Author Archives: Steve

Here are two interesting motorcycles, both are 1985 Ducati Cagiva Alazzurra 650’s and are offered on ebay.

The first one is red, located in Damascus, Oregon and has 11,521 miles – .

The second is located in Phoenix, AZ and is described as a “barn find” with only 3,131 miles – the listing states the original “The owner parked it in a barn in 1985 after the kick stand cut-out switch failed and it sat covered for all those years…” .

The first example has a detailed history of the 1985 Ducati Cagiva Alazzurra 650:

First, Let’s start with the history of the Cagiva Alazzurra.  Here is a brief description courtesy from “Classic Motorcycles”:

“Badge engineering” is a familiar term in the automobile industry, loosely defined as the rebadging of one make and model to create another. Think of a Chrysler sedan from the Eighties, and it will undoubtedly have one or two nearly identical siblings. And while this is the kind of marketing one might expect from decades past in Detroit, it wasn’t common in Bologna, even during their toughest times.

In 1985, Ducati had just been purchased by Cagiva. Cagiva, then the largest Italian motorcycle manufacturer, was primarily making mopeds and small street bikes at the time, and many of them were two-strokes. To expand into the middle- and heavyweight street bike market, it needed four-stroke engines. As the March 1985 issue of Rider magazine said, “There were several reasons why Ducati’s engine manufacturing facility was the logical candidate to supply Cagiva with motors: The physical plant was already there, the product was good, and it was the only segment of Ducati’s operation that had been profitable.”

Cagiva’s owners, the Castiglioni brothers, had a new direction in mind for the company, and it included widening the scope of the company’s products beyond that of just sport bikes for enthusiasts. Two years before Cagiva purchased Ducati, Ducati had agreed to supply engines to Cagiva for two models, the Elefant dual-sport bike and the Alazzurra, a bike very similar to the earlier Ducati Pantah. It was 1985 before the two bikes hit the production line.

The 650cc Alazzurra was essentially the latest version of the Ducati Pantah when it debuted in 1985.

The detailed description of the first bike:

This pristine example has only covered 11,360 miles and is in impeccable condition.  The 650 L-Twin Ducati Desno motor is similar to current Monster motors. Rated at 56 HP and a weight weight of only 435 pounds gives it a top speed of over 115mph.  Carbs are 36mm Dellorto pumpers. 5spd transmission, Brembo dual discs on the front and a single disc rear provide excellent stopping power. Suspension is by Marzocchi, both the front forks and the rear remote reservoir shocks.  This a very comfortable sport tourer with a more standard riding position and a very comfortable seat.

Excellent all original example except for the Yamaha brake master cylinder that was installed to give better brake feel by it’s original owner, the late Merlyn Plumlee, the famed HRC crew chief who purchased it for his wife.   The bike has had the belts changed and valves checked, and the carbs were recently gone thru.  Bridgestone BattleAx tires have less than 500 miles and the battery was new last year.  Complete with owner’s manual as well as parts and service manuals.  You won’t find a nicer one, even the clock works!

I will assist with shipping and can deliver locally to the shipper of your choice.  The PDX Forward Air terminal is not far away and has worked well for me in the past.  Check out my excellent feedback and thanks for looking.

The barn find:

This bike is the definition of a barn find! The owner parked it in a barn in 1985 after the kick stand cut-out switch failed and it sat covered for all those years in Prescott Az. I cleaned out the fuel tank and sealed it, replace the petcocks, fuel lines, spark plugs, cleaned the carbs and rebuilt them, replace the battery,replace the leaking front master cylinder, changed the oil and the bike fired right up! Lukily when put into storage the cylinders were oiled and on inspection looked new. I rode the bike and it runs and shifts smoothly, but with original tires I wouldn’t ride it very far. The paint was abused badly from bumps and hits so I had it repainted with the original colors, otherwise it’s as it came from the factory. It is not perfect, the hand grips are cracked but are embossed with Cagiva so I did not replace them. The turn signals do not work but I suspect it is a defective flasher but couldn’t find a replacement and didn’t want to molest the wiring. The wind screen has a warp in it but isn’t that bad, other than that it’s as sweet an Alazzurra as you will ever find.

It would be really hard to chose between the two but depending on the barn find’s reserve, I don’t think you could go wrong with either.

SG