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View Full Version : Ducati Supermono gets revamp



Hillbilly
17th May 2009, 00:31
I wonder whether they'll put this into production? The writer of the article thinks not, but if KTM put the RC4 into production, and the Cagiva Mito 500 ever sees the light of day, Ducati may change their mind. Here's the article from "Faster and Faster":


Remember the original Supermono, which Ducati released in 1993? Designed by Pierre Terblanche and fitted with a four-stroke, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected single-cylinder 549cc engine, the Supermono was a high-tech racer that cost US$30,000 back then. With a dry weight of 118kg and high-spec suspension components, the Supermono handled extremely well. And the 75 horsepower from its 549cc engine was enough to push the machine to a top speed of 225km/h.

British engineer Alistair Wager (who’s worked with Ducati for many years and who also headed the HMC Ducati AMA Superbike team in 2001) has put a whole new spin on the bike. With some help from the Ducati factory, Wager has built a brand-new Supermono Strada – one that’s fitted with a bigger, more powerful engine and updated chassis/suspension components. Of course, unlike the original ’Mono, Alistair’s machine is also street-legal.

‘I had worked on many of the 67 Supermono race bikes produced, and thought it would be great to own a road bike version myself. As the factory cannot risk putting such a lower spec bike into production, with no guarantee of success, I told Paolo Ciabbati what I intended to do and they agreed to open a direct parts account with me,’ says Alistair, replying to an email we wrote to him.
It couldn’t have been an easy task, building this new Supermono. According to Alistair, it took him six years of work (some of it part time) and more than £50,000 to complete the many patterns and moulds which were required.

The 2009 Supermono Strada’s 595cc single-cylinder engine, which uses the Testastretta cylinder head from the 999R, makes 88bhp (compared to 80bhp from the original 549cc engine). The new engine features Pankl forged titanium con-rods (forged steel on the original ’Mono), billet machined, hardened and balanced crankshaft, larger inlet and exhaust valves (41mm and 33mm respectively, up from 37mm and 31 mm) and a host of other mods. A new Magneti Marelli fuel-injection system, with 54mm diameter throttle body (50mm on the old bike), replaces the older FI system. A six-speed standard ratio gearbox, with one-up-five-down shift pattern, has been fitted to the Supermono Strada, replacing the six-speed close ratio gearbox on the race bike.

The new Supermono’s trellis frame is a replica of the original but is now made from lightweight 4130 Chrome-molybdenum tubing. The swingarm is a modified aluminium cast/fabricated item (as fitted to the Ducati 1000SS i.e.) and suspension components at both ends are Ohlins items. The front brakes comprise twin 305mm discs (280mm on the original bike) with four-piston radial-mount Brembo callipers, as fitted to the 1098R. The bike rides on 17-inch Marchesini forged Magnesium ten-spoke wheels, shod with 120/60 (front) and 180/55 (rear) Pirelli Diablo Corsa tyres.

Since the Supermono Strada is fully street legal, it comes with projector type headlamps, LED taillamp, push-button electric start and so on – bits that you won’t find on the original Supermono race bikes. The Strada also uses pre-pregnated carbonfibre body parts (rather than the original bikes’ wet-lay carbonfibre) for reduced weight and added strength, and a lightweight Titanium silencer, which does away with ground clearance problems.

We must say we’re hugely impressed with Alistair’s work – the Ducati Supermono Strada must be absolutely phenomenal to ride, especially on the racetrack and on twisty mountain roads. Taking an iconic Ducati and reworking it to make it even better couldn’t have been easy, but Alistair has just proved that it can be done!

Hillbilly
28th June 2009, 00:16
It's going into production. No word on the price yet.

R6_kid
28th June 2009, 11:51
That thing is fucken ugly. Lucky the spec sheet looks so good!

Drew
28th June 2009, 12:25
That thing is fucken ugly. Lucky the spec sheet looks so good!

Looks ok in the article, the rear shock however is fairly entry level for Ohlins. They dont even mention the weight of the new one, (which is where the original had most of it's advantage).

And it's a Ducati "special, 'R'" type of bike, so will end up retailing around $50,000 here.

Also, I know the titanium valves in my bike have to be replaced quite often, I wonder how much a new set of conrods would set ya back.

It's hype, and mostly a collectors item I would imagine.

nudemetalz
29th June 2009, 14:12
Looks like the front of the fairing has had a crash and push up !!

HenryDorsetCase
29th June 2009, 15:35
I think its stunning. WANT!

EJK
29th June 2009, 15:37
Looks like a 50cc pocket bike

codgyoleracer
30th July 2009, 12:28
Someone get me a bucket......

nudemetalz
31st July 2009, 12:25
Someone get me a bucket......

oooiiiiii !!!!!!! :argh:

NordieBoy
31st July 2009, 13:06
Someone get me a bucket......

He said "pocket" bike, not "bucket" bike.

nudemetalz
31st July 2009, 13:25
yeah I know, but he needs a wind-up :rofl:

Drew
31st July 2009, 14:43
oooiiiiii !!!!!!! :argh:

Come on, it's not an attractive bike.

The tail section looks to have come straight off a 750F1, which wasa cool bike, 25 years ago.

It does not look at all aggressive, yet it's meant to be a sports bike.

The thing is a fail in my book, but most Ducati's are when one looks through said book.