I've to say this thread is starting to irritate me viewing these wonderful looking machines,just out of jealousy of course.
Hope to pick one up before year end too. I guess the big thing forum wise is getting a hold of the old knowledge data. There may be a couple of dozen regular inmates/owners on here now, but if the other forum data can be recovered the numbers will increase significantly as the word spreads. I had only just started reading up on cross compatibility of model parts etc. Wish I had taken screen dumps of all that now. :-(
One of the best organised online knowledge repositories for motorbike maintenance that I've encountered so far is on the http://faq.f650.com/ site. It had a community of folks that took the wisdom from the forum conversations and built documentation from it. I've often thought that an effort to curate/record the knowledge in our heads using a similar wikipedia-style community might be a useful thing..
Roll up. Roll up. One owner, low miles, will need a bit of recommissioning https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/26113/lot/8/?category=list&length=12&page=1
I can't help if it's an import, but the later blurb says it's a '92 (which it is) but the top line claims it to be a '90. I think it's just the Auction house/seller not knowing what they've actually got. Not unusual for a 851/888, there were only around 5,000 made from the 1st prototype to the last 926cc Customer race bikes. Even if it was an import it shouldn't effect the price, apart from the chip and speedo (and California reg's) all the different market models were pretty much the same spec. Back in the day it wasn't unknown for "Grey"/back door imports to be available for sale in the UK. IMO the '92 was the best 851, the motor had bigger valves/better combustion chamber shape, the bodywork was the "Updated" by Terre Blanch and the frame was better/stronger/less prone to accident damage than the earlier 851/888's and stronger than the later 888 Strada's/SP5's. Steve R
If it wasn't so dear I'd buy it, it's a fantastic piece of 851/888 history. I'm fairly sure that it's for sale by Jasper (Who used to be on this forum?) the owner of a very trick (but standard/all show and no go) SP5. Jasper's SP5 is one of the most sorted 851/888's that I've ever seen, the "All show and no go" is a quote from the man himself, in reply to someone (Possibly me?) who asked if he'd tuned/uprated the motor. If IIRC? It made 120+rwbhp, not bad for a standard motor. Steve R
Just out of interest, In lieu of the 851 888 Forum returning, this gives a rough idea of owners on here: ducati dad 851/SP4/851(996) Sambighair 1990 851 Strada farmster 888 henk 1994 888 Strada Stang 1992 851 Steve Robins 1992 851 jakepeewee SP3 Chris 851 Strada jack999s 888 MADASL SP4 replica Bridgland 1993 888 Strada Fire3500 1989 851 Strada SP4S Steben 1994 888 Strada Nodrog 888 SP5 Wassy 888 SP5 countcoupe 1992 Strada Dave 888 SP4 hindsight 888 SP5 nichosk SP2 Please re-post above if amendments or deletions needed.
