Description
Click here for an VINData Motorcycle History Report on this 2002 Ducati 998. Additional photos are available here for your perusal.
For 2002, Ducati gifted the 998 the Testastretta motor that had just won the WSBK championship in 996R guise. The new heart was good for 123 hp and 71 lb-ft at the crank, up from 112 and 67, respectively.
What reviewers found most impressive was how quickly the new engine spun up and how compact the bike felt. Motorcyclist said that, “Overall, this 998 feels more like a 748 that swallowed a really big gulp of nitrous than it does a 996.”
And here’s the thing — with the improvements to the engine, so too came refinements to the overall package. As Motorcycle magazine said in their review, “This isn’t a get-to-work ride, although some owners will no doubt commute on theirs, possibly because they just have to ride it again and again! But the 998 is also far from being a banzai, balls-out motorcycle – it’s actually very refined. This all-around user friendly feel is relatively new on a Ducati, leading one of the testers to comment on how it was getting to behave more and more like a Honda VFR800, a comment that didn’t actually go down too well with the Ducati factory guys present! It’s true though, this is the smoothest and most civilized version of the 916 ever released. But don’t worry, they haven’t washed the soul out of the machine – no way. This is still every bit a Ducati eight valve Desmo twin. It can still make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck in time-honored Ducati style.”
This example is VIN: ZDM1SB5V52B015829. The seller acquired the bike from Ducati Newport Beach approximately 12 years ago.
The odometer shows 18,273 miles.
Maintenance:
Per the seller, “I have kept up with all maintenance including the valves, but unfortunately I relied on SBK Corse to have my records and they shut down mid-COVID. I just replaced the battery and had regular service/oil change etc done in February ’24. I have owned the bike for roughly 12 years, it is a weekend bike for me. Maintenance was done by SBK Corse in south Orange County, CA, a specialty Ducati repair shop, until they closed during COVID. Since then by Mach 1 Motorsports in Costa Mesa, CA. The bike runs very well, no complaints and no known issues.”
In preparation for the listing, the seller had us flush the brake fluid and perform a safety inspection. Our service department notes the following in their condition report:
Gas Tank Internal Condition: OK
Tire Year Front/ Rear: 3618/3318
Tire % Front/ Rear: 90/90
Tire Press Front/ Rear: 32/32
Brake % Front/ Rear : 65/70
Front Hydraulic Fluid: NEW
Rear Hydraulic Fluid: NEW
Clutch Hydraulic Fluid: OLD
Oil: LEVEL OK/QUALITY OK
Coolant: LOOKS OLD
Low Beam: OK
High Beam: OK
Turn: OK
Tail Light: OK
Brake Light: OK
Plate Light: OK
Kill: OK
Horn: OK
Fork: OK
Shock/s: OK
Final Drive: RUSTY NEEDS SERVICE
Battery Standing Voltage: 12.6
Charging Voltage @ 4k RPM: 13.5
Notes:
•PARTIALLY FOGGED HEADLIGHT
•OIL LEAK VERT CYLINDER
•DATE OF LAST MAJOR SERVICE UNKNOWN
Modifications:
Termignoni exhaust, tail tidy.
Carbon fiber front fender.
Carbon fiber clutch cover.
Aftermarket reservoir caps.
Not pictured: Aluminum coolant tank.
Inside of the tank:
It is riding on Pirelli Diablo Rosso III tires with date codes of 3318 and 3618.
The sale includes one key and the original front fender.
Cosmetic Blemishes: please see the album up top for all known cosmetic blemishes. Here is a selection:
Currently located at our facility in Santa Monica, California (please make an appointment for an inspection), this Ducati is offered on a clean California title
with registration current through April 2025. Please note: This 998 was photographed with its old registration sticker. Have any 998 stories or questions about this listing? Let us know in the “Comments” tab!
