The cost of living
If you’re into your Ducatis and want to live a little this immaculate 750SS is currently available. But as one of the world’s most sought-after Ducatis it’s not going cheap…
Not only is the 750SS one of the prettiest of all classic Ducatis, it’s also vanishingly rare – just 401 of the 1974 model were built, and it’s unknown how many have survived. So when this one goes to auction at the Stafford Show on 9 October, you’ll probably need well over £100,000 to ensure it’s in the back of your Transit for the drive home. This bike was restored over 20 years ago and since then it’s barely been used, living in collections in Italy and then Germany. ‘The last owner was German film critic Hans Schifferle,’ says Ben Walker, from auctioneers Bonhams. ‘He was well known, a German Barry Norman, and was financially independent. He had a collection of around
40 bikes, all of which have been nicely restored, and they were his private passion – it was effectively a secret collection. He lavished a lot of money on the bikes and had someone looking after them full time.’ After Schifferle died, his widow contacted Bonhams to sell the bikes.
As usual with this type of rare machine, authenticity is key as there are now more bikes claiming to be genuine 750SSS than ever left the factory. ‘Marque specialist Ian Falloon has confirmed he knows this bike and says there is no problem regarding its provenance and authenticity,’ says Ben. ‘The numbers and stamps are correct, and the machine is recorded in his registry.’ The 750SS passed its TUV (the German MOT) in 2003 and has done 2294 miles since the restoration so if you fancy using it to nip to the shops it should take very little recommissioning. Bonhams estimate the sale price to be between £90,000 and £130,000, but it will almost certainly make more than that – the last 750SS sold at auction in the UK was a barn find needing plenty of work, and that went for £107,000.