that's the sort of testimony that will/could help to establish some useful information in the future. Would be interested to know what mileage you've covered.
For me it's not about value at all. By the way, my 916 isn't Varese built, confirmed by Ducati but it has all the same parts with elephants etc. There were quite a few differences to later bikes. Whether it's single bolt clip on brackets, shorter chain guard or a wider fuel tank and so on. If it increases the future value when my children come to sell it after I'm gone, so be it. In the meantime it's the hunt for the period correct parts that gives me a small amount of pleasure. Not just on my Ducati but any classic. A little 50s German bike I own came with a particular piece of soap in the tool compartment when new. I saw it on a period magazine article which mentioned it and showed the soap. I periodically looked for the soap and after quite a while I found it. Or so I thought. After proudly showing it off it was pointed out to me by a friend that the packaging of the soap was different to the magazine picture. So the search continued. In the end I found the correct one which is something to talk about when I take the bike out to a meet. I did hunt for and find some Varese specific parts for my 916, namely the screen with Cagiva logo and foot pegs with Cagiva logo. Doesn't make the slightest difference to the bike or its value but I had fun looking for the parts. It's the same reason that made me source and restore a original Showa damper. The Nitron Damper I had on there was probably the better unit but finding a cheap Showa and restoring it was something I enjoyed doing. I enjoyed this thread, mainly for the nerdiness of it.
I actually ride my bike. And this is probably the best place to ask questions about them there’s so many knowledgeable guys on here.
You do realise that you can get a key cut from a photograph don’t you? Check out eBay if not. I would delete that post if I were you. Just trying to help.
If we're talking the genesis of production 916s... I want to know where the four 1993 bologna bikes are. I'm a nerd for the history of these bikes as much as the next guy, but have heard scant about them, ever.
Just over 14000 - most of those were done early days, I took it to the Nurburgring, had a 900 mile return trip to Scotland over a weekend, stuff like that.
You seem very bitter for some reason.......and yes I've got written confirmation from the factory that my bike was one of those built at the Varese factory - when they did start to arrive each importer got 2, mine is one of the 2 that went to Sports Motorcycles. I didn't start this Varese thing, I was aware of the circumstances that led to delays in delivery of the first bikes as I had ordered mine in February 94 and by July I was pretty pissed off at not having got it, the Italian summer shutdown holiday was looming, the UK end of summer was approaching and all I wanted was my bike to ride, particularly having paid a large deposit and traded in another bike for it months before. The Ducati paint shop fire and assembly being switched to the Cagiva factory was the excuse given which, knowing the Italians back then was a bit suspicious - but it turned out to be true. So somewhere along the line they got christened 'the Varese bikes', because that's what they are - so what's your problem?
So if somebody copies the key from a photo where do they go from there to get at my bike? Genuinely intrigued to know.
Follow snippets on various social media channels. For example you might say you were planning to attend a bike meet. I know it’s highly unlikely but it’s not beyond the realms of possibility. My point was more about being careful with what you post. I was not aware of this service until I used it personally for a spare key for a Ducati. The key took 2 days to arrive and worked perfectly.
Thanks, I appreciate your concern but I wouldn't like to become that paranoid......its bad enough having a bike you know you can't get the original parts for without adding anything more! Anyway I don't do social media, I'm not sociable enough!
Does this count? I suppose it does but I'm unlikely to put enough info on here to locate my bike..... I was thinking more in terms of folks who do Facebook etc and put loads of personal info, photos of what they had for breakfast, stuff with their home address and credit card details on display etc - there's no chance of that.
Pretty sure everyone here's the resident comedian. Try not to take things too seriously. That includes getting worked up about first year 916s built at a factory we now call Varese.
I think another early 916 Varese Tell is the Blue coloured Air Pressure sensor, later bikes are black. picture.
