[ZetaTre]

Ducati 955 FS in Italy: the ultimate collectible?

Just in case someone is in the market for something very special, I'm sure you wouldn't mind having to ship it over...

Subito.it

Not sure it is a real 955SPA or not, but I thought it was kind of cool looking at what Ducati was back then... Kinda like: "Oh crap, really. We just want to race, we don't care about selling bikes... Aight, dammit, let me patch up 50 of these so I get over your pesky homologation"

 

[DimSt]

Ducati actually manufactured 916 with 955cc for homologate reasons(SPA if I'm not wrong), but not with 955 logos on it. So starting from this, it doesn't seem real, unless the owner can prove otherwise.
Great bike those 916s were and still are anyway

 

[vanduc996]

I was browsing ebayUK early this morning.
There was 955SPA available as well, looked legit as far as I could tell.
An 851SP3 and 888SP5 were also listed, as well as a couple of 996/8R and numerous SPS.
When I win our Lotto Max on friday night of 50million canadian dollars I'm flying over to the UK to fill a shipping container with hard to find Ducati exotica!!

 

[ZetaTre]

I wouldn't rule out this being authentic just because of the fairings.

You're talking about Ducati in 1996 when they were far, very far, from being an organized company with a plan. It was more a bunch of guys and a cigarette machine that loved to race (and did damn well at it) and had do sell something to pay the bills (well... whatever was left from the Brunello and ravioli...)

There's absolutely little to no info around on this particular bike, and most of 'em, with all due respect, come from forum know-it-all-and-let-me-copy-something-from-Wikipedia...

 

[JEC]

know-it-all-and-let-me-copy-something-from-Wikipedia...

There isn't that much to know. It's a 916 SP3 (same chassis, G/A cams, P8 with dual injectors, etc) with a 2mm overbore. 54 were made in total, 1996 only. All had ZDM955 VIN prefaces so it's easy to spot a fake.

 

[_Iceman_]

I was browsing ebayUK early this morning.
There was 955SPA available as well, looked legit as far as I could tell.
An 851SP3 and 888SP5 were also listed, as well as a couple of 996/8R and numerous SPS.
When I win our Lotto Max on friday night of 50million canadian dollars I'm flying over to the UK to fill a shipping container with hard to find Ducati exotica!!

Good Luck, I hope you can make it happen as that is my dream as well

 

[flynbulldog]

Ultimate collectable? A desirable and rare bike for sure, collectable absolutely, but not even close to the ultimate in my eyes.

 

[famousseajay]

Ultimate collectable? A desirable and rare bike for sure, collectable absolutely, but not even close to the ultimate in my eyes.

Well said. +1

 

[vanduc996]

Good Luck, I hope you can make it happen as that is my dream as well

Thanks mate, and best of luck to you to!
It's kind of fun to have these silly dreams for the idle moments, but that being said I've got my 996 that gives me 99% of the pleasure that any of those unobtaniums would, so life is good!
Ultimate Ducati purchase for me would probably be an 888SPS. 100 made and as close to a WSB bike on the street as Ducati has ever produced, as I understand. Gorgeous, rare, and pure racebike, if I had a lot of cash I'd be hunting one down for sure. That and an SPA because being a lover of the 916 I'd have a bevy of it's many incarnations including a '94 Strada, 916SP, 996SPS, and 996 or 998 R. The list goes on, of course, but back to reality...

 

[ducv2]

Ultimate Ducati purchase for me would probably be an 888SPS. 100 made and as close to a WSB bike on the street as Ducati has ever produced, as I understand. Gorgeous, rare, and pure racebike, ...

I passed the chance to buy one years ago while on holiday in Italy. Saw the bike on a ferry crossing an Italian lake and struck up a conversation with the rider (well sort of as my Italian is non-existant). He was willing to sell but as I had just been married (on honeymoon) cash was short. It was the genuine article carbon tank etc. and the guy was at pains to explain it was an SPS and not an SP1-3 (for sure notta the reel racing Doocattis)

 

[vanduc996]

I passed the chance to buy one years ago while on holiday in Italy. Saw the bike on a ferry crossing an Italian lake and struck up a conversation with the rider (well sort of as my Italian is non-existant). He was willing to sell but as I had just been married (on honeymoon) cash was short. It was the genuine article carbon tank etc. and the guy was at pains to explain it was an SPS and not an SP1-3 (for sure notta the reel racing Doocattis)

Did you ask if he'd take your wife as trade? ( "I'm sorry Hon, but it's an SPS!")
Bad joke, but it would have been in the back of my mind in that scenario....

 

[ducv2]

Did you ask if he'd take your wife as trade? ( "I'm sorry Hon, but it's an SPS!")
Bad joke, but it would have been in the back of my mind in that scenario....

Not a good idea, I have to sleep sometime

 

[Nando]

I was browsing ebayUK early this morning.
There was 955SPA available as well, looked legit as far as I could tell.
An 851SP3 and 888SP5 were also listed, as well as a couple of 996/8R and numerous SPS.
When I win our Lotto Max on friday night of 50million canadian dollars I'm flying over to the UK to fill a shipping container with hard to find Ducati exotica!!

It was funny reading your post. It was like listening to myself lol I also live in Vancouver and I ride a 996 too (mine is a 2000 S). And when I win those 50 million today, I'm also flying to the UK to buy that 955 and some other bikes over there for my collection (an SPS Fogarty, a Senna, an SPS/F, a 998R, some Hondas - NR, NSR250 and RC30). I'll stop by in Holland on my way back, where I found a couple of 888 SPS for sale. Actually I'll buy both of them and bring one for you

 

[vanduc996]

It was funny reading your post. It was like listening to myself lol I also live in Vancouver and I ride a 996 too (mine is a 2000 S). And when I win those 50 million today, I'm also flying to the UK to buy that 955 and some other bikes over there for my collection (an SPS Fogarty, a Senna, an SPS/F, a 998R, some Hondas - NR, NSR250 and RC30). I'll stop by in Holland on my way back, where I found a couple of 888 SPS for sale. Actually I'll buy both of them and bring one for you

Ahem, well, with an offer as generous as that allow me to reciprocate with the same should I be the lucky man!
Mine's going to be a pretty full container because while I'm in the UK I'm also shopping for a Ferrari Lusso, Dino, and 288GTO, at least. DK Engineering will be one of my first stops for those.
Hell mate, if I win I'll invite you along and you can choose your own piece of Ducati candy.
Barring all that, lets do coffee when the weather improves in the spring, I'd like to see your S and chit chat 'bout the addiction...

 

[Nando]

Ahem, well, with an offer as generous as that allow me to reciprocate with the same should I be the lucky man!
Mine's going to be a pretty full container because while I'm in the UK I'm also shopping for a Ferrari Lusso, Dino, and 288GTO, at least. DK Engineering will be one of my first stops for those.
Hell mate, if I win I'll invite you along and you can choose your own piece of Ducati candy.
Barring all that, lets do coffee when the weather improves in the spring, I'd like to see your S and chit chat 'bout the addiction...

We have to do coffee for sure. Ferraris are also my second passion. (I should say third in case my wife reads this post lol) My duc is on hibernating mode right now. It's been only a week since I took her for a last ride and I'm already going nuts. PM me whenever you want to go for a coffee!

 

[JEC]

While the SPA is cool I'd rather get a 916SPS - or even a 916SP. SP models are pretty thin on the ground and I'd love to ride one and see how it compares. Supposedly quite peaky with the G cams.