Ducati 996
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The Ducati 916 was a great success but was soon out of date against competing bikes such as Honda’s Firestorm, Suzuki’s TL1000S and Aprilia’s RSV Mille. This meant that the 916 needed a massive overhaul. The result of this was the 996. This was an easy job since the 916SPS had been a 996 design.
Versions
From 2000, there were three different models of the 996: a base 996 Biposto; the 996S with Ohlins suspension and the engine of the 996SPS and finally the 996R which was the second best in the 996 line which featured a new 998 cc engine.
Improvements
The 996 had larger 98 mm (3.9in) pistons, larger valves, a stronger crankshaft and crankcases ported from the 916 SPS. But since the 916 camshaft gave a softer, less peaky power delivery and less top-end power: 83.5 kW (112 bhp) as against the SPS’s 92.4 kW (124 bhp) the 996 was built with a new air intake system with two fuel injectors instead per cylinder. A new airbox and a distinctive underseat exhaust system were also built into the new design.
The Bike
The chassis was also modified but in a much more discreet way - the 916’s handling was already superb and not that many improvements were needed for the 996. The Wheels were also updated for a lighter weight while making all of the parts such as the calipers, discs and pads stronger and more powerful than on the 916. The suspension system was still the same Showa design but both the front and back were fully adjustable for damping and preload.
Updates
Updates in 2000 saw the wheels change and get updated to all new Marchesini wheels. The front forks were also strengthened with a coat of titanium nitride. The spokes also changed from the three spoke rim style of the 916 to a new five spoke scheme. In 2001 another overhaul saw the 996 rear shock finally change from a Showa to an Öhlins increasing the 996’s capability even more.
996 Specifications (Monoposto)
- Engine
- Liquid cooled, four stroke, 90°“L”twin cylinder, DOHC, desmodromic 4 valve per cylinder.
Range Topper: 996 SPS
The 996SPS suffix stood for ‘Sport Production Special’. The engine was the same as the one used in the 916SPS but the weight was cut down considerably. The 996SPS produced around 92.4 kW (124 bhp) more than the standard 996. The 996’s special SPS engine was much stronger than anything that Ducati or any other manufacturer at the time had produced for the track. To ensure a distance was held between the standard 996 and the 996SPS Ducati designed a much higher specification chassis for the SPS. The wheels were a five spoke design but were lighter than the standard three spoke design of the 916 and the early 996. The front and rear shocks were made by high quality Swedish suspensions manufacturer, Öhlins. The adjustable steering head also allowed geometry changes to the steel tube trellis frame making it suitable for different riding styles or race tracks.
Final Updates
As the 996SPS became a hot commodity, Ducati updated the bike with more advanced chassis parts to make it stay competitive. Most notably the Öhlins front forks featured a titanium nitride coat for both tubes making it extremely strong. An aluminum rear subframe and other detail modifications reduced the bikes weight even further. All this and looks made this the best bike around.
996 Specifactions (SPS)
- Engine
- Liquid cooled, four stroke, 90°“L”twin cylinder, DOHC, desmodromic 4 valve per cylinder.
Related Wikipedia pages:
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References
- Dowds, Alan (2005). Superbikes: The Worlds Greatest Bikes. Silverdale Books. ISBN 1-85605-870-0.
- http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/ducati/ducati_996_monoposto.htm
- http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/ducati/ducati_996sps_pista.htm
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