Varese 916s ... continued

This from the ad is not true:

"Of all 1994 production, the most sought-after are the very small production run hand built at the Varese factory by Cagiva MV"

All 1994 bikes and some 1995 bikes were built in Varese apart from about 3 (I think it was) prior to the fire which would therefor command more money than the Varese bikes. Marketing flounce or deliberate lie I wonder?
 
There is one here also in the U.K. on ebay for classified but open to offers, listed as £12,800

www.ebay.co.uk

Ducati 916 ‘Varese’ | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Ducati 916 ‘Varese’ at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!
www.ebay.co.uk
 
Noobie said:
There is one here also in the U.K. on ebay for classified but open to offers, listed as £12,800

www.ebay.co.uk

Ducati 916 ‘Varese’ | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Ducati 916 ‘Varese’ at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!
www.ebay.co.uk
Click to expand...
That is probably a 1995 MY bike produced at the end of 1994 so not launch model year. Edit - I see it has confirmation 1994 MY :) (y)
 
varese.webp
 
That is downright outrageous, I strongly suspect there’ll be many who end up selling for less than they paid or who simply cannot sell at all without taking a loss.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: sev
The story is that Australian Design Rules required symmetrical beams in bikes that had two headlights (i.e. low & high beams in both headlights). As the 916 (and 748) had low beam in one with the high beam in the other the Australian importers had to convert the bikes before sale to a single light (the factory was not able to change the design during the life of these two models).

The original headlight assembly was able to be purchased by the owner and refitted, but at the owners responsibility. It is doubtful that any bike remained with the single headlight a second longer than necessary after sale. Symmetrical beams were introduced by the factory with the 996.

Funnily enough, the square light front fairing is a bit of an odd collector's item here. 😆
 
to add to the above, It was legislation at the time that drove that in Australia.
Their equivalent of VoSA / SVA set the rules about what the legalities of optics were and so Ducati had to accommodate.
Its why all twin headlamp jap bikes of the time both had hi/lo symmetrical about centreline - it was the safest bet to cover all markets.

Ducati at the time couldn't do it with the single phase alternator as it was too weak to drive the twin 55/60w lamps. The 996 three phase changed all that.

By early 2000's the legislation change yet again, and the ECE regs stated that optics must be symmetrical about centreline.
Technology wasn't there for a small diameter bulb that did both hi/lo so it gave rise to smaller bulbs being stacked as in the 999 / MVf4 and the Aprilia Mille with it's triple lamp design which if you look, is one main through the centre and two other lamps stacked symmetrically about the centre line.

Interesting you mention the symmetrical beams being introduced with the 996, I was always under the apprehension that the 916 family had independent beam lamps right through to the end.
 
As to the Varese hype, its funny how collectors create their own myths isn't it to inflate worth.
Its a bit like saying that a bike is worth more because it was asembled by the lady in the publicity poster instead of any other bike assembled by the bloke next to her that was identical in every way.

My workshop where I make garden rakes burn't down so I used Fred's shed to do my work till I got a new workshop - the product is no different but dear god if it's a fred's shed garden rake.. worth fahhhsands of quids.

I believe the only people that have the right to wave that willy around is ironically, honda owners with RC30s. The RC30 was built not ny honda motorcycles production line but by HRC themselves, and therefore markedly special. The RC45 I'm not going to add to the list as it was lacklustre compared to the 30, as it really needed its 150k race kit to shine. I know a man with both, and he said his RC45 feels no different to his vfr750 when you get past the wow of it being a '45, but his RC30 is something uniquely special to ride.

It would be the same as Ducati doing a special edition R but the 500 bikes are all put together by the techs at the Reparto Corse with kit parts sprinkled in there.

I'll also add to that the very last of the 888sp models that were thrown out. I once bumped into a bloke with an SP5 - it was one of the last ten or so. It was essentially a full on works bike with the road going lights and loom thrown on there just to get it out the door.

Whereas the whole we built a new factory so the ones in the old factory that were identical are worth more.. nah, not really buying that.
 
I do question the Varese premium. I get the fact it’s the first in the line which may add a small premium if mint and totally original but the premium being asked for 1995 916s is just hype IMO.

Do I have one? No.

Am I just jealous because I don’t have one? No.

Im trying to be objective. If someone had a Panigale with a frame & engine number that was within the first 4000 or so would that command a premium?

I think it was @Exige who pointed out in the DF thread that there were also a few thousand Monsters made in Varese as well but no-one asks a premium for those over a 96 bike.
 
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sev said:
As to the Varese hype, its funny how collectors create their own myths isn't it to inflate worth.
Its a bit like saying that a bike is worth more because it was asembled by the lady in the publicity poster instead of any other bike assembled by the bloke next to her that was identical in every way.

My workshop where I make garden rakes burn't down so I used Fred's shed to do my work till I got a new workshop - the product is no different but dear god if it's a fred's shed garden rake.. worth fahhhsands of quids.

I believe the only people that have the right to wave that willy around is ironically, honda owners with RC30s. The RC30 was built not ny honda motorcycles production line but by HRC themselves, and therefore markedly special. The RC45 I'm not going to add to the list as it was lacklustre compared to the 30, as it really needed its 150k race kit to shine. I know a man with both, and he said his RC45 feels no different to his vfr750 when you get past the wow of it being a '45, but his RC30 is something uniquely special to ride.

It would be the same as Ducati doing a special edition R but the 500 bikes are all put together by the techs at the Reparto Corse with kit parts sprinkled in there.

I'll also add to that the very last of the 888sp models that were thrown out. I once bumped into a bloke with an SP5 - it was one of the last ten or so. It was essentially a full on works bike with the road going lights and loom thrown on there just to get it out the door.

Whereas the whole we built a new factory so the ones in the old factory that were identical are worth more.. nah, not really buying that.
Click to expand...
The fact that they are the first year production is the only factor here regarding their worth above later years - the Varese issue is being pushed to try and hype some late 1994 and early 1995 bikes that were 95 model year into the same category when they aren't.
What about other Ducati's produced in Varese in 1994 like monsters, where's the hype? It's all bollocks but there are gullible people out there. The one's that are worth more are the 'less than a handful' of Bologna built 916's from before the fire :)
 
Exige said:
The fact that they are the first year production is the only factor here regarding their worth above later years - the Varese issue is being pushed to try and hype some late 1994 and early 1995 bikes that were 95 model year into the same category when they aren't.
What about other Ducati's produced in Varese in 1994 like monsters, where's the hype? It's all bollocks but there are gullible people out there. The one's that are worth more are the 'less than a handful' of Bologna built 916's from before the fire :)
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I thought there were only 4 built in Bologna in 1994 before the paint shop fire.
 
Exige said:
The fact that they are the first year production is the only factor here regarding their worth above later years - the Varese issue is being pushed to try and hype some late 1994 and early 1995 bikes that were 95 model year into the same category when they aren't.
What about other Ducati's produced in Varese in 1994 like monsters, where's the hype? It's all bollocks but there are gullible people out there. The one's that are worth more are the 'less than a handful' of Bologna built 916's from before the fire :)
Click to expand...
But.... But....when you sold me one you said it was worth more? :unsure::whistle::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
 
sev said:
to add to the above, It was legislation at the time that drove that in Australia.
Their equivalent of VoSA / SVA set the rules about what the legalities of optics were and so Ducati had to accommodate.
Its why all twin headlamp jap bikes of the time both had hi/lo symmetrical about centreline - it was the safest bet to cover all markets.

Ducati at the time couldn't do it with the single phase alternator as it was too weak to drive the twin 55/60w lamps. The 996 three phase changed all that.

By early 2000's the legislation change yet again, and the ECE regs stated that optics must be symmetrical about centreline.
Technology wasn't there for a small diameter bulb that did both hi/lo so it gave rise to smaller bulbs being stacked as in the 999 / MVf4 and the Aprilia Mille with it's triple lamp design which if you look, is one main through the centre and two other lamps stacked symmetrically about the centre line.

Interesting you mention the symmetrical beams being introduced with the 996, I was always under the apprehension that the 916 family had independent beam lamps right through to the end.
Click to expand...
Yes, nor does it fit with the ST series which had main on one side and dip on the other within the same optic nor the current Supersport which has 2 separate optics with dip in one and main in the other.
 
sev said:
As to the Varese hype, its funny how collectors create their own myths isn't it to inflate worth.
Its a bit like saying that a bike is worth more because it was asembled by the lady in the publicity poster instead of any other bike assembled by the bloke next to her that was identical in every way.

My workshop where I make garden rakes burn't down so I used Fred's shed to do my work till I got a new workshop - the product is no different but dear god if it's a fred's shed garden rake.. worth fahhhsands of quids.

I believe the only people that have the right to wave that willy around is ironically, honda owners with RC30s. The RC30 was built not ny honda motorcycles production line but by HRC themselves, and therefore markedly special. The RC45 I'm not going to add to the list as it was lacklustre compared to the 30, as it really needed its 150k race kit to shine. I know a man with both, and he said his RC45 feels no different to his vfr750 when you get past the wow of it being a '45, but his RC30 is something uniquely special to ride.

It would be the same as Ducati doing a special edition R but the 500 bikes are all put together by the techs at the Reparto Corse with kit parts sprinkled in there.

I'll also add to that the very last of the 888sp models that were thrown out. I once bumped into a bloke with an SP5 - it was one of the last ten or so. It was essentially a full on works bike with the road going lights and loom thrown on there just to get it out the door.

Whereas the whole we built a new factory so the ones in the old factory that were identical are worth more.. nah, not really buying that.
Click to expand...
Have a pic or 2 of a RC..
26-03-08_1122.webp
26-03-08_1259.webp
 
Which brings me to the other "exclusive" "limited" edition Ducati which commands a premium price when it's just a bloody 916 Strada with a paint job and name on it.

I speak of course of the 916 Senna. There were 872 made so not exactly a limited run and they perform, despite their famous namesake, no better than your run of the mill 916 Strada.

But look at the stupid prices they command and the morons queueing up to buy them. :mad:

Ayrton must be spinning in his grave like a tornado that such a base bike was named after him.
 
Everclear said:
Which brings me to the other "exclusive" "limited" edition Ducati which commands a premium price when it's just a bloody 916 Strada with a paint job and name on it.

I speak of course of the 916 Senna. There were 872 made so not exactly a limited run and they perform, despite their famous namesake, no better than your run of the mill 916 Strada.

But look at the stupid prices they command and the morons queueing up to buy them. :mad:

Ayrton must be spinning in his grave like a tornado that such a base bike was named after him.
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Whats probably not that well known is that the Senna Foundation charge for the use of their "brand" so the logotype and lettering and the rights all have to be paid for, so any special edition including that mess that the woking Guinnesss pumped out was paid for the privilege.

I wouldn't even begin to know how much, but its not cheap, and enough to probably keep bruno in racing till he gets bored.

In fact thinnking about it - that's why Mclaren got him on the gt3 payroll - it was probably cheaper than paying the foundation the full money for the use of the name being the cheap shits they are.
 
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