916 Varese Bikes - I Just Don't Get It - But I'm Coming Around

4

 

Just out of interest, how does one acertain if a bike is a Varese built machine or not?

 

Does that say four 916 Monoposto Europe ‘94 models were built in ‘93 (And not at Varese?). They must be the collectable ones!

 

"You're trying to tell me you have a 1993 Ducati 916?"

 

European chassis numbers are different than American market. We only have 13 digits not 17 like america so European models doesn’t state V or B. Europeans start ZDM916S followed by production number ie ZDM916S000001. The 93 built bikes would have been Pre-launch, Pre-production Ducati ‘test’ bikes and doesn’t necessarily mean they are out in the public domain.

 

Yes, so how desirable are they (If they still exist)?

 

Very I should think, likely to be in Ducati's museum ?

 

Ok, so they do have provenance and command a premium as they are first editions. Market conditions show that. I’m enjoying this thread and people’s thoughts and input. So I’m gonna throw this in the mix, do we think of all the Varesse built bikes, the ones with the lowest chassis numbers are more desirable? There’s one with chassis number 97 for sale now. Do we think, if there was a like for like bike with chassis number say 2000 the lower chassis would be more desirable and therefore worth more? If so what additional value would you apply?
I’d choose the lower number but as to price it would be like a tax on a tax. Thoughts please

 

Comparing early and late Varese seems like splitting hairs to me.

Unless it's a rare 916 S?

 

Does anyone have any piccies of those possible 4 machines from the museum?

 

Maybe they burnt

 

My personal opinion about the premium on the Varese bikes is just added history, from a time when the Cagiva Group where building various bikes there, a communal parts bin, desperation in getting Bologna up and running, to top it all off the Castiglioni brothers where doing dodgy financial support/loan 'deals' with the corrupt Italian government of the time.
Nostalgia factor?

 

Not out of the realm of possibility, maybe Massimo had the first four destroyed?

 

I still don't think the full context of the historical significance of the 916 has been fully recognised yet, when you look at Ducati's role in the worlds motorcycle industry for producing high performance, drop dead beautiful motorcycles, and then you look at the importance of the 916 model to Ducati. You start to wonder if in another 30 years the 916's will be highly coveted above most other collectable motorcycles, and considered one of those 'holy grail collectables' much like the Brough Superior and Vincent Black Shadows are now. Granted 916's were produced in much higher numbers than the Brough and Vincent, but there's many more well heeled motorcycle collectors/investors about now (and hopefully in 30 years time) to buy the 916's.

Also I still don't think anyone has produced a more beautiful sports bike than the 916, and it's hard to see that they ever will, it is a work of art, as well as a motorcycle.

Regards the Varese bikes I think any collector/investor is going to pay a premium for any Varese 916 with a single or double serial production number in the VIN, but they also have to consider mileage and originality as this seems to affect price considerably too.
I've got what Ducati refer to as a 'Ducati 916 Mono '95 California' which is a Varese bike and when I think of what I was going to sell it for in 2005 and what it's worth today it turns out it's not just a work of art and a motorcycle, it's also a very good and pleasurable investment too.

 

If the 4 were logged with full chassis numbers (likely due to them being on the records) then there will have been circa 5 prototypes and 20 or 30 pre production bikes with 11 digit frame numbers too prior to the 4.

 

Well, here's Tamburini's personal 1993 916 as pictured in the museum:



As well as prototypes from late '92...





And Tamburini himself ripping around Rimini backroads circa '93...

 

Again mate not out the realm of possibility, just seems a very unusual low number to be registered on the production records, I honestly believe now these are either museum or personal collection machines maybe given to the then Italian Prime minister, finance minister, the minister of the armed forces, oh and the local don to wet his beak !

 

He agreed the 3 spokes looked shit then bit of a bitsa but I don't think that would detract from the value!

They don't release prototypes (knowingly ) but they do release the pre production bikes as they are homologated for the road - so they could be a few out there...

 

Massimo's personal one is incredibly beautiful, would be nice to know the production number!
Like me he was not keen on the three spoke wheels!