If there was ever a bike ahead of its time, it was the Ducati SportClassic. There were several versions, all built around the air-cooled Desmodue 992 cc engine, starting with the Paul Smart Limited Edition and Sport 1000 ‘monoposto’ that went on sale in 2006.
In 2007 these were followed by the more comfort-oriented twin-shock GT1000, and the Sport 1000 was updated to ‘biposto’ format with a cowl covering a padded seat for a passenger.
Handling was good, especially on the Paul Smart—which had fully adjustable suspension and a higher level of specs. The classic café racer styling was on point too, but too far ahead of the curve.
Just over 13,000 SportClassics were built before Ducati closed down the production line. A few years later, the café racer trend was in full swing—and today, the bikes are highly sought after on the used market.
The Ducati SportClassic range is universally adored, but some SportClassic models get more love than others. The limited edition, Öhlins-equipped Paul Smart is the pick of the bunch—provided you have deep pockets and can actually find one. At the other end of the spectrum, you’ll find the Ducati SportClassic GT1000. To the uninitiated, the GT1000…
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Like any good factory café racer, the Ducati SportClassic doesn’t beg to be customized. It’s stunning in stock form—and, with a 992 cc Desmo L-twin mounted in its trellis frame, has more than enough go to match the show. Little wonder then that it’s so sought after on the second hand market. If you do…
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Like any proper cult vehicle, the Ducati SportClassic was hugely under-appreciated when it was first released. That’s probably because it was ahead of its time—blending retro style with contemporary performance, just before modern classics were as popular as they are now. Or maybe it’s because its looks simply didn’t gel with everyone. Most pundits think…
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Ducati hit a home run with the GT 1000 as far as we’re concerned. Essentially a factory café racer, it had a classic vibe that belied just how quick it was. Mysteriously, the sales numbers didn’t add up, and it was eventually dropped from Ducati’s line-up. Finding one today is tricky—and improving on its out-the-box…
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For a motorcycle that only sold in small numbers and was produced for just five years, the Ducati SportClassic generates a remarkable…
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The Ducati SportClassic was a bike ahead of its time—a machine that married retro café-style looks with thoroughly modern performance. It’s now…
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A stern test for established custom builders is how they handle the ‘budget’ job. Can they capture the flavor of the mega-buck…
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Way back in April, we showcased possibly the coolest Ducati SportClassic on earth: Chris Gorel’s ThunderDuc, a heavily modified and extremely rapid…
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