2009 Ducati Sportclassic 1000S – GT1000 – GT1000 Touring

Remember the 70’s? What a decade. Big cars, rough bars and stylish bikes. A good decade is one you can barely remember for all the right reasons. Fortunately, Ducati remember the 70’s. It is in fact the inspiration behind its SportClassic range: a family of bikes that recreate the original minimalist style from the 'Café Racer' era. That means plenty of chrome, polished finishes, round headlights and modern engineering behind original 70’s styled components. Classic Ducatis for the modern rider.

For 2009, the SportClassic family comprises the Sport 1000 S, the GT 1000 and the new GT 1000 Touring.

The Sport 1000S sports a period-style fairing, a dual seat. The race-inspired Trellis frame is fitted with high performance Marzocchi 43mm upside-down front forks (with classic brushed aluminium surfaces), while the rear suspension uses twin fully adjustable Sachs shocks.

Two simple and stylish colour schemes are available, black or red with a white stripe. Both versions feature black frames, wheels and exhaust systems, while a removable tailpiece cover rounds out the Café Racer look. Removing the tailpiece reveals an additional seat, but best to keep that little secret to yourself.

Following in the footsteps of Ducati’s classic GT models of the 1970s, the GT 1000 is an everday rider, with a balance of two-up comfort and Ducati Desmo Twin performance. The riding position is upright, with a well-padded dual seat and raised tubular handlebars. Footpegs are placed conservatively forward providing a comfortable ride and good ground clearance. The passenger's footpegs are also thoughtfully placed to make riding the GT 1000 as comfortable as possible.

The slim fuel tank features knee cut-outs on the sides and deep sculpting on the top with a chrome fuel cap. Full fenders front and rear are complemented by trim side covers, while detail features like the top crowns, fork caps and handlebar mounts are finished in polished aluminium. There is plenty of chrome as well, with the wheels, instrument trim, handlebars, horn covers,exhaust pipes and mufflers getting ‘the treatment’.

For 2009, Ducati has introduced a new ‘classically inspired’ colour scheme of black with a white stripe, in addition to the existing two-tone classic silver and smoke grey.

Using the GT 1000 as a base (in black with a white stripe livery), the new GT 1000 Touring takes the classic look to another level, with chrome front and rear fenders, a protective screen and a chrome luggage rack. A good bike for everyday use, high handlebars , a wide seat and well placed footpegs (for rider and passenger) ensure it is also well set-up for longer trips. The top hoop of the chromed rack also offers the passenger a comfortable grab-rail.

Both the GT and Sport are powered by Ducati’s Desmo 1000 Dual Spark engine. The grunty air-cooled 90º three cylinder L-Twin is a direct descendent of the original Taglioni design. The latest two-valve Desmo system, fuel-injection and computer controlled engine management ensure that the 1000 Dual Spark engine is powerful and dependable.

Ducati’s wire-spoke wheels feature on all three models, utilising an alloy hub and 36 chromed stainless steel spokes. The Sport 1000S uses 17" alloy Excel rims (famous in racing circles for their lightweight performance and durability), while the GT 1000 is fitted with classic 17" chrome rims. The attention to detail even extends to the rubber, with Ducati fitting modern interpretations of classic sport tyres.

Brakes are lightweight floating calipers by Brembo that clamp 320mm brake discs up front and a 245mm disc in the rear. Steel-braided brake lines further enhance braking performance. Beautiful machines, no word yet on pricing.

Colour Schemes

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