SP3S conundrum

[Mr.R]

Originally Posted by lochnagar

An article in June '92's edition of Fast Bike may be the originator of the Ducati SP3S nomenclature as it toggled between SP3 and SP3S when referring to Simon leBon's bike. The write up was a comparison, both road and circuit, between an 851 Strada, SP3, and Sergio Costa's No. 001 SP4S.
As far as I can make out Ducati never launched an SP3S, perhaps the Fast Bike scribe was under the influence of the Speyside amber nectar whilst penning the article.
The SP4S is displayed over two pages in all its naked glory which begs me to ask the questions :-

1. Do all the SP4S bikes have an underslung pivotting rear caliper ?
2. Why did Sergio specify Mavic composites while Mavic magnesiums were in vogue ?
3. Were Mavic magnesiums the standard fitment or what ?
4. Was an Ohlins steering damper a standard fitting on the SP4S ?

Hi,
Most bike journo's wouldn't know one end of a sparkplug from the other, and like all journo's they'd never let the facts/the truth get in the way of good copy.
To not know/understand this, is to not know journo's IME.
The one thing that around 95% of them can be relied on to do is get it wrong.
The thing here is that most of the folk reading the mag's also haven't a clue.

To answer your other questions.

1. No all of those I've seen have the standard rear caliper strada type mounting.
2. I haven't a clue on that one, you'd have to ask him.
3. The SP(4)S's came with the alloy 3 spoke Brembo wheels as fitted to the cooking models.
4. They came without any kind of steering damper.

They were SP4's with a hotter motor, bigger valves 34/30, (standard SP2,3,4's, '92 851 Strada's, 888 Strada's, 916/748's all had 33/29 valves) roller main bearings, carbon fuel tanks and carbon cans.
The motors were reputed to be '91 Corse spec with only the exhaust cams and chip changed.
I'm not sure here but I think they had the standard SP 2,3,4 and 5 cams.

Steve R

P.S I don't like 'Gold Watch' it gives me heartburn, but I'll give most other booze a bloody good try, I don't belive in the existance of the mythical SP(3)S, although there might have been the odd 'Made to Special order' bike come out of the factory gates, put together for some high spending/respected customer, the sort who spends sooo much money that the local dealer will move mountains to get him what he wants.
On that note...

I have a couple of very good/longtime friends who've got a fair collection (each) of tasty Ducati's and when they walk into their local dealership EVERYBODY JUMPS to attention.
A few years back I took Mrs R/Nessie on the back of my old Bevel 900SS to Wales for the DOCGB Merlin Rally, our friend Bob (my Best man at our wedding) who travelled up with us had trouble with his 916SPS, he finally got to the Rally on the back of a trailer, my Welsh mates got on the phone and the next morning the bike was picked up and taken to the local Duc' dealership.
Saturday morning the rest of the rally goers went on the ride out which pulled into the dealers for a coffee break, when the 'Welsh Ducati owning BIG spenders' found out that Bob's bike hadn't been touched, strong words were spoken and you could almost see the sparks from the mechanics boots as they flew around sorting out Bob's bike, ripping parts from brand new Duc's in the showroom.
Another mate who was with us who runs his own highly respected bike tuning shop remarked to me...
"F**k me Paul and Tony must spend some serious money here, I've never seen workers in a bike shop move that fast!"

Mrs R/Nessie's just said "Steve money talks and b'shit walks"...

[888sp4s]

Originally Posted by lochnagar

An article in June '92's edition of Fast Bike may be the originator of the Ducati SP3S nomenclature as it toggled between SP3 and SP3S when referring to Simon leBon's bike. The write up was a comparison, both road and circuit, between an 851 Strada, SP3, and Sergio Costa's No. 001 SP4S.
As far as I can make out Ducati never launched an SP3S, perhaps the Fast Bike scribe was under the influence of the Speyside amber nectar whilst penning the article.
The SP4S is displayed over two pages in all its naked glory which begs me to ask the questions :-

1. Do all the SP4S bikes have an underslung pivotting rear caliper ?
2. Why did Sergio specify Mavic composites while Mavic magnesiums were in vogue ?
3. Were Mavic magnesiums the standard fitment or what ?
4. Was an Ohlins steering damper a standard fitting on the SP4S ?

In answer to your questions
1. Underslung rear caliper was not fitted on new bikes
2. No idea
3. Brembo, three spoke light alloy rims were fitted as standard
4. There was no steering damper fitted as standard

[Mr.R]

Well that's 2 of the forum 'Anoraks' in agreement.
Personally I think both of us are right here.
FFS I've shit more knowledge than the average bike/classic bike Journo's got down the toilet after a Saturday night on the beer, I've met quite a few of them/been interviewed by them, shared dinner with their editors and it never fails to amaze me how little they actually know, but they do tell a good story.
With the very rare exception Mark 'Fossie' Forsyth comes to mind here, but not 'Sir' Alan Cathcart the god of the British/Worldwide Classic Bike mag's,
I wouldn't let him loose on Mrs R's lawn mower...
But he's a very handy racer/bike rider, writes entertaining articles, has an in almost anywhere, but the mistakes that get printed are probably not all down to him, if I were him I'd blame the proof readers.

How do you spell Bike journo ? Is it N U M P T Y??

Steve R

[markus_sp3]

Who cares about the mythical SP3S? You all know that the most mythical of them all is the 888SPC..

[brad black]

on the list of eproms there is a 1991 sps listed, with the same 015-xxx series as the sp3, whereas the 1992 sps (sp4) has a 03x number eprom, consistant with the sp4.

so it does exist.

[glenn Twite]

Ah shit Brad

Now the great debate will start mate

[Lawson SP3]

Originally Posted by brad black

on the list of eproms there is a 1991 sps listed, with the same 015-xxx series as the sp3, whereas the 1992 sps (sp4) has a 03x number eprom, consistant with the sp4.

so it does exist.

I certainly do not have the knowledge that you have on the subject but I still don't believe the bike exists. Ducati could have/may have THOUGHT about building them and thus the listing of an eprom. But in the 19 years since don't you think that somebody would have taken a picture or six at some point or scanned an MSO?

[glenn Twite]

Interestingly,

I recently spoke with a Gent over seas and he reluctantly informed me about an astute collector who had stored in his garage numerous NEW ( Brand NEW ) Ducati’s.

The list consisted of two to three NEW SP3 & again two to three NEW SP4, could this person be the beholder of such rarities as the SP3S !!!!

The person who informed me about this person bought a SP3 from this Gent with only 20K on the clock, the enthusiast figured it was time to letting it go as he had other Ducati’s which had not even been fired up, I guess some of us still dream.

[ducati dad]

Originally Posted by firefly_1965

The sps in Hacket's showroom will shortly be mine, so keep yr little mitts of that one guys........................

£18k for a SP4 with some nice (s) bits on it. Have heard about it from it's owner. Which is now sold.

[WYD OPN]

I think Jack is confirming the SP3S is a myth by saying Falloon, etc. mistakenly designated the 16 UK SP4S bikes as 16 SP3S bikes.

(Congrats on the lastest SP acquisition, Jack.)