Sport Classic GT1000
£6995
At the 2003 Tokyo Show, Ducati unveiled three new models which made up the Sport Classic range: the soloseat cafe racer Sport1000, the sportier, half-faired Sport 1000S, and the roadster GT1000. Each shared the same basic frame and engine - steel trellis and air-cooled four-valve Desmodue 992cc motor from the 1000DS making just over 90bhp at 8000rpm. But chassis details and spec level varied from bike to bike: all three shared the same inverted 43mm Marzocchi fork and Excel rims, but the Sport 1000S got an adjustable Ohlins monoshock, the Sport1000 an adjustable Sachs monoshock, and the Sport 1000S had twin unbranded shocks. Styled by bike designer Pierre Terblanche - ironically, the same man now leading Royal Enfield's styling - the Sport Classics went on sale in 2006, with the GT1000 lasting longest and staying in production until 2010. But despite a warm reception from the press, the Sport Classic's high price tags and lukewarm public interest meant sales were disappointing. Hard to believe in the days of the Scrambler's success, they were well ahead of their time, and we just weren't ready for a modern classic Ducati. But that also means today, prices for the short-lived Sport Classic range are crazy strong - with the most scarce, the Sport 1000S, being the most highly prized. Yet with low clip-ons and a high seat, the Sport 1000S is also backbreakingly uncomfortable and the least pleasant of the three to ride. The GT1000 is a much better bet; the most sensible of the three Sport Classics both to buy and to use. And, standing in the rain on a Yorkshire hillside, this 7800-mile old Italian looks stunning in its fiery red livery. This bike's seat has been customised to match the solo seat profile of the cafe racer Sport1000. A pair of horns have found their way onto the bike in the past, and other add-ons include bar-end mirrors, a tail tidy and a red rear hugger. Hitting the Ducati's starter initiates the usual heaving, will-it/won't-it lumpy turn-over before firing - remember to keep the throttle shut tight to avoid pumping fuel into the cylinders. But when it fires up, the V-twin settles into a typically shuddering, grunty tickover. Flat Rizoma aftermarket bars give the riding position a nicely balanced tilt over the front end, and that plus a low kerb weight, a high centre of gravity and a decent fistful of power means the GT1000 instantly feels game for a laugh and more conventionally sporty than the other bikes here. As soon as the wheels are turning and the GT1000 dives for the first apex, it obviously has so much more performance prowess on the road than either the Triumph or the Enfield. The slightest roll of the grip delivers a wave of torque to the rear Dunlop Roadsmart, lifting the Ducati's nose and pounding into the wild wet yonder. If riding at pace is your only criterion, the Ducati will simply romp away from the others. But the Ducati's capability also pulls it further away from the relaxed charm of the other two machines. They're bound by limitations that place you in a specific frame of mind to enjoy the ride for the ride's sake. You have the option to ride the Ducati gently of course - but sportiness is Ducati's DNA.
‘The slightest roll of the grip delivers a wave of torque, lifting the Ducati’s nose’