I’ve always thought that the Ducati 900 SS deserved more praise. It was a fast sports tourer with good handling—but it was also pigeonholed by critics as a lesser bike than the 996, and too expensive compared to the early Monsters. So it’s great to see someone take a 900 SS by the scruff of the neck and turn it into a seriously desirable machine.
The ‘900 TT’ is the latest build from Radical Ducati, and like most of the customs from the Madrid workshop, it’s lithe, muscular and stripped back to the essentials.
In this case, we’re looking at a frame modified to accept new bodywork—a featherweight seat unit and fairing adapted from a Yamaha TZ250 GP. To provide the go to match the show, Radical Ducati has boosted the output of the 904 cc motor beyond the stock 80 hp. The engine has been blueprinted and the heads ported, and it breathes through a Dynojet Stage 2 Jetkit. The exhaust is a Spark megaphone system, and a Ducati 848 radial clutch master has also been fitted. The tank is original, but the front fender is from a Ducati 851. Well-chosen mechanical upgrades abound: the bars are Tommaselli clipons, and the front brakes get a boost from a forged Brembo PR19 pump.
The result is minimal and elegant, a Ducati 900 SS carved down to the bone. With a flash of yellow to contrast the signature Ducati red paint scheme, it looks like a million dollars.