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Over 500 Hours of Painstaking Labor Were Invested Into This Custom Ducati 900SS

Prepare to be enraptured by the thoughtful adjustments that transformed the undistinguished ‘91 MY SuperSport into a glamorous hear-turner.
Ducati 900SS 26 photos
Photo: Paul Rivera
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Jay Larossa is the mastermind behind Lossa Engineering, a company he’s founded nearly fifteen years ago in Signal Hill, California. This man, ladies and gents, is the kind of fellow who lives and breathes motorcycles, having been raised around these mechanical beasts as far back as he can remember. Jay’s parents – both of whom owned bike dealerships – would take him to various shows and racing events on a regular basis, thus planting the seed for what would later become a genuine love affair.

Today, his enterprise boasts an extensive catalog of aftermarket goodies developed in-house, while their custom projects archive has grown to astronomical proportions. As you open Lossa’s portfolio on their official website, the first thing you will encounter is a seductive 1991 Ducati 900SS that hides a very interesting tale. The customization process went on for several years, over the course of which Jay struggled through not one, but two battles with cancer.

It goes without saying this dude is tough as a rock, and the SuperSport-based undertaking we’re featuring here certainly reflects his admirable attitude. Larossa purchased the Duc in 2009 and added a little over 300 miles (about 500 km) to its odometer, before the weary 904cc L-twin powerplant broke down. Following this incident, he enrolled the help of Moto Servizio to breathe new life into the engine.

Ducati 900SS
Photo: Paul Rivera
As such, the story of this bespoke superstar begins with a comprehensive overhaul in the powertrain department. For starters, the air-cooled mill was blessed with a thrilling selection of higher-spec components, such as high-compression pistons, Nikasil cylinder coatings and larger valves. The cylinder heads were then ported with surgical precision, while the camshaft has been massaged to further optimize performance.

The behemoth inhales via a Malossi intake setup and twin Dell’Orto carburetors with 38 mm (1.5 inches) throttle bodies. After the installation of an STM crankcase ventilation module, the whole ordeal was concluded with heavy-duty cylinder studs from APE. With the engine work complete, it was time to address the SuperSport’s gearbox issues by fitting a state-of-the-art Barnett clutch mechanism, a fresh clutch slave cylinder from STM and a Nichols flywheel.

Unfortunately, Larossa’s health started to deteriorate, so the exploit was placed on hold for the next three years. To complicate matters even further, Jay’s working space has been relocated to a new garage during this time, but the moto architect was determined to grind on with his venture. The second stage kicked off when he outsourced a Ducati 999’s front end, along with a premium steering damper, the laced hoops of a SportClassic and an Ohlins shock absorber.

Although the craftsman has amassed an impressive collection of high-grade items for this build, other commitments prevented him from putting it together for yet another three years. As of 2018, a friend urged him to try his luck at The Golden Bolt contest, which helped to rekindle Jay’s interest for the unfinished Duc. He went straight to work and amputated the stock subframe, replacing it with a MIG-welded unit in preparation for a unique aluminum attire.

Ducati 900SS
Photo: Paul Rivera
The alloy outfit was manufactured by Ian Halcott of Twinline Motorcycles, who used his metalwork skills to create a slim tail section and one sexy gas tank. In between, you will spot a solo suede leather saddle that’s been upholstered by a local workshop, while Clary’s Custom Colors is responsible for applying that ravishing paint scheme. The outdated 900SS electrics were upgraded with a modern ignition, Dynatek coils and a Motogadget gauge, all of which are linked to an Antigravity battery via a bespoke wiring harness.

Up front, abundant stopping power is supplied by stainless-steel brake discs and six-piston Aerotec calipers from Beringer’s inventory, joined by our-piston counterparts on the other end. To extract every last bit of mechanical muscle out of the rebuilt L-twin, the specialists over at Iron Cobras Fabrication were tasked with crafting an unrestricting two-into-one exhaust system from scratch.

Lossa Engineering topped things off with clip-on handlebars from LSL, Woodcraft rear-mounted foot pegs and a grippy pair of Dunlop Q4 Sportmax tires. Jay Larossa’s one-off SuperSport may not have won the $25,000 prize at The Golden Bolt, but it definitely caught the judges’ attention. Since the legendary Miguel Galluzzi was part of the jury, we’ll bet the pressure was rather intense!
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About the author: Silvian Secara
Silvian Secara profile photo

A bit of an artist himself, Silvian sees two- and four-wheeled machines as a form of art, especially restomods and custom rides. Oh, and if you come across a cafe racer article on our website, it’s most likely his doing.
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