Hello gents, I've just registered as I've got the opportunity to buy a bike but the bloke selling it is not giving much away, including an asking price... It's a pretty niche item. I was actually at his house looking at a car he's selling but then he showed me this, in his living room, where it has sat from new! It's a 996S and to my untrained eye looks like the later model with the multispoke wheels and Ohlins dampers. It is unregistered, completely original as delivered, 1 mile on the odo! I've not got a blooming clue what to offer him for it. Likewise I'm not sure whether to buy it to keep or to sell on. Any suggestions on values would be really appreciated - with cars I'm pretty good, bikes not so much! Cheers all, Ben
There is a very similar bike currently on eBay priced at £13000. The problems arise with a "find" like this when you want to put back on the road. As a minimum, new tyres, belts, coolant change, brake/clutch fluid change, petrol pump filter/seal, suspension service, all of which are simple. However, there is a risk that the master cylinder, slave cylinder and caliper seals will have gone hard, some of which can still be had and some not. The engine will have been wet commissioned and run up at the factory. If there was any petrol left in the tank, almost cetainly it will have rusted inside. If it were me I'd also look at stripping the engine to ensure that there is no corrosion. I also notice that the head light has misted up, strange for a bike that has lived in a house. Nice to find a totally original 996 which is a bit of a holy grail but I wouldn't be paying more than £10000 and would try and pay less. Andy
Copied my reply from PH: As nice as the 996s is the S's aren't either that special or that rare, it will very very slowly potentially appreciate but the market for it would be tiny for someone looking for an ornament, better off buying a cheap high miler and tidying it up. I'm guessing by the wheels its a 2001 onwards bike. Even if it went up 10% a year its not a lot and its definitely not a rare piece. That 12k one has been around a while, and the difference between 0 Miles and 1k on one of these is negligible, I wouldn't give more for one than the other, also for anyone that wanted to ride it it will need a proper going through with all hoses, rubbers, filters, belts, tyres etc needing replacing. I reckon its worth 8k tops.
Nice as it is there is nothing special about it. Im sure theer was a 999R with 0 miles on ebay not so long back for about £15k if I recall.. Now that would be a good buy These are rare as fuck Ducati 999R XEROX 2006, ONLY 8757 MILES, VERY VERY RARE BIKE! | eBay
Thanks gents (and thanks Dibble twice!) Tricky one. I've gone back to the bloke and pretty much pushed him for a price, I've really no idea what he's thinking which makes it double hard. I suspect whoever may be interested in this wouldn't ride the damned thing anyway but could be wrong obviously. Also unsure whether it being unregistered is a good, bad or neutral thing. Hard to say again. Will wait and see what the dude says I guess.
Mmm, not entirely true, if it's new it has to stay new and never be ridden as it's value is in the fact it is new. Your statement is almost correct, something like 10 miles to1000 miles is negligible and so on. New is new (i.e. 1 mile due to factory test) and is a different thing altogether to a collector
I'd say buy at £8K to sell at £10K if you want a quick sale - £11k to £12k is pushing it IMHO :smileys:
sometimes it's easier to look at what it definitely is or isn't worth and starting from the 'is' - 6K is a 'no brainer' without even looking at it as long as it's authentic/not rebuilt or damaged.
I know a guy sold his 8k miles rc45 to buy one with zero miles , he said he regrets his decision as the zero bike is an ornament but the 8k can be enjoyed and used without devaluing.
Good point - if you buy zero/very low mileage anything then you have just given yourself an instant burden as regards whether to use it or not.
I dropped him a line and he said he would give me a price over the weekend. After all of the advice above I think it'll be an obvious yes/no for me as a total novice. Thanks for all the advice gents. I'm going to smash down a few light ales now.
