The Italian supermodel
Stunning to look at and dominant on track, this classic is often an expensive pain in the arse to own. Beauty comes at a cost with the Ducati 916…
price guide: £5,000 - £20,000
Cheapest private: £6,850 An accurate copy of the Foggy rep with correct decals, etc.
Our choice private: £9,995 1,170 miles, fantastic example of this iconic bike
Cheapest dealer: £5,250 26,000 miles, wavy discs, Renthal sprockets, gold clutch plate
Our choice dealer: £5,999 16,500 miles, perfect example of an early 916
Few bikes claim to have had the kind of impact on biking that the Ducati 916 achieved. Not only did this thoroughbred dominate WSB throughout the 1990s, it put Ducati on the map, sold stacks, starred in films and even appeared in art galleries. No bike before or since has replicated this kind of phenomenal success and now, 20 years later, the Ducati 916 is arguably the most iconic two-wheeled machine of the 20th century.
Like so many stand out inventions, the Ducati 916 was the result of a meeting of several great minds. Having taken over Ducati in 1985, Claudio Castiglioni employed Bimota founding partner Massimo Tamburini as head of design. Together with engine builder Massimo Bordi, who invented the water-cooled four-valve desmoquattro motor while at university in Bologna, this team was tasked with building Ducati’s latest generation of superbike to take over from the aging 888. What they created changed the face of motorcycling forever.
Honda may have launched the revolutionary 1992 FireBlade two years before the 916, but despite its staggering power and light weight, in typical Japanese style the ’Blade was still a very practical. Tamburini went against this philosophy and designed the 916 to be small, compact and, above all, easy to ride fast. In essence, he designed a race bike and then stuck some lights on it. Riding a 916 at slow speed may have been akin
to torture due to this, but riders didn’t care as the 916 was stunning.
Almost overnight the 916 became the poster bike of the motorcycle world. Tamburini had managed to combine sexy styling that could be appreciated by anyone into a raw and purposeful machine that dominated on track. This was true Italian exotica and it is no coincidence that when viewed from above the 916 has the silhouette of a voluptuous lady with a wide bust, pinched-in waist and curvy hips. The 916 was designed to pull on the heartstrings as well as take the chequered flag.
In the hands of WSB legends Carl Fogarty, Troy Corser and Troy Bayliss, the blood red Ducati in its 916, 996 and 998 forms annihilated the competition throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, taking six world titles, 115 race wins, 306 podiums and 65 pole positions. It kicked the collective Japanese arses so hard that both Honda and Suzuki built their own V-twin rival, while Yamaha spent millions developing the ultra exotic YZF-R7 and Kawasaki effectively threw in the towel. The Ducati 916 was the icon, which is why they are now so sought after.
Getting hold of a used Ducati 916 is a potential minefield. Not only have used prices skyrocketed recently, there are loads of pitfalls out there for anyone looking at buying this slice of 1990s exotica. However, get a good one, and you won’t be disappointed.
The 916 is one of those bikes that you can just stand and look at,
On opening the garage, the 916 can make you go weak at the knees...
which is a good thing as they can spend quite a lot of time stationary. Open your garage door and as soon as the sun hits that blood red fairing and lights up the gold ‘Ducati 916 Desmoquattro’ marque you go weak at the knees. Hit the starter and the booming exhaust blares with the dry clutch rattling away happily.
Owning a 916 is an emotional experience; it has to be as riding the bike can be frustrating. There is no way of sugar coating the fact the 916 is awkward to ride. The seating position is all ‘head down, bum up’ and at slow speed this stance, combined with the horrifically heavy clutch, is horrible. However, when the pace increases it all starts to make sense as the ride transforms.
The V-twin motor thumps along effortlessly while the chassis, although admittedly a bit lazy to turn in, delivers near perfect stability in a bend. On the right road, when the sun is shining, there is no better motorcycling experience than thrashing a Ducati 916. This bike delivers on every level – performance, nostalgia, heritage and style.
Sadly for many potential owners the popularity of the 916 means it is now edging out of their price range. Early 916 models with the fairing riveted together are easily over £6,000 while SP, SPS or limited edition models such as the Senna or Foggy can easily clear £12,000. The 996 is still reasonable value, with prices starting at £4,000, but it’s not the first of the series and has the less cool ‘small’ Ducati logo.
They say beauty comes at a cost, and if you are prepared to fork out to secure a good 916 you won’t be disappointed. It’s not only a stunning bike to ride, but also an amazing investment and slice of motorcycling history. What a bike.