Have you read "My favorite Ducati" part 1?

You may be tempted to call it "The Mystery Bike," but it's a 908SSP. If you have never seen one of these before don't be surprised. There is only one. Here is its story…

It all started because I was looking for a project. I’d find an old race bike, restore it, and convert it for road and track use. I asked a friend who sold Ducatis if he knew of any machines that might work for my project. He said he had a low mileage 96 900SS SP. He also had a swingarm from a 916. Why not take that, too, and put it on the bike?

Now, I like the looks of the 916. Who doesn't? So the idea intrigued me. But, I thought; if I’m going to go that far, why stop with the swingarm? Why not go all the way?

My favorite single thing about the 916 has got to be the underseat exhaust, so I knew I’d have to integrate that into the design. The larger forks were another "must have," so I’d I have to find a way to fit them, too. Bit by bit the project started coming together in my mind.

I had a 95 900SS SP at the time and liked the feel of that bike's engine and its light weight. What I wanted was a cross between the 900SP and the 916, keeping the best attributes of both. Creating it, however, proved to be a much more involved project then even I imagined.

The headlight bucket and lights were to come from the 916. The trick there was getting the nose to end up in the right place, and then, of course, the actual making of the attachment hardware.

I wanted to use the front fork and the lower triple clamp from the 916 -- it has to be one of the best-engineered pieces ever to grace a motorcycle -- but I wanted to maintain the stock 900SS offset. To do that I had to modify the lower triple clamp and make my own upper.

The frame of the bike, too, was a big challenge. The last couple of inches had to be from the 916 so it could support the sub-frame, exhaust system, and the rocker for the suspension. Finding that piece from a crashed bike saved a ton of work.

I think the frame has to be the single aspect of the project that gives me the most pleasure when I look at the bike. It’s fun to listen to people -- especially knowledgeable Ducatisti -- who are seeing the bike for the first time. Many will argue about what bike the frame came from thinking it has to be a stock frame from something. Was it a 916? An SS? Well, now you know the truth: It's a combination of both!

For the engine I did most of the usual 2-valve modifications: A billet clutch assembly, lightweight flywheel, high compression pistons, and Keihin flat slide carburetors on short manifolds. I used an Arrow 45/50 three quarter exhaust system for all but the first 7inches. With the engine modified this way it keeps all the qualities that I love about 2-valve Ducati motors, but it revs more quickly and sounds even more awesome.

I weighed the bike on a digital scale at the track last summer and it came out at 360lbs without gas. That’s some 50+ pounds less than a stock SS. The Marvic magnesium wheels and all the other weight saving changes make a significant difference in the handling of the bike, which, in my own judgment is excellent. Occasionally I’ll let another knowledgeable motorcyclist ride the bike to see if their impression of its handling and performance match my own. One well-known editor of a major U.S. magazine who rode the bike on the track said he was "pleasantly surprised" and reported that it "worked as good as it looked."

When I completed the project I thought the motorcycle deserved it own designation, as it couldn't be called just a "900" anymore. So I came up with a new name: "908 SSP." 908 because it’s half way between a 900 and a 916. And SSP, which stands for "Super Sport Prototype. But if I tell someone it's a "908 SSP" and they don't get it, well, I just leave it at that. After all, a little mystery never hurt anybody.

Back Road Musings - "Ballsey!" by Don Sucher
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