2018 Ducati SuperSport India Review, First Ride

2018 Ducati SuperSport India Review: The motorcycle is one of the best practical motorcycles you can buy in this price and size bracket

Enchanting –

• One of a kind aesthetics>
• Superlative chassis, brakes, engine
• Surprisingly comfortable and fuel efficient
• Practical, easy to live with

Unsatisfying –

• Priced a bit higher
• Could do with more power

The age of superbikes was here and went by. The age of naked motorcycles are here and to stay. The manufacturer thought, why not combine it together and come up with something that gets you the best of both worlds to a certain extent. Then came the supersport segment which offers aesthetics of a superbike but with a bit of practicality from the naked motorcycle category which is primarily comfort.

The Ducati Supersport (literally) came into the markets worldwide last year and took the segment with a surprise. The motorcycle comprises of comfort, offers practicality, comfort and performance paired with good dynamics. Something that Ducati has offered in the recent past with other motorcycles, but the Supersport seems special and Ducati sent us the bike for some time. Join us as we find out what is it like.

Styling

In terms of design, Ducati constantly emphasises on how the clean the fairing is, there are no bolts are anything extra on it to make sure the paint shines and the clean look grabs attention. The two vents make it look purposeful too. The golden forks, the aluminium brushed exhaust, the single-sided swingarm and piano black finish alloy wheels add even more bling to the cosmetic package.

The headlights are large and the DRL’s are massive and replicate a wing. The well crafted single piece tail-piece which houses the seat and tail-light and pillion seat also seems to integrate just fine. Overall, apart from the slight alien looking front-end, the bike looks beautiful.

Speedo and Switches

Speedo and switches are typical Ducati affair with right switch control all the function which includes adjusting traction control, riding modes, clock, abs setting and much more through the toggle switch. The cluster houses all the telltale lights, the right switch gives you a button which allows you to choose whether you want halogen bulb on as DRL or LED’s to stay put. All fuel-efficiency parameters, two trip meters, odometer, clock and speedometer along with a digital tachometer are part of the list.

Ergonomics

Ergonomics is the sole highlight and selling point of the Supersport. Seat height is great for all types of riders at 810 mm. The seat is low, the handlebar are even lower, which make you grab the raised clip ons from above easier, making it extremely comfortable and allowing minimum wrist aches. The seats seems just right for short and long journeys combined. The mirrors are well placed but the vibrations don’t allow you to see much behind.

Engine

The 937 cm3 twin-cylinder Ducati Testastretta 11° engine as we know is one of the best engines out there in the Ducati stable, here it is liquid cooled. The motor provides linear power delivery, great torque throughout the rev-range thanks to a flat torque curve which is also aided by taller gearing. There are minor vibrations, but not bothersome. The engine redlines eagerly, the motor sounds throaty and exhaust note continues to be thrashy just like any other Ducati. Mid-range is always a talking point and it is delivered just right here in this motorcycle.

However, the power to weight ratio and overall performance isn’t scintillating as expected with every Ducati in its class. With just 110 BHP and 210 kgs, it isn’t the power to weight ratio king or doesn’t boast of class-leading numbers. The engine continues to be practical though. The clutch is light, the gearbox is smooth, the autoblipper (quickshifter) for up and downshifts both is spectacular to have and helps the rider to push it harder (this is where we thought it could do with more power).

Ride and Handling

Dynamically, the Supersport is just like another Ducati. The Trellis frame makes it agile and the sense of confidence pilot and using the chassis is spot on. The S comes with Ohlins forks and a premium Sachs monoshock which makes the ride quality good, but stiff enough to make it sporty and confident while taking the twisties. The suspension inspires confidence and it is just a few notches away from being plush over our broken roads.

The motorcycle turns-in rather quickly, the tyres are good and brakes are good too, but brakes could have been a wee bit better in terms of feel. Windblast is well contained on the highway as the windshield is adjustable. Riding in the city is no problem is there is a minimum heat and the motorcycle is very nimble.

2018 Ducati SuperSport India Review, Verdict

Overall, the SuperSport S makes for a great motorcycle to live with. It is practical, has a great engine with adequate, not plentiful power on offer to make it more rider friendly. The Monster series and now the SuperSport becomes an ideal bike for riders who are looking into getting the high capacity motorcycle world.

The chassis, suspension balance as always is spot on when you count into the rider-friendly perspective. The price of Rs 12.4 lakhs ex-showroom nationwide is almost, good value for money, but could have offered a little more performance, apart from that, the Supersport is next best thing after the Monster in Ducati’s stable for every kind of rider out there. Now, its time for the 1200 Supersport to come in!