ride height
05:39 of the motorcycle.
05:40 You have to do it the old-fashioned way.
05:43 Now, this motorcycle has a 4.2-gallon fuel tank,
05:48 which for general street riding and sport touring riding,
05:53 that fuel tank capacity is just way too small.
05:56 This thing needs to have a five-gallon fuel tank
05:58 if it's really gonna hold its own
06:00 in that type of environment.
06:03 Also, where's the cruise control?
06:05 For a motorcycle that costs $16,200,
06:09 this motorcycle should have cruise control.
06:12 It doesn't.
06:13 Still, I do like the ability to purchase
06:16 Ducati accessory hard luggage.
06:19 That is something I would do if this bike was mine.
06:23 Ergonomics on this motorcycle,
06:25 I really like the high level of comfort
06:28 the Super Sport S offers.
06:30 The clip-on handlebars are nice and high.
06:33 The seat is nice and low.
06:35 This is a much more cozy sport bike to ride
06:39 than a Panigale.
06:40 And for someone who is a little bit older,
06:42 who is a little bit less flexible,
06:45 having this level of comfort is really nice.
06:49 Now, while I like this old-school test-to-stride engine
06:53 with its low, low-end and mid-range torque,
06:56 this engine configuration vibrates a crazy amount,
07:00 crazy amount of vibration comes out of this engine.
07:04 But to be fair, the vibration that this engine offers,
07:09 it almost kind of feels smoothing,
07:12 and it almost talks to you when you're riding.
07:14 The only gripe about it though,
07:17 is it absolutely completely clouds
07:20 the vision from the rear view mirrors.
07:23 And these mirrors are just a blurry mess
07:25 when you're riding at 80 miles per hour on the freeway.
07:28 Besides those few gripes,
07:31 I really enjoy riding this Ducati Super Sport motorcycle.
07:35 It has a bright LED headlight for riding after dark.
07:40 It looks cool, it's very comfortable.
07:43 It has touches of Ducati's old-school
07:47 motorcycle manufacturing engineering practices,
07:50 yet still has some touches of its modern methodology.
07:54 And if you're looking for a casual sport bike-style
07:58 motorcycle that pays homage to where Ducati's been,
08:02 and to where it's going in the future,
08:04 you're gonna like this $16,200 Ducati Super Sport S.
08:08 Well folks, that's a wrap from our review
08:13 of the Ducati Super Sport S motorcycle.
08:16 Make sure to log on to MotorcyclistOnline.com.
08:20 That's where all of my written content lives.
08:23 Give this video a thumbs up if you liked it,
08:26 thumbs it down 'cause we love hearing
08:28 from the naysayers out there.
08:31 And we'll see you next time.
08:32 Thanks for taking a moment out of your day to ride with us.
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