The original Ducati 750SS was a smash hit for the Italian marque, and the follow-up was even better, with the 900 SuperSport cementing the company’s reputation for building some of the best motorcycles on the planet. However, the early ’80s were cruel. New emissions regulations and a financial crisis hit hard at the Bologna-based bike company, and the SuperSport’s successor, the S2, managed to sell only 1,236 units. But years later, we know something that buyers back then didn’t: the problems were really only surface-deep. And as if to prove the point, Tom Gilroy and his talented team at Purpose Built Moto have rolled out a breathtakingly beautiful, carbon-clad 1984 Ducati 900S2, which really is a dream bike.
The major issues the S2 had were a lack of power, with Ducati not having the dollars for engine development and battling new emissions regulations. Compared to the new breed of ’80s Japanese sport bikes, it was $1,000 more expensive while being slower down the quarter mile—two big drawbacks in those days. Then there was the styling; it just didn’t have those classic lines that had originally melted so many hearts. But this Ducati 900S2 solves all of those problems brilliantly and then goes ten steps further to create what is arguably the best S2 ever created. Oh, how times have changed, this thing would have sold like hotcakes.
“This custom Ducati 900SS café racer arrived to us in pretty good shape; the owner had a clear vision that was already in motion and wanted Purpose Built Moto to finish the bike and get it on the road,” Tom tells us. Jamie, the owner, actually shipped the bike from Canberra all the way up to the Gold Coast to have PBM do their thing, and it came with some quality work already done. “As it rolled into us, the engine had been rebuilt and polished, the wheels rebuilt with stainless spokes and some nice H-pattern 18” rims. Overall, it was a well-presented rolling chassis with a very distinct body kit.”
So, the challenge for Tom and his team was to do all of those key jobs that make a good bike great and ensure it would stay that way for a long time to come. “We were tasked with tying it all together with a custom exhaust, front fender, completing the lighting, and a full re-wire.” The rebuilt engine had already been treated to a set of Mikuni carbs and a quality ignition system, with performance coils and an adjustable Ignitech box. To finish the performance package to perfection, PBM created a true 2 into 2 system, using two-inch header pipes that beautifully snake their way around the cases before heading rearward. The mounts have all been brilliantly hidden, and the system sings a sweet song, finishing out with a pair of PBM Torpedo mufflers.
More fabrication work was needed, this time to tweak the glossy carbon fibre bodywork for a flawless fit and finish. At the tail, the bodywork was cut slightly to better sit over that flame-red frame. Having achieved such neat lines, there was no desire to ruin them with a big gaudy plate holder, so a discreet PBM unit was used instead. The side covers alone are a work of art, perfectly replicating the signature 900SS look, and the little details like the black bolts to match add that extra touch of class. But how about that fuel tank, one of the most iconic pieces of styling in all of motorcycling history, to see it made from carbon with the classic decals is a chef’s kiss moment.
To keep things uber neat, the horn, new ignition, and coils are all hidden under the tank, and there is almost no visible wiring no matter how hard you look. Part of what makes it possible to run such a neat loom is the use of PBM’s own Black Box unit, which controls all of the electronics on the bike and can be neatly hidden away anywhere you like—in this case, beneath the seat unit. And the PBM parts don’t stop there; their 3-button switches are deployed on the Tarozzi offset clip-on bars, and it’s a testament to Tom and his team that they’ve been able to develop their own line of parts that look right at home on such a high-end machine.
Some creative thinking was required to take care of the headlight and instrument combination. “Trying to keep with the classic styling of this bike, I wanted to see a nice headlight bucket from the side profile, but I also wanted to integrate the speedo into it and keep things clean. We sourced a nice shallow headlight bucket and got to chipping it up, creating a speedo cup that houses the gauge on the back of the headlight bucket. It was held in place with some simple stainless bar mounts that utilize the front indicators as the headlight mounting bolts. With the fabrication finished on the headlight bucket, it was sent out to be carbon fibre wrapped. Julia from Carbon Parts sorted us out and did a great job matching the grain and style of the carbon body kit.”
More clever work was required on the front fender, as the body kit deserved a piece that would neatly tie together. Starting with a custom carbon blank originally designed for a Harley-Davidson, the team reshaped it to match the lines of the Duc and then mounted it up using PBM’s strut-style mounts.
The final step of the build was to have the freshly built engine by Gownaloch Ducati sent over to Ben at Cube Ducati to run it up on the dyno and get the tuning absolutely spot-on. It’s fair to say that many skilled hands have touched this classic carbon S2, and the result is simply out of this world. It combines the iconic bevel-driven Desmo with the latest in carbon tech and electronics, and just the sound alone is worth the price of admission! Is there a better 900S2? Unlikely.