Description
Additional photos of this 1998 Ducati 916 SPS are available here for your perusal.
A limited edition of one of the prettiest motorcycles ever made, the Ducati 916SPS (Sport Production Special) was an uprated version that featured a modified engine and chassis. Nearly all the specifications were improved like Ohlins rear shocks and Showa front forks, as it was designed to be the ultimate 916.
Released to homologate the new 996cc engine for Superbike competition, the 916SPS introduced reinforced crankcases, new barrels and heads, and a 11.5:1 compression ratio. The SPS struggled to go slow – media all over the country said their test bikes stalled at idle. The transmission became a close-ratio unit, and plenty of other extras added up to a bike that was expensive (an MSRP of $24,000 back when it was new), though well-worth it, according to reviewers.
The carbon fiber Termi exhaust (included separately with the SPS for “off-road use only”) sounded like nothing else people had heard at the time, and reviewers were terrified of the power delivery. Here’s the key: this was the best Ducati you could buy in 1997 – and only 404 were sold that year. The best part of the whole story? The SPS was only road legal in Europe. Ducati didn’t conform to EPA regulations, so they sold it as a ‘track-only’ bike and made buyers sign a waiver saying that you wouldn’t register it for road use. As you might imagine, pretty much everyone ignored the waiver, as the bike came with a VIN, lights, a title, and everything needed to register the bike. Want to learn more? Check out this excellent two-part article from Odd Bike about the special editions (particularly the SPS) of the world-changing 916.
This example (VIN: ZDM3SB5V1WB000677, Engine #: SB5W000717, ECU #: P807_12) is #397 of the limited production run.
It shows 7,676 miles on the odometer. This bike has spent its entire life in California and it is offered with a clean California title.
The seller has owned this bike since 2014, and he has provided us with receipts for a $979 service in December of 2016 (7,312 miles) by Desmoto Sport to address a starting issue – the starter clutch, battery cable, and battery were replaced. The invoice notes that the starter and starter relay were recently replaced, as well. We also have a receipt for a $1,483 invoice in January of 2015 (6,590 miles) at Desmoto for the 6000 mile service with belts and fuel filter as well as the installation of a lightweight Nichols flywheel and new front turn signals.
The one cosmetic issue to note is a set of scratches in the right lower fairing.
The seller also notes that this bike has a slipper clutch. The sale includes two keys, the OEM tool kit, and a stand. This is a SPS in excellent condition that’s 100% ready to ride.
