Hello everyone After many years away from Ducati and even a few away from bikes themselves…. My last sports bikes were a mixture of 916s in an array of spec for track days in my mid 20s, then went over to super motors for a while before going completely to the dark side of Italian classic cars. The 888sp model was and is something I find still the most amazing thing to look at even now. Taken ages to find one and am collecting it the end of June, it’s a 1993 SP5 number 068 with just over 11000 miles on the clock. It’s 31 years old now, it’s been well cared for with a lot of provenance. All mots, service history etc etc What issues are showing up now and what do I really need to look for or be aware of? Looking forward to bring back into Ducati and involved with the community here. Cheers Toby
The chap is on holiday in Scotland so I will sort it out around the 19th. Here is the link to t'he bike specialist' which is where the current owner purchased it from in 2022 and has since spent nearly all of its time in his lounge. Thank for the reply all https://www.thebikespecialists.com/...heffield-acc6541a-9b7f-4c9b-a2f4-f2cb5fcfb0ab
Plenty of pictures here: https://www.thebikespecialists.com/...heffield-acc6541a-9b7f-4c9b-a2f4-f2cb5fcfb0ab
Well done - I noticed 068 for sale in Sheffield a few years back - I have a SP5 also (and have had it for about 16 years, I think!). Some things to watch out for - none are specific to the SP5 - keep eye on that swingarm - I found mine to have a crack at the pivot pinch, and finding decent replacements is getting pretty difficult. I would hope that your fuel hoses have already been replaced in their lifetime, but if you haven't got documented evidence, then consider proactively doing so. timing and temperature sensors have gone bad with me over the years. Easily diagnosed if you have the capability of hooking a laptop up to the ECU. As per all bikes of that era - take a good look at your alternator wiring, and ensure that you have good clean connections. the only other issue that I have had is on the outrigger bearing in the alternator casing - mine broke up and killed the alternator. It's a £2 bearing that I now tend to replace as a matter of course if I happen to have that engine cover off.
Great stuff, thank you. 16yrs by eck you will well and truly know that bike inside and out. All hoses have been replaced so that’s one knocked off the list. funny the swing arm as that totally jogged my memory with hearing about that one some time ago, will definitely look for that straight away on my visit. will get the sensors checked, never had to link a laptop to an ecu, presume it can’t be that difficult? Mechanically I dan do pretty much anything and your bearing is on my list. Looks like all the SP bikes are pretty strong money. This one is one of the most honest I have seen out of 4 I hade seen. Thanks fella
Nice one, another thing with the swing arm... dont trust tyre fitters to put the spacers back in correctly, both myself & my buddy John have had our swing arms welded due to this, if the spacer isnt in the right way round the sprocket nuts eat through the swing arm...not nice and to be honest not easily spotted as they barely clear the swing arm anyway. Had mine 12 years now and apart from a fuel pump it has been regular maintenance only, you will love it, nothing but nothing sounds like these the induction roar and the overun are just so addictive!
Jimmy thanks, well noted. For other similar reasons I always used to take the wheels off myself and take them to the fitters. I do the same in a classic car I have to reduce problems and know they are fitted correctly
Swingarm can be difficult to fully spot when all fitted. - See the thread that I started for my rebuild. I noticed an airline crack after taking it out.
Desmophil hi That’s weird that is as last night I read your whole thread Lovely, an utterly superb job, blooming beautiful. Will most certainly do what I can to see what’s going on in that area. Keeps cropping up this one My only saving grace on this or similar is I part own an engineering company in the aircraft industry so I can put it right, really rather I don’t have to. On that note fella you or anyone else reading this. Any machining, welding or anything engineering your stuck with drop me a message.
Thank you It should be no biggy to fix indeed and with a machine shop it should be dead easy for you. I am doing a mod to the tank and I will need a couple of parts machined. So I may well call you up for help. The tank has a dual bracket. Over time the holes have slightly expanded thinning up the brackets and eating into the spindle. I am getting the brackets rewelded and fitting a sleeve inbetween that will provide better stability of the tank. I will need a couple of spacers machined and a new spindle which should be an easy job.
Not necessarily the case John's bike has snapped at least one of the sprocket retaining studs, these when broken can work their way out happily machining their way through the inner face of the alloy swinging arm. I've only heard of and known of 851/888 SP models doing this. Perhaps it's to do with the sharp step in power when they come on cam? My own bike puts out more power than any standard SP but it's delivery is more linear, it's also fitted with Titanium sprocket studs and it's hasn't broken a stud yet...Fingers crossed. Steve R
Wish I had that effect on the mrs at home aka ‘the dream crusher’ Cad is fine if that is all you have, DWG 2D for simple parts suits me or stp if it’s complicated, but a drg can be handy for tolerances on tied up sizes as cad can miss these off. And being an old school old fart I do like a drawing to easily take a gander over if I am no where near a work computer with any cad. What are you after?
