The DocR: Ducati 996 Café Racer

A Real Monster: Dan Benson’s Ducati 996SPS Café…  

We’ve talked about how certain motorcycles or marques seem to imprint themselves on a young motorcyclist. For Dan Benson of Newport, Rhode Island, there was one brand that lit his fire from the very start: Ducati.

“At the age of 19 I bought an 888 SPO and was bitten hard by water-cooled, 4-valve bikes and never looked back. Between 2003 and 2006 I was racing locally in New England running Super and Thunderbike classes on a 748 and later 996. My race experience brought with it not only track time but wrench time focused on weight, power, and handling.”

Ducati 996 Cafe RacerToday, we see Ducati as a dominant force in many arenas of superbike racing, and the Bologna brand is even stepping into the world of motocross. However, back in the 1990s, the company had fallen on hard times. Then came the Monster, designed by Miguel Angel Galluzzi at the behest of technical director Massimo Bordi, who requested the following:

“Something which displayed a strong Ducati heritage but which was easy to ride and not a sports bike. He came up with a proposal and I thought, this was the bike Marlon Brando would be riding today in the film The Wild One!”

Ducati 996 Cafe RacerWe’re not so sure “Johnny” would be riding a Ducati in contemporary times, but the Monster would be so successful it became known as “the bike that saved Ducati.” However, for true Ducatisti like Dan — those who rode, raced, and wrenched on the brand’s superbikes — the Monster was a bit too soft-edged, designed for casual enthusiasts more than sport riders and diehards. Of course, that presented an interesting opportunity…

“I wanted to make a café that Ducati never did in that the Monster never hit where it should have with a high revving 4-valve motor and SBK handling.” -Dan Benson

Ducati 996 Cafe RacerThe result is the “DocR” you see here, named after the physician buddy for whom Dan originally built the bike (he’s since bought it back). There really is no single “donor” here. The “DocR” has a ’99 Ducati 996 mono frame (“de-uglied”), 748/996 SBK tank, Monster S4R swingarm and wheels, and a chopped / modified 1098 tail.

Ducati 996 Cafe RacerThe original engine was a 748 unit punched to 853cc with Pistal pistons, but when the motor began to show signs of its age, it was swapped for a 2000 Ducati 996SPS “Sport Production Special” rated at a very stout 124 bhp.

Ducati 996 Cafe Racer

Other highlights include Öhlins FG43 forks with a billet lower triple and Brembo radial brakes, an Öhlins rear shock from a 999, Motogadget gauge, and a headlight from a Ducati Mach 3 with a custom surround and Hella xenon bulb.

Ducati 996 Cafe RacerThe result is one absolute weapon of a naked bike — a modern café racer with superbike power and handling, built before Ducati ever offered an SBK-spec naked bike:

“The bike is a pleasure and terrifying to ride all at the same time. You have a SBK riding position, with race-spec suspension settings, race tires, and a longer swingarm than an SBK. The result is extremely confidence-inspiring handling, braking, and power. The downside is you have nothing to hide behind when you realize your nose is hitting the inner of your helmet because you are running above 150mph…”

We’re happy Dan has this Bologna bull back in his own stable, and we look forward to featuring more of the Italian beasts hiding in his pen. Below is our full uncut interview with Dan about the build, with more backstory, photos, and build details. Godere!

Builder Interview: Ducati 996SPS Café Racer

Ducati 996 Cafe Racer

• Please tell us a bit about yourself, your history with motorcycles, and your workshop.

My motorcycle experience has been a classic example of brand impression and how it can be ingrained in a young person and stay with you for life. For me, Ducati was the only brand and my first bike was a water-cooled Paso 906. At the age of 19 I bought an 888 SPO and was bitten hard by water-cooled, 4-valve bikes and never looked back. Between 2003 and 2006 I was racing locally in New England running Super and Thunderbike classes on a 748 and later 996. My race experience brought with it not only track time but wrench time focused on weight, power, and handling.

Ducati 996 Cafe Racer

At the time I had a close friend who asked me to build a few bikes for him, which I did of no charge, and this is where the 888LTD and DocR came from. I had race spares and he had the free cash to have a little fun with.

Ducati 996 Cafe Racer

Fast forward 15 years, three kids, and a lot of grey hair later, I approached my friend and bought these bikes from him. I had a lot of my life in these bikes and wanted to keep them close.

• What’s the make, model, and year of the donor bike?

Frame: 1999 Ducati 996 mono. Tail: Modified 1098. Swingarm: S4R. Motor: 2000 996SPS

Ducati 996 Cafe Racer

• Why was this bike built?

This bike was built because at the time we had a great 853 spare motor and I wanted to make a café that Ducati never did in that the Monster never hit where it should have with a high revving 4-valve motor and SBK handling.

Ducati 996 Cafe Racer

• What was the design concept and what influenced the build?

The goal was to have SBK handling and power with a somewhat classic and tasteful un-faired look.

• What custom work was done to the bike?

The entire bike is custom as it was not built from a donor bike but from parts. The biggest modification was the monster S4R tubular aluminum swingarm with a custom rocker that does not require modification of the frame or swingarm all while keeping the ratios of the original 996SBK.

Ducati 996 Cafe Racer

• Does the bike have a nickname?

The bike is named in honor my friend who I originally built it for. He is a doctor and his last name starts with R, so we call it the DocR.

• Any idea of horsepower, weight, and/or performance numbers?

This SPS made 123HP at the crank stock. This bike has a P-Commander and a custom exhaust but I have to be honest and admit that the exhaust is not designed for performance (the header lengths are dissimilar), rather for aesthetics. We have not done a dyno in some time but I would suggest we are getting around 116 at the wheel.

Ducati 996 Cafe Racer

• Can you tell us what it’s like to ride this bike?

The bike is a pleasure and terrifying to ride all at the same time. You have a SBK riding position, with race spec suspension settings, race tires and a longer swingarm than SBK. The result is extremely confidence inspiring handling, braking, and power.

The downside is you have nothing to hide behind when you realize your nose is hitting the inner of your helmet because you are running above 150mph. The only real down side of the bike is the exhaust, while fun and exciting, is brutally loud.

Ducati 996 Cafe Racer

• Was there anything done during this build that you are particularly proud of?

I enjoy looking at all aspects of the bike, I consider it more a work of creativity and drive for something that didn’t exist at the time (the Streetfighter came later from Ducati). Riding it is a perk of simply having it.

• Is there anyone you’d like to thank?

This site for having a home for people that don’t accept OEM. My friend for letting be build it and later buy it. My wife for not killing me for buying it!

Follow the Builder

Web: db.ibenson.com

4 Comments

  1. Terry peterson

    Whats it weigh
    What spring rates
    Why no fairing

  2. Martin Padilla

    Where is the battery?

  3. Sorry but it just doesn’t look finished in my eyes

  4. The SPS is such a work of art. I used to wrench a 998 SPS, I wouldn’t touch it.

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