Ducati Superlight

[crust]

That's crust deleted now too.

He's away racing today, I might escape

[Supermofo]

That's crust deleted now too.

He's away racing today, I might escape

I would say we could make it a poll but it'd end up being Weeksy and the politics mongs left

[Count Steer]

That's crust deleted now too.

He's away racing today, I might escape

I would say we could make it a poll but it'd end up being Weeksy and the politics mongs left

We can do a poll like the ancient Greeks did. Write the name of the person you'd like banished on a piece of broken crockery (in Greek ostrakon*). The most 'popular' name on the bits gets sent to UKGSer. (Can't send Crust though, he's a level boss ).

* from which the term 'ostracised' comes.

amazing what you learn from the wireless

[Mr. Dazzle]

Disappointed it's nothing to do with Ostriches.

[Potter]

Whilst the Husky, KTM and Gas Gas bikes share a lot of the same parts, each is different in subtle ways. Husky is the premium brand, then KTM with Gas Gas being the budget brand or as the marketing dept call it - the enabling brand.

Haven't had a good look at the 690s differences, the enduros have different exhaust and suspension types, the seat heights vary. One of the locals has a 450 Gas Gas and it's got a number of obvious differences, the rear suspension is a linkage type like Huskys but with different linkages which gives it a lower seat height, the exhaust doesn't have the boost bottle chamber amongst other differences.

Have to agree, the Gas Gas bikes do look the nicest of the three brands.

I always saw Gas Gas as a lower player to be fair and usually I wouldn't consider one, but if this one is basically a Husky/KTM in a different colour then hopefully you can expect a bit more from it?

After sitting on the KTM I was pretty surprised at how nice it felt, and coming from an MX background it felt very familiar, plus it's light and a single cylinder - but I was really struggling to get past the looks, whereas this Gas Gas seems to have solved that last issue.

[mangocrazy]

On looks I'd go for the Gas-Gas every time, and if it's just a re-badged KTM SMC-R then what's not to like? The 690 engine is a stonking thing and the G-G has the latest iteration with twin balance shafts. If I didn't have a Duke 690 R then I'd be thinking seriously about the Gas-Gas.

[BBB]

Is the gas gas pic a photoshop? Cast rear and spoked front.

[Pgm]

Is the gas gas pic a photoshop? Cast rear and spoked front.

A photoshop of all 3 Ktm,husky, and gas gas mingled together.

[G.P]

Word is,the arse is falling out of the classic market and while some asking prices are still stratospheric,they aren't selling at those prices.

A wise man may keep his powder dry and pick up a bargain in the hard days ahead.

That's where I'm at, I offered the fella what I thought it was worth and what I could probably get back for it if I change my mind in a years time and want to sell it, but he wasn't for agreeing.

It's probably done me a favour, it was one of those bikes that I'd always wanted and would love looking at, but I'd ride it once in a blue moon.

I missed all this, apologies.
Superlight only has a few differences to the 900SS: High level cans, Carbon front guard, Carbon clutch cover, Carbon hugger, single seat, number plaque decals, and on the Mk1, Marvic wheels.
Mk1 are the most sought after - with white frames.

In terms of what to look out for, same as the standard 900 - frames can crack around the head stock, some swingarms crack around the gearbox end pinch bolts. Engine castings along the rear bolt can crack if there's been rear end damage/ impact. all these things are super easy to spot and none of them terminal. Then look at all the other usual stuff. These bikes are getting on for 30 years old so any documentation on reconditioning etc is valuable.

All a bit late now but hey, one might come up again

[IanB]

Just seen this too...

To add to G.Ps comments I would say that the Superlight is a lovely bike to ride but it's an ancient design compared to bikes like the Honda SP & now they are fetching strong money you really do have to "get it". Which I do.

In terms of value a mate paid £8k for an immaculate one last year & I thought that was a about right for an absolute minter with low mileage, FSH, all original parts etc. Anything above that is a bit toppy in my opinion, especially now the froth has blown off the top of the expensive toy market.

@Potter my SL is currently off the road but I do have a similar 900ss with loud pipes & single seat which you are welcome to have a go on if you are anywhere near Wiltshire.


HTH

[Potter]

@Potter my SL is currently off the road but I do have a similar 900ss with loud pipes & single seat which you are welcome to have a go on if you are anywhere near Wiltshire.

HTH

Thanks, much appreciated, but I've had a 900ss and a 600ss, it was a while ago but I don't think there will be any surprises if/when I get back on one.
In fact I've often said that the 600ss was the perfect bike, it handled like a dream and there was a lack of power so you had to really ride it if you wanted to make good progress.

If you're into the older air-cooled SS bikes then the SL was the pinnacle of that hierarchy, so I always wanted one and I think if I was in the mood then I'd enjoy riding it a lot. The riding position isn't my favourite any more, it's quite relaxed for a race rep, but it's still a crouch.

£8k is too much for me though, I'd like one sitting there gathering dust but not at that price. I offered the fella £6k for his clean and cosmetically restored one, but he wouldn't budge below £6,450 and I didn't want one enough to pay the other £450.

[mboy]

It's a red KTM with GasGas stickers.

Aye, basically.... and heavier cast wheels.

You mean lighter…

Spoked wheels are always heavier.

Press launch, Gasgas claimed they’d saved 0.5kg (so not enormous, granted) by going with the cast wheels off the old 690 Duke rather than the spoked wheels off the SMC R…

[mboy]

Let us know how it goes

Will do but I’m out of action for some time due to a surgery to remove a potentially cancerous lump… I wasn’t going to order the bike, but got a crazy deal on it and they delivered it too. Will probably be the new year before it gets any miles under its belt, which is annoying! A bike with 1 on the clock sat in my garage, and I can’t use it right now!

[mboy]

@mboy are the dimensions the same as the KTM, specifically seat height?

I believe so yes… It’s basically the same bike bar the wheels and the paint…

[mboy]

To be fair the Husky 701 looks better too, funny that the KTM is the worse looking of the 3!

Shame to delete accounts, but, well.

*Off with his head*

The KTM might be a better bike, I honestly don't know, but you'd have to admit that the Gas Gas knocks the socks off it in looks and it's literally just a paint job and wheels.

I overanalyse everything though, I'm quite keen on a Gas Gas, but I'd use it for about 200 miles a year and it would be out of warranty well before I even took it for the first service, so if it went bang I'd be knackered and I've already got too many bikes and cars that are hand grenades - in fact Ive got a 350LC, an old 1930's single, a Range Rover and a Defender, it's not if it but when one (or all) goes thermonuclear, lol.

Buy an ex-demo that’s had its run in service done already then… Job done! That’s what I was looking to do, but they gave me such a crazy deal on a pre-reg with 1 mile on it was cheaper than buying an ex demo!!!

[mboy]

The seat height on the KTM I tried was ok, it sagged a couple of inches with me on it and I had both balls of feet down comfortably.
The seat height of the Gas Gas seems higher, but it's supposed to be the same bike.

The suspension is ultra-adjustable… Might have been setup a little firmer, less sag, more compression damping. Even just winding the clickers off makes an enormous difference!

[mboy]

Whilst the Husky, KTM and Gas Gas bikes share a lot of the same parts, each is different in subtle ways. Husky is the premium brand, then KTM with Gas Gas being the budget brand or as the marketing dept call it - the enabling brand.

Haven't had a good look at the 690s differences, the enduros have different exhaust and suspension types, the seat heights vary. One of the locals has a 450 Gas Gas and it's got a number of obvious differences, the rear suspension is a linkage type like Huskys but with different linkages which gives it a lower seat height, the exhaust doesn't have the boost bottle chamber amongst other differences.

Have to agree, the Gas Gas bikes do look the nicest of the three brands.

Yet they’re all the same £9349 RRP…

[Supermofo]

Let us know how it goes

Will do but I’m out of action for some time due to a surgery to remove a potentially cancerous lump… I wasn’t going to order the bike, but got a crazy deal on it and they delivered it too. Will probably be the new year before it gets any miles under its belt, which is annoying! A bike with 1 on the clock sat in my garage, and I can’t use it right now!

To be fair though it'll save it from the ravages of salt! I bought my 690 Duke in Jan and didn't ride it till April I think before the weather was decent that year. My GSXS was delivered Jan and I rode it in March. So not as long as you but long enough. I did go into the garage several times just to look at them though

Have you ridden a 690 before? Awesome bikes. I'd have loved to have kept mine forever as a second bike but couldn't justify it given my mileage.

Hope all went/goes well with the op

[Potter]

Shame to delete accounts, but, well.

*Off with his head*

The KTM might be a better bike, I honestly don't know, but you'd have to admit that the Gas Gas knocks the socks off it in looks and it's literally just a paint job and wheels.

I overanalyse everything though, I'm quite keen on a Gas Gas, but I'd use it for about 200 miles a year and it would be out of warranty well before I even took it for the first service, so if it went bang I'd be knackered and I've already got too many bikes and cars that are hand grenades - in fact Ive got a 350LC, an old 1930's single, a Range Rover and a Defender, it's not if it but when one (or all) goes thermonuclear, lol.

Buy an ex-demo that’s had its run in service done already then… Job done! That’s what I was looking to do, but they gave me such a crazy deal on a pre-reg with 1 mile on it was cheaper than buying an ex demo!!!

I've seen some good deals at a few places, pre-reg ones.
I'm not back in the UK for a month or so, maybe I'll bag one for Christmas - but it's cold and after five minutes I'll be freezing and the last thing on my mind will be riding a supermoto through greasy country roads, so I'll probably end up over thinking it and saying I'll wait until summer, then something else will have happened and I'll have forgotten about it.