Misterpink,you can see from these replies that 851/888 owners are extremly passionate about their bikes:) Like the advert says
"come on,dive in!"

My SP5 certainly holds it's own against more modern stuff.Ride outs with Yella and Ray with 998's and 998R's i didn't get stuffed.Compared to my previous 853,the SP5 would eat it.Handling is alot more stable and secure and turn in can be speeded up with the ride height adjustment.I LOVE IT and will NEVER sell it.Bloody perfect(well with the slipper,4 pad calipers and radial master cylinders!):D

IMHO the 888 is probably the best all round Ducati made in the last 15 years. I am sure it will become one of the most desirable Ducs to have in the future. The simplest way to justify this is to get a group of 900SS riders and 916 riders together, and ask them what they love and hate about their bikes. Through evolution the 888 sits in between, and shares a lot of the good stuff, and a few of the bad. If the 916 shape wasn't so sexy, I am sure Ducati would have made 888's for a couple more years. But thankfully for 888 riders they didn't and so the value has remained comparitively high. In fact in Australia you can buy a 916 for less coin. At the risk of upsetting people in here, whilst the Sp bikes are very desirable, and most strada riders do their best to emulate them, the gear ratios and state of tune are more suited to spirited riding then a more comonly ridden bike. That said the better suspension is worth the extra money.

Sounds like i should give Gordy a call and look at his - thanks for all the comments.

Search time:

http://www.bikez.com/bike/index.php?bike=3019

http://www.bikez.com/bike/index.php?bike=4024

http://arch.home.texas.net/sp4/pictures.html

http://www.bulldogmtnbikes.com/ducati_888.htm

good fun hunting these down :)

Nice links Frank,It`s not hard to see why these bikes are held in such high regard looking at those pictures:) fantastic:roll:
Can`t wait to get mine back:smug: Sparkin`s got an itch and it needs scratching:devil:

You wont regret it ! Like Sparkin I have owned a brace of modern dukes..but ive just fell in love with the 888.

I was fortunate enough to buy an S4R last summer to keep it company, but in terms of overall ownership experience it just doesnt come close to my 888.

It has pedigree, looks stunning, was made in relativley small numbers and just turns heads like you wouldnt believe (and sounds incredible as all my fellow 888 owners will no doubt testify!!)...not just exhuast note but an induction growl like you wouldnt believe !!

It wont steer as quick as a 9** but this can be aided by increasing the rear ride height/selecting decent tyres (888's are very sensitive to both tyre pressure and choice).

Only disappointment when I got mine was the front lever coming back to the bar after hard use, but again this can be easily rectified by fitting a larger bore MC from a 9** or (even better!) a radial master cylinder like mine.

As I say, I knew gordys bikes previous owner and in terms of maintenance, it was spoilt rotten !

(I can also put you in touch with Kev the bikes previous owner if youd like a second opinion).

Best of luck and look forward to sharing tales of 888 ownership in our 'select' forum :lol:

Cheers
Nat