Mecum Corsa

Diesel

https://www.mecum.com/lots/LV0119-362349/1991-ducati-888-corsa/

Nice Photos...

MarkT

Interesting amount of non- factory parts on it. Looks like the Weibels and Schnyder teams tried different parts-or re-engineered/fabricated them- like the front forks and the swingarm. Better photos would let me know more about the parts they used. Also, like the integrated front nose fairing and instrument holder. Never seen that before. Someone had a nice fabrication skill set.

dudlington

Looks nice , with some professional looking, special parts on there.

Foggy 888

Looks like a bits bike. There is a good book" Ducati Desmoquattro" by Wolfgang Zeyen. It is in German and has photos of Weibels race-bikes.
This one is different from any of the bikes that he rode in 1991/92/93/94. It has some of the parts that he used. Like the billet rear set/brake pedal on the right side. But from the photos it looks like he ran Ohlins forks on all of his bikes until 1994, when he switched to WP.
There are no photos of a bike with that rear swing-arm. And why does it have a street version rear wheel instead of the Corsa version with three bolts on the brake disc.
Also the frame change doesn't bode well.
I would want to see what kind of proof/provenance that they have for the bike before bidding on it.

MarkT

I agree Brian-- I think basically this bike has good bones if you are looking to get into a white frame Corse. I will be surprised if it hits its' reserve -if the reserved was based upon provenance. Not too many US buyers will recognize Weibels and if there is no documentation offered aside from what is in the write-up the bidding will be based upon the bike presented as a real Corse. As you pointed out- the WP forks were used by the team but not in '91. The team may have also used the swingarm in '91 but I do not see the seller offering any documentation to support its current configuration. The replacement frame -even with the inter-country aluminum frame tag on the new frame-- dampens the provenance a bit unless there is documentation to show that it was the team which replaced it. Always a debate about if "the frame makes the bike" or does good documentation from the team which replaced it due to crashing maintains the bikes authenticity. Even though I have a fairly good chain of custody of my '93 Ferracci AMA bike which after it was sold to Hazen which he crashed when banging fairing with Doohan's brother at Road Atlanta - I still do not depend upon that documentation to value my bike even though it has the aluminum tag from the original frame. I think it will be hard to bring up the value of this bike if the seller has based it upon provenance.

I still think it has good bones as an example of a white frame Corse. It will depend upon the knowledge the bidders have about these early Corses. While a number of teams used the WP forks (I have a set of '93/'94 mag triple trees for WP forks on the shelf) and modified their swingarms- a US bidder may be looking for the normal Ohlins and swingarm as a guide to the bikes value/originality. All of the questionable parts can easily be changed out but that would entail a cost over the buy-in price- and the belief that its present configuration is not correct for a '91 Weibels bike.

It will be interesting to see how the bidding goes-

mrc.engr

Mecum Corsa

Excellent comments Brian and Mark.

I agree. It's a strange combination of parts that most 888 people won't recognize. My guess it won't meet reserve if it's over $25k.......and struggle to go past $20k.

$.02

henk

I seen stranger things happen on a auction.
Sombody with deep pockets who does not have a clue.
Just the same is goiing on in the vw world at the moment,on auction they give silly money for vw busses who are not always complete original.
You can buy better busses on the internet,cheaper and more original.
So would not be suprised that happens with a 888 as well.
The power of an auction i guess???

Henk!!!

BABA

The story of this bike was here

The swingarm was repaired after a damage with the rear brake caliper.

BABA

Foggy 888 wroteLooks like a bits bike. There is a good book" Ducati Desmoquattro" by Wolfgang Zeyen. It is in German and has photos of Weibels race-bikes. This one is different from any of the bikes that he rode in 1991/92/93/94. It has some of the parts that he used. Like the billet rear set/brake pedal on the right side. But from the photos it looks like he ran Ohlins forks on all of his bikes until 1994, when he switched to WP. There are no photos of a bike with that rear swing-arm. And why does it have a street version rear wheel instead of the Corsa version with three bolts on the brake disc. Also the frame change doesn't bode well. I would want to see what kind of proof/provenance that they have for the bike before bidding on it.

Both Weibel and Schick rode White Power suspension during the 93 season.

henk

And,somebody who know what it reached?
Can't see the endprice.

Henk!!!

MarkT

henk wroteAnd,somebody who know what it reached? Can't see the endprice. Henk!!!

$44K -----plus and an additional 18% buyers fee. Big money from someone- hard to believe it was a US buyer. I am speculation it had to be someone who admired its history.

henk

That is alot indeed.
Somebody got carried away at the auction i guess.

Henk!!!

Diesel

An unrestored 750SS green frame sold for USD$247.5K....wtf!!

henk

That happens when investors and collectors start to buy them.
Same happend with porsche's the last years.

Henk!!!

PTwo

henk wroteThat happens when investors and collectors start to buy them. Same happend with porsche's the last years. Henk!!!

Stupid is as stupid does...

acace

MarkT wrote$44K -----plus and an additional 18% buyers fee. Big money from someone- hard to believe it was a US buyer. I am speculation it had to be someone who admired its history.

Mecum's buyer's premium is 10%. Bonhams is 15%

dudlington

Diesel wrotehttps://www.mecum.com/lots/LV0119-36...ati-888-corsa/ Nice Photos...

The bike went for $44000 (£34000)...............there were probably auction costs on top of that as well.