Thanks for that Exige! Please correct me if I'm wrong, but did Ducati not supersede the earlier model with one that had a wider and taller fairing with 2 less vents, and a 999cc R engine upgraded from the initial 'R' specification (around 2005.) I understand the different designations regarding bore and stroke between base models, 's' models and the 'r' spec. But from what I was led to believe by Ducati, the series 2 designator is about the evolution of engine and bodywork. This is what ducati have told me. This is what makes its a series 2. They were quite specific about this. The Italian registration documents show 19th of April 2005. So I guessing this means its a MY05 then?! There is nothing on any of my paperwork that show MY05 anywhere.. I think Ducati have a novel way of building the 'r' spec bikes from the factory because I have seen several 'r' models and rarely are 2 the same from factory. Wheels can be gold like mine, frames can be silver, most american Bikes don't have headstock plaques , and some of the earlier r models have carbon seat units but the series 2 ones have polycarbonate seat units.
The mudguard is carbon fibre, but painted (as with all series 2 models), but the rear seat unit is polycarbonate. All the series 1 999r's 2004<, were carbon anyway
Does the trailing bottom edge (right next to the swingarm) look like it's been cut on the left side? Yours is most likely a 2003 with an upgraded swingarm, it was offered as a DP part along with a template to cut the LH side fairing to clear the swingarm. Got a pic from the right side?
There were changes every year, the fairing changed and the engine had very minor changes for 2005. Ducati do not use the designation Series 1 and 2, sounds like a dealer sales spiel... people change stuff like wheel colour, all were black from the factory on the red bikes.
He means mine @Mark Beese. Same answer though, no cut to the fairing. Mine was delivered from the factory on 13/04/2006. It’s a fairly well known bike in Ducati circles and like I said, no doubt put together either from what was kicking around at the time, or what was requested by its first owner!
@Mark Beese Just thought your's must have had a later fairing fitted at some point if it was built in Sept 2004 and carries a date stamp on the fairing of 2005 (do you have a picture of the date stamp)
It is an Italian import, so that might make a difference? The date stamp on the faring parts do show 2004, but the seat unit shows a date stamp of 2005. The magnesium wheels show 2004 date stamp, front fender is 2005, clocks stamp on the plastic bits are 2004, air box plastics are 2005. It is a mash up of 04' and 05' parts it seems.
The 05 date is the actual manufactured date for the parts not the model year - they usually display a month also (but not always) so looks like you have some later parts fitted that replaced the originals...
Biker & Bike 05/01/18: "The 999 was not Ducati’s finest moment. We are not going to do any of those lame emergency number jokes. Oh go on then: When the Ducati 999 was born it was so ugly its mother called for an ambulance to take her away from the hospital. The true test of a bike’s ugliness is whether, over time, the look can start to grow on you. Even allowing for it having to overcome the hurdle that is following one of the prettiest bikes ever, in the 748/916/996/998, and also allowing for the fact the rest of the bike is clearly so well sculptured, it has simply not grown on us. Or judging by second-hand values, anyone else either."
