1977 Ducati 900SS

The Ducati 900SS motorcycle, introduced in 1976, was powered by an 860-cc V-twin engine. See more motorcycle pictures.

With the introduction of the 1977 Ducati 900SS motorcycle, Ducati continued its tradition of dominating European racetracks with exceptional road-going machines.

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The debut of the 750SS and its desmodromic valvetrain in 1974 helped Ducati reached a new plateau of performance. Easily able to reach velocities in excess of 120 mph in a single bound, the 750SS reintroduced the world to Italian superbikes.

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In 1976, a more powerful version of the SS appeared. Based on the non-desmodromic 860GT introduced in late 1973, the new 900SS added

desmodromics to the larger engine, pushing the performance envelope even further.

With a top speed of over 140 mph, the 900SS was as fast as anything the Japanese had to offer. The carefully sculpted steel fuel tank was surrounded by a bullet-shaped half fairing, and the solo saddle was backed by an aerodynamic tailpiece.

Together, these elements created a true racing image for the 900SS, which was only strengthened when Mike Hailwood rode a race-prepped version to victory at the Isle of Man TT.

Continue to the next page for more pictures of the 1977 Ducati 900SS motorcycle.

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1977 Ducati 900SS Pictures

The Ducati 900SS was fitted with Ducati's famous desmodromic valvetrain.

The 1977 Ducatti 900SS motorcycle was unique in that the cooling fins on the forward cylinder ran in a different direction than those on the rear cylinder.

Mechanical closing of the valves eliminated high-rpm valve float.
The tachometer's 8000-rpm redline is quite high for a large-displacement twin.
Dual ventilated front disc brakes provided needed reassurance given the bike's high-speed potential.
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