This looks a bit of a bargain to me (but I'm biased...)

[mangocrazy]

Ex-race bike, but wouldn't be that difficult to convert back to road spec (was originally an 851 SP3). Has the 926cc conversion, mag wheels, Ohlins suspenders, Termignoni's etc. etc.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/134195728548

926_SP3_01.JPG (241.67 KiB) Viewed 409 times

926_SP3_02.JPG (214 KiB) Viewed 409 times

[The Spin Doctor]

Always loved the looks.

[Bustaspoke]

Always loved the looks.

For me,they were the best looking Ducati's.
I think Hillier raced one for Oxford products at the Classic TT Superbike race the other year

[mangocrazy]

Always loved the looks.

Yep. The best looking Ducati for me. I had a picture of the SP3 on my kitchen worktop for about a year until I finally bought one. To me they manage to be pretty and brutal at the same time.

[Kneerly Down]

Panigale!

[Supermofo]

Yup another 851/888 fan. Best looking Duc ever for me. Brutal like a mace to the 916's stiletto

[Couchy]

Lovely but can’t see it being easy to buy and register here or convert to a road bike

[mangocrazy]

Lovely but can’t see it being easy to buy and register here or convert to a road bike

Not looked into the details of importing from EU. I know that sending stuff the other way is a PITA. You'd need lights, horn, speedometer and indicators, but that can be fixed.

And treaded tyres, of course...

[Couchy]

Lovely but can’t see it being easy to buy and register here or convert to a road bike

Not looked into the details of importing from EU. I know that sending stuff the other way is a PITA. You'd need lights, horn, speedometer and indicators, but that can be fixed.

And treaded tyres, of course...

It definitely needs doing so make it happen

[mangocrazy]

I'm tempted. But do I really need two of them?

[Jody]

I'm tempted. But do I really need two of them?

Need has no part of this conversation !!

It's 'do I want' and 'can I afford' in that order !

[Felix]

They could have made an effort to make it look nicer. That gaffa tape seat sticks out a mile

[Mr. Dazzle]

Honestly does nothing for me, deffo one of those "you had to be there" things. From that front angle, if you painted it green and told me it was a Kawasaki I'd believe you.

[mangocrazy]

It is lovely, but it might be an issue getting it registered, I had no issue with one of mine and a load of hassle with the other, the only difference seems to be who you get at the DVLC processing your application.

The other option is to just keep it as a track bike for Classic track days. Would DVLA need to be notified of that?

[weeksy]

Honestly does nothing for me, deffo one of those "you had to be there" things. From that front angle, if you painted it green and told me it was a Kawasaki I'd believe you.

Really?
Must be a generation thing, you could paint that in rainbow colours and I'd still tell you exactly what it was, it's burned into my memory from sitting in the paddock at the Melborne Loop and watching them boom-boom-boom into and out of it.

Nothing at all for me either. Just no interest at all

[mangocrazy]

Nothing at all for me either. Just no interest at all

Yeah I get it, if you weren't into bikes back then it wouldn't mean much to you unless you just liked the look of it, but for me it was a revelation, I'd never heard bikes like that and even though I didn't really know what they were they still made a huge impression on me.

Likewise. I'd heard zillions of IL4s and remembered the days of the old 500cc Matchless/Norton singles with very little interest, but the first time I heard and saw the Ducati 851/888 racers it was 'WTF is that'? It didn't hurt that Foggy first made his mark on WSBK riding a privateer 888 supplied by Sports Motorcycles in Cheshire, which was where I bought my 851 from. My progression to the full-fat 888 SP3 was pretty much pre-ordained at that point (as was Foggy's progression to the factory Ducati team).

So yeah, the history you have with a bike is hugely important.

[Yorick]

Hate V twins with a vengeance. Lumpy engines and crap noise.

[Skub]

All engine variants have their pros and cons as well as triggering the nostalgia thing. I've always viewed twins like two strokes,nothing low down and need to be ridden in their sweet spot. Both strokers and twins are rewarding to ride when you do that,but a bit of a ballache otherwise.

It's funny when I think about it,I've always run in line fours,but probably my favourite engine characteristics and sounds are triples and the like.

[mangocrazy]

Hate twins with a vengeance. Lumpy engines and crap noise.

You're including 2Ts in that, I presume?

V-twins are only lumpy if you're riding them wrong.

[Yorick]

Hate twins with a vengeance. Lumpy engines and crap noise.

You're including 2Ts in that, I presume?

V-twins are only lumpy if you're riding them wrong.

Yeah. Just V twins. Bloody horrible things.