Viper1 wroteVERY NICE! post a few more of the D16! "salvaged" interesting.....where did you find that bad boy!
Viper-
I am not sure showing more of the D16 will interest the rest of the guys- so to make sure this has 851/888 content I will start with a picture which I feel demonstrates my believe that the D16 is the true evolution of the 888 Corse. Just look at that tank- the flow of the bodywork- OK it is a bit chubbier then the 888 but at least it has flowing curves rather then the sharp edges and insect like projections seen on the modern Superbikes.
I always believed that I would never be attracted- let alone actually lust after another model Ducati then the 851/888 until I saw my first D16 at the Barber museum. I never thought I would ever own one let alone ride one on the track. But I had the lust and a very rare 1951 356 convertible which I had partially restored and was now worth stupid stupid money-- so I traded one machine I love for two different machines I love. I have owned and restored 356's since '72 and my everyday car is a '61 convertible I set up for auto cross 27 years ago when they were cheap. Now they are only for the rich-- perhaps this will happen to 851/888's and 851/888 Corse's- so enjoy them now as currently only gear-heads love/own/ride these machines and this may change if they get "discovered". If they go up the money chain like 356's did- you will not see these bikes on the street or the track anymore.
I have restored and tracked Corses since '96 when most of them had been parted out or hugely modified trying to keep them competitive at a cost- until they were not affordable to track. I bought them crashed, in pieces, rolling frames, complete but totally wrong- and restored them. I kept all of them and lucky for me I found my last one which will show up next week and will share pictures of it with the forum.
OK- off the history/my believes/soapbox
I found the salvage D16 on Ebay. I only needed to buy front forks and bodywork which was available in track form by Catalyst Racing Composites. The bike had been used as a track bike only - which I felt was a plus. A salvage title did not bother me. My first track bike was black (easy to paint) and so is my street Corse. So black was not an issue-- and it does not scream D16 when I bring it to a track. Of course once you hear its' bark -which is like two chainsaws on crack- everyone pretty much knows what it is.
The bike is very different beast then the 888 Corse-- the 888 is almost friendly on the track with some flex-- the D16 is like a rock on tires. You have to ride it hard and then you find yourself laughing in your helmet. My Corse's wheelie- the D16 just goes forward faster when you twist the throttle. The first time I gave a full twist to the throttle I was going 150 mph and it was still like someone had hooked my belt and almost jerked me off of the bike. I had not even locked my knees on the tank because on my different Corse's I never had to. Now I lock in and keep my head down.
In short-- a hoot to ride- but it has taken me four years to figure it out- and that is only on flowing tracks that you can rail through turns. On flat tracks that are basically long straights going into flat skid pads- I can ride my Corse's faster.
All bikes on the track are fun and the 888 are more fun then most due to their great grunt out of turns and how they do gentle/safe wheelies even when you are leaned over. But after 12 years of tracking Corse's riding the D16 is making me a better rider - which as a track rider you always take that as a big plus.
