Ducati Supermono: A truly absurd Sound of Singles machine

[Hagerty]

At grassroots level racing there are dozens of classes that compete on a given weekend. Move up to club racing and the number of grids shrinks. Professional racing? Very few people compete at such a level. Sound of Singles racing, positioned somewhere in the middle of this pyramid of participation, features single-cylinder bikes.
https://www.hagerty.com/media/motorcycles/ducati-supermono-a-truly-absurd-sound-of-singles-machine/

[Happylindeen]

So you write this entire article focusing on the sound of this bike, but provide no sound bites 🤔? Do your job please. 1/2 way is incomplete in any profession.

[drhino]

“Sound of Singles” was a racing series.

[TomBrattin]

It is amazing the difference a few years make in technology. I remember racing a B50MX (BSA 500cc thumper) in the desert. It put out a whopping 36 horsepower redlining at around 7000 rpm. Dad got a 550 piston and sleeve kit that bumped it to a reported 40 horsepower and we thought that was awesome. Now I see this beast putting out 78, I can just imagine what that would have been like across the desert!

[ppointer]

My favorite bike aesthetically. And I say that as a former owner of three other Ducatis and current owner of a 996. If you can afford this bike, might as well grab it. It will only appreciate through the years.

[drhino]

“Stare at the Supermono long enough and you’ll likely start to notice more than a little similarity to the famous 916. Technically, though, the 916 shares similarity with the Supermono, since the latter was birthed in 1993—one year prior to the introduction of the V-twin superbike.”

Huh? There is no similarity.

The Supermono development was started after that of the 916; even though the Supermono was released first. They really don’t share anything; the Supermono having many components similar to the 888. The 916 was designed top to bottom by Massimo Tamburini (except for the engine). The Supermono had styling by Terblanche— the guy responsible for the 999.

I would point to a likeness between the Supermono and the Terblanche designed Supersport introduced in ‘03.

[CJinSD]

I don't think you can characterize the Supermono's engine as having a balance shaft. What it had was a bob-weight. It used the same sort of crankshaft as one of Ducati's 90-degree twins. The second connecting rod was perpendicular to the cylinder and was attached to another connecting rod that pivoted from the case. When the engine turned, the vertical connecting rod served to balance the primary shaking force of the cylinder.