Ducati Supersport 1000 Vs. Honda Superhawk

Ducati Supersport 1000 vs. Honda Superhawk

Sporting V-Twins from Italy and Japan

MATTHEW MILES

JUDGING BY THE SPECIFICATIONS CHART, THERE shouldn't be any question as to which one of these machines wins this grudge match. The Honda Superhawk produces more power, accelerates quicker, posts a higher top speed and requires less frequent maintenance than its born-in-Bologna competition, the Ducati Supersport 1000. The final nail in the coffin is price. The Superhawk costs a whopping $2000 less than the Supersport 1000.

End of debate, right? Not if your definition of performance extends beyond numbers on a page.

Introduced last year, the Supersport 1000 united the Supersport 900 chassis with the all-new, air-cooled, Dual Spark V-Twin that also powers the Monster 1000S and Multistrada. Factor in Brembo brakes, a fully adjustable Öhlins shock, Marchesini wheels and shapely bodywork that loosely (okay, very loosely) resembles the single-cylinder Supermono of the early 1990s, and the result is a seductive mix that tugs at your heartstrings.

Not that the Superhawk is a snore, but its styling is beginning to look dated. The VTR1000F debuted in 1997, when sporting Japanese V-Twins were popping up in response to the Ducati 916, but aside from color and other minor changes (a new instrument cluster and gold anodizing on the brake calipers, lower fork legs and various engine covers in 2001), it hasn’t changed. Even the price is the same.

DUCATI SUPERSPORT 1000

$10,995

Ups

Great engine Fully adjustable suspension Choice of red or yellow

Downs

Pricey Higher handlebars, please! 6200-mile valve inspection

Both engines splay their cylinders 90 degrees apart, but the similarities end there.

Displacing 996cc, the dohc, wet-clutch Honda is liquid-cooled, carbureted, has four valves per cylinder and revs to 9500 rpm. The sohc, dry-clutch Supersport is aircooled, fuel-injected, has two valves per pot and redlines at 8500 rpm. It displaces 992cc.

Differences extend beyond the engines to the framework. In the case of the Honda, rectangular aluminum upper spars mated to lower trellis sections made of D-shaped tubing form a tidy, lightweight package. Traditional in every sense of the word, the Ducati’s simple ladder frame is made of good, old-fashioned steel tubing. Both bikes pivot their aluminum swingarms in the engine cases.

Out on the road, the Ducati has a harder edge to it, due in part to its low-set handlebars, narrow saddle and firm suspension. The heavily finned engine revs slowly compared to the Honda, but the power comes on quickly and smoothly and is spread over a broad range. Though on par with other late-model Ducatis, the hydraulic clutch action is on the heavy side, and only completely disengages when the lever nears the bar. The four-piston front brakes are powerful and offer excellent feel, though the twin-piston rear stopper has a tendency to squeak at lower speeds. At least the pedal is perfectly positioned.

Conversely, the Honda has few faults. Steering is light and direct, and suspension compliance is near-magical. In fact, if you hadn’t just ridden the Ducati over the same roads, you might not know the bumps even existed. As is the case with most large-bore V-Twin sportbikes, the Superhawk is deceptively quick. It pulls hard from low rpm, and zips to redline with a freeness topped only by quatrovalvole Ducatis. It’s comfy, too, thanks to relaxed ergonomics, a nicely padded seat and vibration-damping rubber-topped footpegs.

If the Honda has a downfall, it’s an immense thirst for fuel; only a ginger throttle handle will get more than 100 miles from a tankful. Blame the 48m Keihin CVs, the biggest carburetors ever fitted to a production motorcycle.

Determining a winner here is not an easy task. The Honda is easier to ride, costs thousands less and offers better outright performance. It’s also more versatile; we wouldn’t hesitate to swap the solo seat cowl for soft luggage and hit the road for a week.

The Ducati may be a tick or two off the pace of the Honda at the dragstrip, but it’s a more involving tool. Getting a comer just right is a highly satisfying experience. And from a mechanical standpoint, this is a bike you want to lay hands on. Of course, depending on the size of your bank account (Have you seen the Ducati Performance catalog?!), that could be an asset or a liability.

Given all that, we favor the Ducati.

HONDA SUPERHAWK

$8999

Ups

A V-Twin VFR Light-effort controls A bargain

Downs

Carburetors? A choke? Dated styling Cheesy-looking shock