eBay item number 301024031636. I'm thinking of toddling along this Friday or Saturday and having a beak. Any opinions on it please, questions I should ask, that kind of thing? Thanks!
I've wanted one since, well, since they were released! I'm not sure that £8k for a twenty year old bike is wise though - but life isn't sometimes!
If I was still Ducati-less I'd be snapping that up. It looks great, not a lot of info re miles, history etc but I'm sure that if you pop in to have a look you'll find it all.
Buy it then come round and show it off to me.:biggrin: I think they're great. Wish i was even in the market to look for one :frown:
But I've got a 1198, a zzr11, and a Chinese thingy.... There's four bikes in the garage already.... I foresee a brutal garage 'tidying' session in my future...
It looks like a '93 model to me but a nice bike. price looks a bit high,think you can still find them cheaper. you can find some nice strada's over here in europe for 5000 to 6000 pound. i have a '94 strada myself with 24.000km and if somebody give me 8000 for it i would let i go. henk!!!
It is clearly the Strada so less exclusive than an SP, but better for the road as the SPs didn't come on song until 6000. This was originally the dual seat but has been converted to a mono with the aftermarket high level Temis. Of course you should check that it has been re-chipped. The speedo is in Ks so not a UK model. Don`t know if that's legal. Its not a single seat cowl, as described-that was on the SP4/5 and much more elegant. Mileage wise, a dealer in Pau had just serviced an 888 when I was there. It had done over 100,000 K and was apparently good for quite a bit more. Happy viewing!
I would agree with Henk on pricing, in that £5,000-£6,000 would seem about right for a really nice 888 Strada with about 25k on the clock and a decent history. It does look clean but it's been for sale for quite a while, reinforcing the view that it's pricey. Does he have the standard cans and pillion pegs? The rear cowl is just slipped over the rear seat so it could be easily be converted back to standard if the parts are there to make it more useful - if you want to take pillions. They made about 1,600 888 Stradas (plus about 4,700 851 Stradas) so his 900 ever made is on the low side. As for any questions to ask, pretty much the same as any 4 valve Ducati, or any 20 year old bike really. Worth a look if you're desperate for a 888 and can live with the price, as there's not that many around for sale. I guess those that have them now want to keep them. I reckon you see more SP models for sale than Stradas. I'm hoping values soar as I bought an 851 last year, but I didn't pay anything close to the figures being quoted here!!
So what's the opinion on what to offer? I should try them at £6500? £7000? I appreciate all the advice here...
Never offer what is being asked. That's just the opening shot in a negotiation. But decide how much you want it. If you offer 7.5 and it goes for the 8, how disappointed will you be? The value of anything depends on what people are prepared to pay. If you are prepared to pay 8, and a few other people are too, it's worth 8, even if several have gone for 6 in the past. If I was buying one to have as, say, a third or fourth bike, I'd be well-off enough not to be overly bothered about a couple of grand.
Depends how much you want it. I personally would wait for an SP at that sort of price. More elegant and, if you get an unmolested example GUARANTEED never to lose money. Dont think Stradas have quite the class or exclusivity to justify that sort of outlay, especially ones like this that have been tinkered with.
Ian, I'd try lower than that as £6k would be top money IMO (but Henk and Mr R seem to be of a similar opinion). For that I'd want a good history, recent full service including belts and the standard parts. Satisfy yourself that it is the bike you want before offering top dollar. Maybe have a look over on the 851/888 Forum first to see what other bikes are selling for? It's another good forum so would help you do your research before buying. Both Henk and Mr R know far more than me about these, so might be able to add more. They are the best looking Ducati though......but I might be biased!
Glid, it would be a fourth bike. Behind a 1198 - the pride and joy, yet still doing 4k a year - a zzr1100 - mile muncher, pillion steed, does whatever I ask of it - the 125 - the ummm, why did I buy this heap again? It would be used rarely, I hate to have a bike and not use it, but I have no practical use or need for a 888. It would be purely because I've wanted one for twenty years or so, and while it wouldn't be wrapped up in cotton wool, it would be a total indulgence. Ill see how the dealer shapes up. I also think that turning up at their dealership on a bike (particularly the 1198) would make them realise I'm not a time waster but would agree to buy - if they talk figures I like, and we can agree it's not an unspoiled exclusive exams as they claim!
It's a Dutch bike, home serviced, but would be fully serviced by them prior to sale. Also it would have 12months mot, 6 months tax. 25,000 miles. I'm going to ask later about the footrests and standard cans.
Ian, with no main dealer or even specialist servicing for 25000 miles I wouldn't be parting with £8 grand no matter how well the bike had been looked after. In the purist world of bike collecting and investment it will never compare to a bike with the right history. Andy
