DUCATI 851
851cc | 210kg | 95bhp | 820mm seat height
• Dealer up to £25,000 (!)
• Private up to £7500
• This one 1991, 22,000 miles
No, not a 750. But the 851 is the bike Ducati built to take on the threequarter-litre fours in WSB, so it’s worthy of inclusion. The V-twin set the template for Ducati superbikes with four-valve heads and fuel injection, and is more comfortable and easier to ride than the iconic 916. It’s also cheaper: some dealers ask daft cash for SP versions, but a great 851 is still affordable (just).
Buyer beware
Engines are reliable, but plating on the rockers wears – there are eight per cylinder at around £150 each, and it’s cams out to check (you can’t see when doing valve clearances). Slave cylinders for the dry clutch can leak, coolant header tanks crack, and the V-twin needs cam belts every 5000 miles or two years. It’s not as complex a job as people think, though. The bodywork is thick fibreglass, and easy to repair in a spill – if a bike has thin reproduction parts it’s worth delving deeper into its history.