Tron Legacy Motorcycle – Ducati Sport 1000

What is the Ducati motorcycle that Sam rides in the movie Tron Legacy? It’s a Ducati Sport 1000 Biposto. Here’s what else we know about it…

After watching the Tron Legacy movie I was surprised to see how much screen time the Ducati motorcycles in the film were given. It must have been a deal set up between the film’s producers and the Italian manufacturer. The Ducati logo or one of their motorcycles appeared in almost every scene that took place outside of the digital world of Tron. What surprised me even more, was that the Ducati Sport 1000 ridden by the film’s protagonist, Sam Flynn, was discontinued from production before the film’s release..

I can’t help but feel this was a wasted opportunity. The attention gained from the film appearance could have been enough to boost sales of the underperforming Sports Classic range. No other models in the Ducati line up offer the same muscular Cafe Racer styling. This means Ducati and Tron fans will have to settle for a secondhand Sport 1000 or consider the new Ducati Scrambler Cafe Racer as an alternative.

The Ducati Sport 1000 Biposto featured a 992cc L-twin engine and a design influenced by both the Ducati 750 Sport of the 1970s and café racers of the 1950s. Produced between 2007 and 2010 the Sport 1000 Biposto was one of the models available in the now defunct Ducati Sports Classic range. Along with this bike the Sports Classic range included the limited edition Paul Smart 1000LE, the half-faired Sport 1000S and the GT 1000.

How to build a Tron Ducati doppelganger

For those interested in recreating a motorcycle identical to Sam’s Ducati Sport 1000 there are a few basic modifications required. For starters, they removed the indicators from the bike. While this may look great I’d recommend swapping them for something more discreet such as a set of the tiny Motorgadget M-Blaze pins. The Ducati’s rear end has been fit with a tail tidy kit which replaces the bulky factory fender and light cluster with an LED light strip like those available from Corse Dynamics. The wheels are wrapped in ContiRace Attack Rain rubber, presumably because every road in the movie is wet and the gas cylinders on the Ohlins shocks have been painted black.

Those with a keen eye will also note that the bike’s appearance changes later in the film. When Sam returns to the real world with his “isomorphic algorithm” girlfriend Quora, (spoiler alert) we see the pair get onto his Ducati and ride off through the streets of Vancouver. The big difference you’ll notice is the change to the seat. The term ‘Biposto’ refers to the rear cowl (a black plastic shell) which can be easily removed to reveal the rear half of the seat. This transforms the bike from a single seat to a two-up, allowing a pillion passenger to jump on board, just like in the final scene of the film.

How much does a Ducati Sport 1000 cost?

If you’ve got your heart set on owning a Ducati Sport 1000 like the one in Tron Legacy I’m sorry to say, it’s not going to be cheap. However, the sooner you make the purchase the better. With only 3 short years of production, the explosion of the café racer scene and the popularity of the Tron Legacy film, these bikes are quickly increasing in value. You can now expect to pay the same or even more than the Sport 1000 cost new (around $12,000 USD), this could make them a wise investment for a collector or an eager Tron Legacy fan.

Will Ducati release the Sport 1000 again?

It’s highly unlikely.

The retro-styled Sport 1000 was ahead of its time. Unfortunately, it was just a bit too far ahead. If the ill-fated Sport 1000 range had lastest just a couple more years it is likely it would have become a huge success thanks to the explosion of the cafe racer and custom bike scene. Sadly it wasn’t meant to be and production ceased in 2010. The Ducati Scrambler Café Racer is now the closest thing to the Sport 1000 that you’ll find in their range. Sadly it doesn’t have quite the same muscular styling.