955SP Purchase Questions??

WYD OPN · 15 Mar 10, 11:39 PM

Greetings to all from the Colonies!

As due diligence for my pending 955SP purchase, I have a few questions:
> Does a 955SP speedo read kph or mph?
> Which body panels/pieces are carbon?

Also, please correct the following information where necessary:
> There is NO triple-clamp plaque on the 955SP.
> The 955SP wheels are the standard cast items from the 916.
> The airbox MAY be carbon, but only some 955SPs were.
> All 955SP engine numbers begin ZDM955W4*********.

Does anyone have close-up pics of:
> The front tire/wheel/brakes?
> The rear tire/wheel/brake/swingarm?
> The instrument cluster/triple clamp?
> The engine with fairings off - R/L?

Is there anything else specific I should know or ask about prior to purchase? Thanx in advance!

DAVID.BROMLEY · 16 Mar 10, 05:11 AM

Hi if you can let me have your e-mail address I can send you some piccys of my 955 which may help you. Ride Safe Dee

WYD OPN · 16 Mar 10, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DAVID.BROMLEY

Hi if you can let me have your e-mail address I can send you some piccys of my 955 which may help you. Ride Safe Dee

PM sent. Thanx.

955SP · 19 Mar 10, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WYD OPN

Greetings to all from the Colonies!

As due diligence for my pending 955SP purchase, I have a few questions:
> Does a 955SP speedo read kph or mph?
KPH
> Which body panels/pieces are carbon?
NONE
Also, please correct the following information where necessary:
> There is NO triple-clamp plaque on the 955SP.
It will probably have one as these were added by Fast byFerrucci (in the US) or HT Automotive nopw Pro Twins (in the UK). But from the factory it wouldnt. But when so many had them added so early, then is this a part of the history or not?

> The 955SP wheels are the standard cast items from the 916.
Standard Brembo Racing 3 spokes

> The airbox MAY be carbon, but only some 955SPs were.
I think my old one was the only one as it was held back and didnt go to US for Homologation. I hear that was 1 or 4, the only other I have seen is Tamburinis in the MCN article.

> All 955SP engine numbers begin ZDM955W4*********.
Yep

Does anyone have close-up pics of:
> The front tire/wheel/brakes?
> The rear tire/wheel/brake/swingarm?
> The instrument cluster/triple clamp?
> The engine with fairings off - R/L?
All the same as a 916SP from 1996.

Is there anything else specific I should know or ask about prior to purchase? Thanx in advance!

Try and find one in the US, over there people just arent as bothered about them and they will be a lot cheaper.
Their fueling is a bit of a mess low down (in town) as they they are literally a 916sp with a 955cc engine pretty much.

Make sure you really want one!

If you have a look around you could find a 916SP that is in mint condition with like 5k miles for £5k ish. This will be identical to a 955 in every respect bar the extra 39cc.

If you are in the UK a 955 will be about £12 - £15k so with the change you would have from buying a 196sp rather than a 955sp you could buy a Hayden 848 or even build yourself a 955 Corsa Race rep.

Equally the last proper 916 Racing/955cc Corsa (proper carbon/magnesium/racing ohlins 155bhp+++) I saw sold at Bonhams for about £18k and that is a proper race bike. It is the one that the 955SP was thrown together buy the factory to get race bike homologated in the US.

The 955 is for when you have extra extra cash. I think I have one of the longest love affairs with this bike but do want you to know the downside to owning such a stealth ducati.

WYD OPN · 20 Mar 10, 02:26 PM

Thanx for the info and insights. I'm in the US, so 916SP/SP3 bikes are even more scarce than the 955. You hit it with the "love affair" comment, though. It's not really a practical acquisition for me. I've just always loved/wanted a 955 (and Supermono, 888SPS, and 998R). I love the raw understated simplicity of the bike being "thrown together" for AMA. To me, it's iconic BECAUSE it's compromised and "cobbled". It's a bike that wouldn't happen in the modern Ducati world; and is a reminder of another era.

I've managed to locate several 955s in the US:
MarkG's in SoCal
Ripper996's ex in SoCal
A title-problems bike in SoCal
A heavily-modded/upgraded in Minnesota
3 in private collections that aren't currently available

AND... one gorgeous, original, as-new blue-chip 1,100km example that I've offered £18,700 ($28K) on a £23,300 ($35K) asking price. (Even love has its limits. Lol.)

Mr.R · 20 Mar 10, 04:11 PM

Hi,
Try and get the engine and frame #'s before you buy the bike, then E-Mail Ducati in Italy, they can tell you if it's the real deal.

Good luck,

Steve R

P.S I've only ever seen one original 955 in the UK and I've attended a lot more Ducati events/Rallies etc than most other people over the years.

P.P.S I'm using the topend from a 916SP opened out to 96mm/955cc to build a hot motor for one of my 851/888's, using ST4 crankcases.

WYD OPN · 20 Mar 10, 06:51 PM

Thanx, Mr. R, I'm doing that now; but I'm confident of the provenance based on the copious paperwork documentation. The original owner was a Ducati dealer principle, and it has only been out of his hands a couple of years. I will confirm it, though.

Of the 9 I've located, 3 are original with substantial paperwork and docs. The other 2 aren't for sale, though.

Any chance of you or someone getting a list of 955 service customer bikes/numbers/info ftom Pro Twins for a 955 Registry?

Cheers!

MarkG · 17 Apr 10, 05:08 AM

Did you by any chance buy the one that just sold at Spectrum Motorsports? The sales manager told me they just shipped one that had 1100 km.

By the way, when I got mine titled I was WAY lucky. No epa sticker, emissions gear, and a VIN with too few numbers on it. I ran across a CHP officer that was in a good mood, that's the only way I can even begin to guess why I got it through.