SP4 on fleabay

[851neil]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1992-DUCATI-888-SP4_W0QQitemZ4575606344QQcategoryZ9919QQrdZ1QQcmdZ ViewItem

not sure if this link works - 1st time trying !!

[logyk]

Do any of the Club's acknowledged experts on the 851/888 series have any views on this bike ?

If so I would be very interested to hear them.

[Twinfan]

Looks a bit "used" to me and could do with a spruce up. On that basis, £4000 might be a touch pricey.

The right hand can looks dented where it joins the pipes. Has it been dropped?

[beancounter]

If it helps, I had to pay 7500 for mine from a dealer (Forza Italia) including a service and new tyres, however it was (is) an immaculate low mileage bike and not a bit 'tatty' like this one.

I don't think you'll get any sp4 for 4k however much of a spruce up it needs. These bikes are rare and desirable now, and consequently quite expensive.

[weeveetwin]

Hard to believe its so low mileage, judging by the general condition. The clocks are in Km too, so in fact it's actually reading under 6000 miles!

Damaged cans/non-original footpegs? Maybe it's spent time on the track?

"Runs beautifully" doesn't say a lot - and that makes me wary. I'd want much more info before bidding. I'd want some good close-up pictures too.

[Twinfan]

If it was me, I'd go and view it and chat to the owner...

[Rob B]

Hmm, no E-bay history. Got to be a face to face deal me thinks.

[Nattyboy]

:D Ive had 2 U2U's now from current 'non 888' owners !! asking my opinion - a good sign eh boys ??!

Have to agree with BC...Its worth £4k with no fairing !!!

You'd have to say if you were selling a bike of this pedigree..youd certainly do more than cut and paste a quote from Ian Falloon !! No mention of history or anything...:o - Or any number 1's on the fairings..thats gotta be worth £500 of the price !!!!

Nat

[Redsps]

been having a good old nosy at this aswell.
It may not be as ropey as you might think, if it's been used on a regular basis or similar, which it looks like it has the wear and tear on the motor etc should be pretty even, well run in by now,instead of a bike thats been stood up 99% of its life, never geeting a proper run.
comestics can be recified provided it's not serious damage.
It'll will go for more than 4k peeps,near 6k easily, I'll put money on it.
Give it some TLC, and it will be a totally different bike.

by the way, just for identification purposes, their is one sure fire way to tell an SP4 apart from an SP4S (SPS)... I'll leave that one with you peeps.

[Nattyboy]

2..carbon tank (straps at the front the giveaway!) and/or lack of fans on rad..:D.

Do I get a prize Robin ??!!

Nat

[Redsps]

as I thought , it's going to be over 6k.

[Redsps]

nat, nope.
apart from the obvious items, there is a very sutle difference in one specific area.

try again.

[Rob B]

Doesn't look like an SPS to me, plate number is too high and the tank is wrong

[mikesps]

SPS differences:

An SPS comes with carbon cans as standard, and a carbon fuel tank (painted red).

Mike

[Redsps]

Rob, I was'nt thinking it was an sps, would need to have been within the first 100 as we know.;);) just to start with let alone the tank, pipes, carbon bits, chip,engine ,bla bla bla.:P:P

just mentioned the sps bit as general info for peeps on the lookout.
Need to have a conflab with you shortly rob, can u2u me your tel number , can't find it in my old file.

cheers
robin

[weeveetwin]

Re. SPS / SP4, the difference:

Is it visual Robin? Or internal? (And what's the prize for the chap who gets it right..!?)

[sparkin]

Silver Rad on the SPS too..now where`s me prize:devil:

[domski]

Model Year: 1992

Date of 1st Registration: 04 Aug 1997

??????

You think this was raced for 5 years? or just boxed up?

[Redsps]

import with limited prior history maybee.

[NUx]

One little difference between the SP4 and SPS is that the radiator of the SP4 has 18 ribbles (or how do you call that) and a SPS has 20 ribbles. :sing:

[Monty]

SP4 has the same engine as SPS with the exception of the exhaust cam.

John

[Ains.]

Originally posted by Monty
SP4 has the same engine as SPS with the exception of the exhaust cam.

John

Sorry mate, no it doesn't. Internal engine detail defferences are too many to mention on here, lightweight Penkl rods for a start. The difference between the SPS engine and the pukka CORSA was that the SPS engine was detuned by fitting a 91 spec CORSA zorst cam and a different airbox.

There were a few so called SPS's knocking about very early on that were SP4'z that were tarted up by addition of some hotter cams, but they were definately NOT true SPS/SP4S's.

The SP5 had the same engine as the SPS supposedly. Funny how the SP5 made about 10 horse less though.

Ains.

[weeveetwin]

Hi guys

I'm always fascinated by the amount of so-called factual information (or misinformation??) we 888 owners bandy about as 'gospel'. Maybe it's because the Ducati factory - in the early 90's - gave so little away? Anyway, here's my two-pennorth, culled from certain worthy publications (for what it's worth!)...

In order to address reliability issues concerning the con-rods used on Ducati's 888 race bikes, Austrian made Pankl steel rods were fitted to all the early street 851's, and to 888SP's from the SP2 onward. These were stronger rods, and weighed approx. 150g less than those used previously.

Common wisdom suggests that these 'lightweight' rods weren't used in later (lower revving) 888's - but this photo (of a standard 1993-94 888 Strada crank) would seem to prove otherwise.

(Titanium rods weren't used until they were fitted to the later 916SPS).

So, there we have it. Just a little more misinformation..!

Steve

[Jools]

Hmmm....When I've got my '93 Strada singing up to the red line it would be nice and reassuring to think that it had Pankl rods to minimise the chances of throwing a rod or kissing a valve.

But isn't that photo from Moto-one performance showing "the Pankl rods that Strada's are not supposed to have"? So it could be that the engine was upgraded at some prior point in it's life, or another explanation....

Pankl rods weren't supposed to be standard Strada spec equipment, but we all know that the factory cash flow problems of this era often caused fitment of whatever was in the parts bin. Could it be that when Ducati hadn't paid the conrod bill from their 'standard' supplier they raided the SP parts bin for a week or two to keep production flowing

Without pulling my motor apart to check, I'm going to assume ordinary conrods and try and stay off the rev limiter

[Ains.]

3 pix of the difference in std and leightweight rods
No# 1

[Ains.]

No#2

[Ains.]

No#3

All yours guys. ;)

Ains.

[Douglas851]

Which are the ones with the hole drilled up the centre so that the little end gets pressure feed from the big end? Stops the infamous little end seizure

Douglas

[loony888]

i have a 93 888 strada that i bought completely stock, except for staintune slip on's 6 years ago. i know the history of the bike from new and am the 3rd owner. i can say with confidence that until i fitted high comp pistons the heads and barrels have not been off, i can also report that my strada also has pankl steel rods, factory fitted. now i can't speak for anyone elses bike as i am fully aware it is "supposed" to have the std macchi type rods, but i thought i'd add my 2pence.

[RightSaidFred]

Anyone on here win this? 5 grand seems like a good buy.