Nice site. I saw a familiar name while perusing. I know Thomas Hauge from my time living in Sweden and being part of the Svenska Ducati Klubben. He is a really nice fella and can fair hustle the older bikes on the track.
For those of you wanting a quick history of this build. I had set my mind on a 888 and after failing to win a German one on the Bonhams Auction in 2017, I went on the hunt. At the time they were like hen’s teeth to find and found one that had been offered up a couple of times before, but the owner had taken it off sale due to being so emotionally attached to it. He had owned it for 20 years, but the last few years it had been kept in a damp shed on the west of Scotland. From 10 feet away, the 888 looked OK, but started to show her age and the ravages of dampness the closer I looked. However, it was clear that everything done to the bike at the time was in the first few years of ownership. Also it was a numbers matching bike (one of the first 100 Stradas, with the early paint scheme on the engine) and was extremely honest. I paid well over the odds for the bike, on the understanding that she would fire up after a service and got an MOT from Ducati Glasgow. At the point the bike arrived back with me she did her first ride up the garden and spent 2 years in the shed, being stripped and fettled to the state she is in now. The biggest single expense was the engine rebuild, as I got the excellent Pro Twins team to take care of this. Once stripped I took the engine part to Hi-Spec coatings in Sussex to get the casings Cerakoted, which has been a great decision so far (I left a couple of drops of hydraulic fluid on the case for a couple of weeks and just wiped it off!). Matt Manderson, who owns First Place Finish near Bicester painters the panels, frame, wheels and clipons. Plus he polished up the swing arm to get rid of the tired and scuffed anodising, which I now have finished in brushed aluminium effect, as it will be easier to maintain. The OCD level I got to has extended to me learning zinc playing and restoring the old nuts, bolts, washers, fixings and brackets myself. If any of you see her in the flesh, you will see I went a little too far and now have 3 Allen bolts on the filler surround on the tank that also got yellow Passivation too, but I am going to leave those there as a reminder. feel free to look at my album on the site here as well as my own site Https://www.ducati888.co.uk Some people have already commented that I have not done the SP5 look properly by doing a single seat, but as I see it, I have the best of both worlds. I have now found a set of original low level pipes and rear foot pegs, so give me 30 minutes and the pillion seat will be ready. I do have a single seat and spare rear frame, should I choose to be true to the SP5, but I have never pretended that it was anything more than a homage to the SP5 with a few nice upgrades (oil cooler, underslung rear caliper, carbon bits and paint scheme) Thanks for the comments all. Chris
His engine stand was superb. Allowing you to rotate too. Happy to lend it to anyone wanting to do engine work on earlier engines.
Just checked your site out it’s really good and personally I think you have done an excellent job on the tail piece number .
Thanks Nodrog. I am really please with it too. Matt (who painted it) and I spent a while getting the lines right. I have been pulled up on the fact that we painted the gold stripe, rather than using the original factory gold tape. I think I made the right decision, as this is a homage, rather than trying to be 100% something that it isn't.
I’m fortunate enough to have an SP5 so your project has been a great read .The number must have been tricky but think you nailed it
Just a little bit jealous of you having an SP5, as it was a little out of reach/budget. I have a load of spare “1” sticker sets as I needed to use 2 for each side to get them right. These stickers, as well as the original Agip crank case sticker are some things I found easier to reproduce.
Great stuff Chris, with your level of attention to detail , which seat unit did you go for ? Has it been painted too ?
I picked up a used single rear seat unit in carbon, but with no manufacturer markings that needs repairing and repainting first. It came off a Strada but doesn’t quite fit, but as I have a spare rear frame and I have 3D printed the rear seat pad base and frame for it to go into, I plan on taking my time and making it fit well, before I hand it back to Matt for painting.
Pity , I could have copied you . Saw a sebimoto? One , impregnated grp with Kevlar reinforcing . Don't know if anyone has used these ? Slovakia I think.
Hi, I subscribe to Practical Sportsbikes (along with Classic Bike) and had just finished reading your article, had to turn straight to it after seeing it on the front cover. Wow! I personally couldn't give a monkeys if it was a SP5 or not, it is just absolutely gorgeous. Always wanted an 888 (more so than a 916), I had a carby 900ss for many years (poor man's 888 possibly), one day maybe. Don't bother with what it is or isn't, just enjoy it!
