Of all the bikes I've ever owned, the one that seems to get the most attention and have the most questions asked about it is, the Desmosedici RR.
Here's the story of how Des #1143 came to me.
I wanted a Desmosedici from the off, but at £42k new in 2008, there was no way I could make that happen at the time. At that time, I'd never bought a new bike in my life and always preferred to let someone else take the depreciation, buying a lightly used example 2 or 3 years down the line. I wasn't even sure I could do the with this bike though.
The bikes were sold from late 2008 through to 2009 with a few stragglers in 2010. I watched the prices steadily drop by a few £k, but by early 2013, they were beginning to level off. They were around £32k - £38k with some people asking slight premiums or trying to get their money back on unused ones. The cheapest I saw one for was £29k with around 13k miles iirc.
So I knew it could be a case of now or never.
To make it happen I took the plunge and sold 2 bikes. My Ducati 1098S and MV Agusta F4S.
This took a couple of months and in this time I was saving adverts up for Desmosedicis form the usual sources, eBay, MCN etc. I wasn't calling anybody as I wasn't in the position to buy. and didn't want to waste anybodys time.
So bikes are sold, savings raided and I'm looking.
There are around 4 or 5 available. I get talking to a guy in Dundee about #749. Percieved wisdom is to buy a bike with a yoke number >#1000 as some valve train issues had been sorted at the factory. It had around 3.5k miles on it, and was £32k. He's a gent and sends me all of the paperwork through for the bike which he's owned from new. (This bike has recenly appeared for sale at a lot more money). I think it was around mid week and I agree to view the bike that weekend.
In the mean time I dig out an old afvert from MCN that was lying on a shelf for 3 months when I 1st started looking. This bike was no longer for sale on the MCN site. It was a very late registered bike on a 10 plate. Number #1143, 2.2k miles and with the extremely expensive, £6k GP7 exhaust. It was up for £37k. This was the bike I wanted all along, but I thought it must be sold.
On the off chance, I call the number on the advert and get an answer machine message from a roofing company in Liverpool. I leave a message but really wasn't going to persue it much more. 10 mins later I get a call back from a guy who says he's still got it but had all but decided to keep ot now. He had a few bikes, but had decided to sell the Desmo as it was the most valuable and he was renovatinig a cottage in North Wales. He'd had it sold twice, but in both cases it fell through due to people not being able to get the funds. I chat to him for around 10 mins trying to find out about the bike, tell him about going to see the one in Dundee, but I like his. He has everything for it, and is the 2nd owner. I make him a bit of a low ball offer and.............he accepts.
I think this is the only time I remember shaking when buying a bike.
He sends me a load of pictures through of it and copies of the documentation. All his other bikes live in his out building, Des #1143 lives in the dining room
After viewing pics and arranging a van for the weekend I'm set to go.
I call the guy in Dundee and explain the situation. Basically I'd like to look at this bike 1st, then his if I don't go for this one. He's understanding as I'd only made a commitment to view, not buy.
So off to Liverpool and to cut a long story short. The bike is mint, I transfer the money, his girlfriend is delighted to get her dining room back and he's a little sad to see it go.
In the van and head home.
A few hours later, it's in the garage and I can't quite believe it. I must have looked at it, 20 times that night.
I bought it when it was 2 1/2 years old and when I decided to write this today, I've owned it for 7 years.
It's pretty much as I bought it, as what do you modify on them? I would maybe have bought the GP7 exhust, but I'm glad I didn't have to.
The 16" rear wheel is impossible to get tyres for now and the bike needs a 17" rear. There is the option of putting the 999R rear wheel in or buying after market wheels. I put a pair of BST carbon wheels on it.
Because the seat unit of the GP7 exhaust kit has a plain white number board on it, I also had it pin striped and a Desmosedici logo put on.
There you have the story of #1143
As I speak it has about 3,200 miles on it and is still mint. The dealer I take it to to get serviced sees about 4 a year and says this is by far the cleanest.
Here's the story of how Des #1143 came to me.
I wanted a Desmosedici from the off, but at £42k new in 2008, there was no way I could make that happen at the time. At that time, I'd never bought a new bike in my life and always preferred to let someone else take the depreciation, buying a lightly used example 2 or 3 years down the line. I wasn't even sure I could do the with this bike though.
The bikes were sold from late 2008 through to 2009 with a few stragglers in 2010. I watched the prices steadily drop by a few £k, but by early 2013, they were beginning to level off. They were around £32k - £38k with some people asking slight premiums or trying to get their money back on unused ones. The cheapest I saw one for was £29k with around 13k miles iirc.
So I knew it could be a case of now or never.
To make it happen I took the plunge and sold 2 bikes. My Ducati 1098S and MV Agusta F4S.
This took a couple of months and in this time I was saving adverts up for Desmosedicis form the usual sources, eBay, MCN etc. I wasn't calling anybody as I wasn't in the position to buy. and didn't want to waste anybodys time.
So bikes are sold, savings raided and I'm looking.
There are around 4 or 5 available. I get talking to a guy in Dundee about #749. Percieved wisdom is to buy a bike with a yoke number >#1000 as some valve train issues had been sorted at the factory. It had around 3.5k miles on it, and was £32k. He's a gent and sends me all of the paperwork through for the bike which he's owned from new. (This bike has recenly appeared for sale at a lot more money). I think it was around mid week and I agree to view the bike that weekend.
In the mean time I dig out an old afvert from MCN that was lying on a shelf for 3 months when I 1st started looking. This bike was no longer for sale on the MCN site. It was a very late registered bike on a 10 plate. Number #1143, 2.2k miles and with the extremely expensive, £6k GP7 exhaust. It was up for £37k. This was the bike I wanted all along, but I thought it must be sold.
On the off chance, I call the number on the advert and get an answer machine message from a roofing company in Liverpool. I leave a message but really wasn't going to persue it much more. 10 mins later I get a call back from a guy who says he's still got it but had all but decided to keep ot now. He had a few bikes, but had decided to sell the Desmo as it was the most valuable and he was renovatinig a cottage in North Wales. He'd had it sold twice, but in both cases it fell through due to people not being able to get the funds. I chat to him for around 10 mins trying to find out about the bike, tell him about going to see the one in Dundee, but I like his. He has everything for it, and is the 2nd owner. I make him a bit of a low ball offer and.............he accepts.
I think this is the only time I remember shaking when buying a bike.He sends me a load of pictures through of it and copies of the documentation. All his other bikes live in his out building, Des #1143 lives in the dining room
After viewing pics and arranging a van for the weekend I'm set to go.
I call the guy in Dundee and explain the situation. Basically I'd like to look at this bike 1st, then his if I don't go for this one. He's understanding as I'd only made a commitment to view, not buy.
So off to Liverpool and to cut a long story short. The bike is mint, I transfer the money, his girlfriend is delighted to get her dining room back and he's a little sad to see it go.
In the van and head home.
A few hours later, it's in the garage and I can't quite believe it. I must have looked at it, 20 times that night.
I bought it when it was 2 1/2 years old and when I decided to write this today, I've owned it for 7 years.
It's pretty much as I bought it, as what do you modify on them? I would maybe have bought the GP7 exhust, but I'm glad I didn't have to.
The 16" rear wheel is impossible to get tyres for now and the bike needs a 17" rear. There is the option of putting the 999R rear wheel in or buying after market wheels. I put a pair of BST carbon wheels on it.
Because the seat unit of the GP7 exhaust kit has a plain white number board on it, I also had it pin striped and a Desmosedici logo put on.
There you have the story of #1143
As I speak it has about 3,200 miles on it and is still mint. The dealer I take it to to get serviced sees about 4 a year and says this is by far the cleanest.
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