The Best Looking Bike Ever?

[mangocrazy]

Yes, agree. The classic bike market still has a way to fall, and the holdouts will look even sillier in a year's time. Just prior to Covid I'd made the decision to sell my 888 SP3, but it needed a number of things doing as it's been only very lightly used in the last 10 years. I still haven't done those things, predictably, and missed out on the last wave of enthusiasm in the market. But I intend to get my arse in gear in the New Year so that it's ready to sell when we finally get out of this slump (whenever that might be).

[Mr. Dazzle]

The slump for 80s/early 90s Ducatis?

It's slumped forever surely. The number of people who GAS is only gonna keep shrinking now. You'd need something really special to beat that trend?

Chin up. I plan on selling a half-arsed 1963 Triumph (not the Bonnie) in the new year. Imagine how many people want one of those

[mangocrazy]

The slump for 80s/early 90s Ducatis?

It's slumped forever surely. The number of people who GAS is only gonna keep shrinking now. You'd need something really special to beat that trend?

Quite possibly so - but I really wouldn't know. They only made 500 of the SP3 model for homologation purposes (and some people reckon they didn't make the full amount anyway) - mine has a plaque on the headstock showing 269 of 500. The target market for them is small, but then it always has been and they normally sell to people who know what they want, not speculative purchasers. So the answer is - I dunno. If I can't sell it I've got one hell of a living room ornament...

Chin up. I plan on selling a half-arsed 1963 Triumph (not the Bonnie) in the new year. Imagine how many people want one of those

I'd say you're in the same boat as me...

[mangocrazy]

So maybe not forever, but my guess is 5-10yrs (probably closer to 10) until we see another run on assets and people start moving on classics again.

That's my kind of time frame... I reckon I can get it fully sorted and ready in 5-10 years...

[G.P]

I think there is still a lot of love out there for lat 80's & 90's Ducatis. May be the 916s and absolute top end superbikes aren't making the huge money they did before but the 900SS,Cagiva elefant, Carbed Monsters and even the Paso's seem to be popular, Interestingly among the younger set too.
I'e seen a fair few posts by young, wealthy Panigale / Multi owners adding older dukes to their collections even if in some cases its ust to give the pics of their garages more street cred!
I'm biased but I think the 900SS with Air cooling, Carbs and modern suspension is the sweet spot of a properly useable classic Ducati.
I'd be after a Monster 1100 Evo as a a good buy.

[mangocrazy]

So maybe not forever, but my guess is 5-10yrs (probably closer to 10) until we see another run on assets and people start moving on classics again.

That's my kind of time frame... I reckon I can get it fully sorted and ready in 5-10 years...

I'll be hopefully fully retired and ready to take it off your hands

I would now if you sell it me for a song

Hah! Nice try...

[Whysub]

I had a 1994 900SS in pretty good condition overall, just a few marks on the fairing, and some idiot of a previous owner had painted some engine parts (badly) in gold. Would take some hours to strip it of by hand, or take the engine out to blast it off.

I had one hell of a job selling it in 2019 (advertised at £2,500), but no one was interested. I sold it to a dealer in the end for a small loss after 4 years ownership.

Nice bike to ride, sad to see it go when I sold my collection off.

[Mr. Dazzle]

I'm holding out for Grand Seiko Snowflakes to do the same thing I turn 40 in August

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

The only Ducati I've ridden was a 1995 900SS, it was bloody horrible, a tractor engine with a combine harvester gear box that handled like a barge.

[Yorick]

The only Ducati I've ridden was a 1995 900SS, it was bloody horrible, a tractor engine with a combine harvester gear box that handled like a barge.

I've never liked any Ducati I've ridden. Always hated V twins

[KungFooBob]

I've ridden a 748R on a trackday. It was ok, but I had a 98 Blade at the time and the Ducati was Slooooow, once it was on it's ear it held a line well, but it was slow steering.

I've ridden a 999 on the road (again while I had the 98 Blade). it wasn't any faster than the Blade in a straight line, but was fuckin' uncomfortable in anything less than a 50mph limit

I owned a 620SSie race bike, it was great, for racing in the Ducati only race class I entered.

I almost bought a Multi, but bought a GS instead... for me the shaft drive was better than the extra 30bhp... fuck me I'm old.

[Mr. Dazzle]

I bet more people have got dubious* Ducati tats than Honda ones though. Nowt so queer as folk.

*Well I say "dubious", they're almost certainly fucking awful

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Nope, there was nothing wrong with it, it was fresh from a dealer, it was really slow steering, it was stable, but it wasn't fast enough to upset it's chassis, but honestly the YZF750 I had at the time was a massively better bike.

[mangocrazy]

Not sure about a 900SS, but on my 888 SP3 there are a myriad ways to change the geometry. Apart from the normal dropping the forks through the yokes, you have an eccentric adjuster on the bell crank that can raise or lower ride height and change suspension leverage. You also have adjusters on the swingarm to raise ride height further if you need. It can be slow steering and stable or quick steering (and still stable) or anything in between.

As for 'agricultural', it's a big V-twin FFS. Some of you boys have spent far too long on buzzy little IL4s and need to get out more.

[G.P]

The only Ducati I've ridden was a 1995 900SS, it was bloody horrible, a tractor engine with a combine harvester gear box that handled like a barge.

You rode a completely shit one then. I preferred mine to my 1200 Monster as a road bike.
Admittedly around town neither were much fun, and the turning circle is like a barge (but not the handling).

[JackyJoll]

I bet more people have got dubious* Ducati tats than Honda ones though. Nowt so queer as folk.

*Well I say "dubious", they're almost certainly fucking awful

What do you know about art anyway!

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

The only Ducati I've ridden was a 1995 900SS, it was bloody horrible, a tractor engine with a combine harvester gear box that handled like a barge.

You rode a completely shit one then. I preferred mine to my 1200 Monster as a road bike.
Admittedly around town neither were much fun, and the turning circle is like a barge (but not the handling).

It was in good condition, there was nothing mechanically wrong with it, I just didn't like it, the engine and gear box were crude, and the handling was okay, but the engine and gearbox are a late 70s design and the frame is from the early 80s, it handled better than an early 80s bike like a GSX1100, the gearbox was like a Z1, but the engine is probably the worst 4 stroke motorcycle engine I've used.

[JackyJoll]

I bet more people have got dubious* Ducati tats than Honda ones though. Nowt so queer as folk.

*Well I say "dubious", they're almost certainly fucking awful

What do you know about art anyway!

A Mille is practically a Ducati, innit!

[JackyJoll]

I should have got my tattooist to practise on someone else first.