Terry’s got it covered. Honda got tired of Ducati using their displacement advantage and homologation rules to build “Sport Production” models of their V-twin superbikes and dominate the World Superbike championship. So, in Honda fashion, they decided to fight fire with fire and prove that they were more than capable of designing their own 999cc V-twin race bike. Colin Edwards took it to the WSBK title in its maiden season and again in 2002. Besides that, Nicky Hayden won the AMA title with it in ‘02. It has won in many other venues as well, Isle of Man, Suzuka 8 hour, World Endurance, etc.
They broke Ducati’s dominance, hence the nickname “Duck Killer”.