MCN catches up with Ducati SuperSport's Product Marketing Manager

MCN caught up with Paolo Quattrino, the Product Marketing Manager for the 2017 Ducati SuperSport. Here’s what he said while in Intermot, Cologne:

Ducati SuperSport S walkaround #Ducati #SupersportS #Intermot #Motorcycle #Motorcycles #instagood #InstaDaily

A video posted by MCN – motorcyclenews.com (@motorcyclenews) on Oct 4, 2016 at 10:14am PDT

“Nowadays, sportsbikes are very extreme, with incredibly powerful motors, and it is a pity to only use them on the road and not the track. Around five years ago we discovered a new trend for riders wanting a lighter and more accessible sportsbike that can be taken on track, but also used in everyday life – commuting or short touring. Three years ago we decided to design a bike that blended road-focused performance and accessibility with Ducati’s sporting side. 

“We tested rivals such as the Kawasaki Z1000SX and BMW R1200RS, but in reality they are not competitors as they are positioned as sports-tourers, which the SuperSport is not. The Suzuki GSX-S1000FA is closer in concept, but it is a fully-faired naked bike, not a brand new machine like the SuperSport. The Suzuki’s poor throttle response also showed us that it is crucial to have a smooth throttle and engine control in a versatile bike. We don’t see it as a competitor, more a reference model.

‘It is not a sports tourer – that role is fulfilled by the Multistrada’

“We know riders that were put off the Suzuki at first due to its lack of touring accessories, so we have already developed a touring kit for the SuperSport to make it versatile. But it is not a sports tourer – to us that role is fulfilled by the Multistrada. The SuperSport is a different kind of approach to sporting, it is an everyday sportsbike. We called it SuperSport as it was a combination of sporting and versatility like the original SuperSport model. The later SS bike’s focus was too much towards sporting.”

Read more on Ducati’s two new SuperSports here. 

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