My long-running search for a 916 basket case project turned up a 916 with a damaged/repairable frame. Whilst the vendor is including a 996 frame in the bundle, I’d really prefer to rescue an entire 916, rather than a hybrid 916/996. I understand that it’s still possible to buy replacement 916 frames (£1000+) . If I did, what’s the process to get a VIN and what year would such a frame be? If anyone has a 916 frame for sale obviously I’d be interested. I see there are frames on eBay in the £550-650 region, which have no VINs. (I’ve asked about these before) but if I haven’t a ‘clean’ 916 frame to transfer the VIn, then I’m back at stage one. Any information/advice welcome, as usual.
When you say damaged/repairable, what exactly need repairing on the frame ? The VIN numbers are surely stamped on the frame so what you'd be looking for is a registration number ? Why not buy a frame with the V5, that way you just transfer all your parts to the "new" frame & it then becomes that bike & carried that bike's registration number. All you'd have to do is declare an engine change with the DVLA ?
In that order: A new frame may/may not have a VIN stamped. If so, what year will that VIN refer to, and how will I get it registered with DVLA? I can have the original frame repaired, but it’ll still be an insurance Cat. I don’t want to end up with a Cat N/c recorded bike If I use the 996 frame, whilst all will fit, it’ll be a hybrid-which I don’t want If I can find a 916 frame with V5 for sale I’d be a happy fellow. Do you know of one?
I’m told the N/S swingarm pivot hole weld is cracked. Pierobon would repair it, but see my other answer for the disadvantage. Call me picky, but I want to end up with a proper, genuine, un-Cat’d 916
What repairs are needed on the frame ? I take it the 916 you've been offered is already recorded as a CAT N ? If it's not recorded already as a CAT N you don't have to declare that it is repaired. It's only recorded if there's been an insurance claim against it. If you intend to keep the 916 as a "keeper" would it really matter that it was a CAT N ? For me a CAT N should be cheaper than a "clean" bike & if/when you sold it you'd sell it cheaper. In the meantime you've enjoyed having it & using it & it's been cheap !
As I pass the ‘three score years and ten” mark, I have to take into account my heir who will have my bikes to keep/probably dispose of. That’s why I want a ‘clean’ 916 out of this. Picky? Possibly. It’s the same amount of work whichever outcome (dismantling and rebuilding)
If you find a clear frame you need to know the registration number to apply for a V5c, I think the form is V62 and costs 25 pounds. Once you have the V5c then you can fill it in with a new engine number, and a colour change if needed and send that back to the DVLA to update the V5c. That's about it, just make sure you do a full HPI before buying a frame because as has been mentioned sellers may not volunteer the status. If you want to sell the 996 frame then make sure you have a V5C as it makes a huge difference to the value, use the above process if you don't already have it.
Thanks Mark What I’d like to know is whether an imported frame will have a VIN. If so, what date will it be recorded as? And what’s the process if I import a VINd frame to register it with DVLA.
If you import a bike you get a nova certificate when you pay duty, which you need to register the bike. You also need some age evidence, which could be the US pink slip or a dating certificate from an approved source, such as manufacturer or owners clubs with older machines. I don't think there is a way to do that just importing a frame. It might be possable but I have yet to find how.
Ducati's VINs have a date code in them, so if the frame has a VIN stamped on it you can work out the year of production at least - it's the 10th digit on EU/ROW frames, I can't at present recall which digit it is on US frames but Google will assist. As far as the date and month go the VIN won't tell you that but you could find a frame that was made in 1994 but on a bike that was registered in 1995 so I'd not worry too much about the exact date and just state it was a date in the middle of the year of the frame's production.
There’s the thing. If the imported frame has a VIN, what year will it show? How will I get a NOVA when it’s just a part to fit an existing bike. Seems rather difficult to me.
Thanks for the dating info, Paul. On that basis I can query the European vendor for info on the year of the frame, but am now stuck as to how I can ‘reframe’ a bike with an old frame without going via the NOVA route and completely starting from scratch. Seems hard.
Having just re-read your first post, is there any difference between the 996 and 916 frame? When the bikes were produced and went from 916 to 996 was it not just an engine change or did the design of the frame alter too? Admittedly the 996 frame offered with the crashed 916 will have a later date code letter than the original 916 frame (and several other letters different up front probably).
Hi WCP, I might be mistaken, but I don't think the EU VINS have a date element in them - at least mine does not? My 916 VIN is ZDM916S*00nnnn* - the US VINS have/had a different number format. So the EU VIN format is/was: Characters 1-3: World Manufacturer Identifier Z = Italy D = Ducati M = Motorcycle ( i.e. ZDM = Ducati) 916 = Model S = Sports/Superbike 999999 = serial number This link is useful for the US format - https://www.ducatiforum.co.uk/threads/frame-numbers-what-do-they-mean.32548/ As I said, I think that is how the VINs in EU work but accept I might be mistaken. Re the DGM (homologation number) this is a good start point - http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pattle/nacc/arc0680.htm - there is probably a better/complete list somewhere but this gives some info... Cheers, Kev.
I think EU frame numbers changed from 13 to 17 digits with model year 1997. That’s when a date element was added as a letter first, then a number (as of m.y. 2001). Pre-1997 916 exemple: ZDM916S2*######* Then V= 1997 (916 ex: ZDMH100AAVB######) W= 1998 (916 ex:ZDMH100AAWB######) X= 1999 Y= 2000 1 = 2001 (996 ex: ZDMH100AA1B######) 2 = 2002 Etc.
Did they not all leave the factory with a frame number stamped ( as a dot-matrix ) ? I can understand that the format may differ depending on country of destination ..... but "blank" frames leaving the factory ?? I'm just curious .....
See my earlier post. I don’t want to create a hybrid, so the 996 frame is not really a factor, although the 916,748 and 996 share the same frame.
