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1973 Ducati 450 Scrambler
 
Go back to the 60’s in Italy and ask what kind of motorcycle was in vogue back then. Chances are, a majority of the people you ask will say "Scramblers." As one of the most popular wide-case single bikes at the time, the Ducati 450 Scrambler was, for all intents and purposes, a true road warrior on two wheels. It wasn’t intended to be used for off-road competition and in addition to the 450 version, it also came in 250 cc and 350 cc trims. The only reason why the 450 Scrambler didn’t carry a 500 cc engine was because the crank throw wouldn’t clear the gearbox. Nevertheless, the 450 Scrambler still packed plenty of punch to go along with an impressive frame that included an extra gusset along the top tube like Bruno Spaggiari’s racer, a wider chain and sprocket, slightly longer Marzocchi forks, and a silencer that was changed in 1969 to the cut-off Silentium type. The Ducati 450 Scrambler - CN: DM450S/467407 - that was auctioned off at the 2012 MTM auctions in Monaco remained in unrestored condition, complete with its original yellow painted body and alloy wheel rims. Expected bidding price for the bike ranged from €3,000-€4,000, which is around $3,900 - $5,200 based on current exchange rates. Actual selling price was $7,955. Well done!
1987 Ducati XL350 Pantah
Alongside the 500, 600, and 650 Pantahs in the early 1980s was a range of 350s specifically produced for the Italian market to accommodate a tax break for motorcycles below 350 cc. The 350 XL was one of Ducati’s parts-bin specialties and essentially a 500 SL with a 600 TL handlebar fairing and higher handlebars. More was sourced from the SL Pantah than the TL, including instruments, instrument panel, and rear-set foot-pegs. The 350 engine was a downsized 500 SL, with smaller valves (33.5 mm inlet and 30.5 mm exhaust). The Dell’Orto carburetors were smaller (30 mm), and there were new camshafts. The lower end, including the five-speed gearbox and wet cable-operated clutch, was identical to the later 500 SL, and the exhaust system was Silentium. The power was still a healthy 40 horsepower at 9,600 rpm. The 350 XL chassis was also very similar to the 500 SL, with gold FPS wheels, Paioli suspension, and small 05-series Brembo front brake calipers. Attractively styled in red and black, the 350 XL was capable of around 170 km/h. The 350 XL offered here is in excellent original condition, with nice paint and chrome. The Ducati XL350 Pantah was estimated to bring in between €3,000-€5,000, but it actually brought in €585, which is about $745 at the current rates.
1971 Ducati 750GT
One of the biggest winners at the 2012 RM Auctions in Monaco was the Ducati 750GT. First introduced to the market in 1971, the 750GT was the personification of a flash-bang Ducati. It was flashy, to say the least. The first examples of the 750GT came with silver painted frames with the tank and side covers finished in a colorful blend of metallic colors that included gold, lime green, bright blue, or red. Colors notwithstanding, the true highlight of the 750GT was its 748 cc SOHC V-twin engine that was capable of hitting top speeds in excess of 120 mph. The surest sign that Ducati went and invested a whole lot in the 750GT was because of the laborious and painstaking detail they took just to build one. The construction of the engine was so precise that it took up to eight hours to assemble one unit, making sure that all the bevel-drive gears and bearings were correctly set up. If it was a racing engine, Ducati would take two days to build one. Initially, the bike’s sales lagged until Paul Smart won at Imola in 1972 with the 750GT, beating some of the best manufacturers this side of the galaxy. As a result, the 750GT became a legend of sorts, with Taglioni even saying that its engine was the best he ever designed. As for the Ducati 750GT that was offered at the RM Auctions, that one came in excellent overall condition with superior paint, chrome details, and even the early Amal carburetors. The 750GT sold for a staggering €38,025 ($48,800), a price that’s miles north of what the estimated €12,000 - €15,000 ($15,400 - $19,000).
1992 Ducati 350 Super Sport
Exclusively sold in Italy to go with other Super Sport models, the Ducati 350 Super Sport was built as a smaller displacement model from 1989 to 1993 and traces its lineage to Ducati’s highly popular 900 cc Super Sport. The 350 Super Sport was far from a slouch; it was powered by a 341 cc SOHC Desmo V-twin engine that was mated to a five-speed transmission, producing a stout 27 horsepower. Despite the svelte and sporty look, the 350 Super Sport was actually considered an economical bike, at least compared to the 400 cc Super Sport that was released in Japan and Germany until 1995 and the 600 cc Super Sport that was in production from 1993-1997. The Ducati 350 Super Sport that was auctioned off at the 2012 RM Auctions in Monaco came in original condition, complete with a nice red paint finish. However, the bike was also noted as "needing some work," which probably explains why it only sold for €585 ($750), a number that’s far below its pre-auction estimated price of €2,800 - €3,800 ($3,600 - $4,900).
1954 Ducati 98 TL
The Ducati 98TL isn’t the most glamorous of all Ducati bikes, but it still belongs in the list of any Ducati collector worth his salt. The 98 TL was effectively the touring version of Ducati’s once-famous 98 cc OHV pushrod series. It was a little cheaper than the Italian bike maker’s sporting OHC models, and with the cheaper price tag, the 98 TL was considered one of the most economical and lightweight Ducati bikes in history. The model that was auctioned off at the 2012 RM Auctions in Monaco is finished in red and has been described as a "nice original," a phrase that should come as music to the ears of Ducati collectors. It’s still owed a nice restoration job, but that should come with the territory if you’re going to make a bid for it. Speaking of bids, the 1954 98 TL - CN: DM 13105 - was expected to have a bid range of about €2,500 - €3,500, which is around $3,300 - $4,500 based on current exchange rates. Actual auction price was a disappointing €585, which is about $751 at the current rates.
1980 Ducati TT Corsa Pantah
Back in 1980, the Ducati TT Corsa Pantah made headlines after it competed at the 1980 Italian National Junior Championship with four factory bikes built by no less than Franco Farne. The TT Corsa Pantah ended up winning five of seven races after being driven by Vanes Francini, Paolo Menchini and Guido Del Piano. The bike’s red and yellow bodywork is only one of many stand-out qualities about the bike. For the TT Corsa Pantah, Farne used the 500SL frame and added a Marzoccchi racing suspension. Even the engine, a 583 cc SOHC Desmo V-tine single engine was capable of producing 70 horsepower at 9,800 rpm and mated to a five-speed transmission. For this particular example, the seller has been on record saying that the bike was ridden by no less than Vanes Francini in the 1980 Italian Junior Series. It’s been tagged as in excellent condition, with red and yellow factory paintwork and unmarked fairing, Paioli front forks, oil cooler, Brembo brakes and adjustable rear shocks by Marzocchi are also part of the bike’s overall package. Combine its history and current state, it’s no wonder why this TT Corsa Pantah was expected to fetch around €14,000 - €16,000, which is around $18,000 - $20,700 based on current exchange rates. Its actual purchase price at the auction was €11,700, or about $15,026 at the current rates. Ouch.
1980 Ducati 350 Sport Desmo
Some would say that the Ducati 350 Sport Desmo, together with the 500 Sport Desmo, was a bike that vindicated Ducati, especially after its predecessors failed to capture the market’s imagination the way Ducati wanted them to. Following in the reins of the disappointing GTL models, the 350 Sport Desmo featured a plethora of upgrades, including the addition of Borrani rims, Marzocchi forks, and Brembo brakes. On top of that, the bike also came with a 350 cc SOHC Desmo parallel-twin engine that was mated to a five-speed transmission. The bike was successful enough that Ducati even launched the 500 Sport Desmo and the racing 500 Super Sport in 1977, marking a return to form that only Ducati could have pulled of. The 350 Sport Desmo that was shown at the 2012 RM Auctions in Monaco fetched €3,218 ($4,100), a price that was right on par with its pre-auction range €3,000 - €4,000 ($3,800 - $5,200).
2000 Ducati MHE900
As the brainchild of designer Pierre Terblanche, the Ducati MHE900 was born to commemorate Mike Hailwood’s remarkable comeback win at the Isle of Man TT in 1978. Essentially, the MHE900 is Ducati’s first attempt at E-Commerce, building 1,000 models of the bike and putting it up for sale on the Internet. As expected, the MHE900 was an immediate success, prompting Ducati to build another 1,000 numbered units. In terms of design, the MHE900 comes with a retro styling that harkens back to the design of the 70’s. From the complicated tank and fairing to the dingle-sided steel swing-arm, the MHE900 is truly a bike that stands on its own two wheels. More than just its classic looks, the bike is also powered by an impressive powertrain in the form of a 904-cc, two-valve, air-cooled Desmo Super Sport engine. The bike auctioned off at the RM Auctions in Monaco - Model No.3 of 2,000 - was about as new condition as any of the other models in existence. It’s been on a number of motor shows as a display bike and was even exhibited at the Ducati factory. Rest assured, this MHE900 is a bike that Ducati collectors would trip over their bids just to own. Expected pricing for this bike was about €10,000 - €12,000, which is around $13,000 - $15,500 based on current exchange rates. Actual auction price was €12,870, or about $16,528 at the current rates. More photos of the Ducati MHE900 Model No. 3 of 2,000 after the jump.
1950 Ducati 60
Ducati’s line of Cucciolo motor bicycles were so successful that by 1950, the Italian bike maker had already sold over 200,000 units of the model. With the demand for the bike hitting fever pitch, Ducati decided to branch out from the Cucciolo and build a model that was developed from it. Thus, the Ducati 60 Sport was born in March 1950. Looking the part of those earlier design motorcycles, the 60 Sport was by no means a push-over model. While it was built in the mold of the Cucciolo, the 60 Sport carried its own 65 cc four-stroke OHV engine that was capable of hitting a top speed of 40 mph with a fuel tank capacity of 200 mpg. The particular 60 Sport model that was auctioned off at the 2012 RM Auctions in Monaco is one of the oldest real motorcycles that Ducati has ever built. With a company that has become one of the most famous motorcycle brands in the world, its easy to see how a model that comes with an older restoration and a pleasing patina will fetch plenty of attention at the auction block. The Ducati 60 Sport was expected to hit a bid price of around €1,500- €2,500, which is around $1,900 - $3,400 based on current exchange rates. It actually sold for €2,340, about $3,000 at the current exchange rates.
1956 Ducati 65 Cucciolo Sport
Back when cafe racers didn’t come with all the technology and design dynamics of today’s models, bikes like the Ducati 65 Cucciolo Sport were the kings of the road. As the sporting version of the Ducati 65, the 65 Cucciolo Sport was as popular a cafe racer as they’d come. It featured a dual seat, clip-on handlebars, and the same steel body design that has made up the true classic Ducati. In addition to its styling, the 65 Cucciolo Sport also carried an impressive powertrain in the form of a 65 cc OHV single cylinder engine that produces 2.5 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and is mated to a three-speed transmission. It wasn’t the most powerful Ducati of its time, let alone any time, but for sheer riding pleasure, the Ducati 65 Cucciolo Sport was in a true class of its own. The model that will be auctioned off at the 2012 RM Auctions in Monaco on May 11, 2012 - CN: DM 56026 - is an older restoration model with a red and black paint, good chrome, and a black vinyl seat. Expected bid price for the bike is around €3,000 - €4,000, which is around $3,800 - $5,100 based on current exchange rates. More photos of the Ducati 65 Cucciolo Sport CN: DM 56026 after the jump.
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Ducati motorcycles
