Following Ben Bostrom’s very successful 2000 World SuperBike season, Ducati commissioned a boldly painted first-year 998S special edition in his honor. Building only 155 ( his race number ) units for the USA and another 155 for Europe ensured their rarity, and using the 916-derived design and the new Testastretta engine ensured legendary performance. Often a collector bike, a low or no-mile example occasionally sneaks out into the light – thrilling Ducatisti at the possibility and sometimes leaving them to ask why.
2002 Ducati 998S Bostrom for sale on eBay
The ’02 998S was the final revision to the trellis-framed platform that gave us the 916 and 996, next year’s narrow-head engine adding 123 hp to the equation. Termignoni aluminum mufflers end the stainless 2-into-2 underseat exhaust. A good deal of carbon bodywork is used on the Bostrom, the side fairings, bellypan, front and rear fenders, airbox, chain and exhaust guards are all carbon. Neat that the flames masked onto the side fairings expose the unpainted carbon fiber. Of course there are Ducati norms like dry clutch ( with hydraulic control ) and outstanding brakes – the 320 mm dual front disks are 0.5 mm thinner than non-S bikes to cut unsprung weight. Suspension is top of the line, fully adjustable Ohlins front and rear, as well as an Ohlins steering damper.
Number 45 of 155, this Bostrom was packed away after 250 miles. An unearthed gem or a shameful waste, depending on your point of view. No damage or modifications except for a polished exhaust system, though the owner notes headlights are clouded. From the eBay auction:
Bike is in mint condition. Original owner and stored under a cover in a heated and cooled garage all its life. Bike has Termignoni exhaust that was put on professionally. This Ducati would be great for any Ducati enthusiast or any Ben Bostrom fan. The bike is so new it still has stickers on the mirrors. This bike deserves to be in a museum! This is a chance to own one of the best most collectable Ducatis ever made.
Bostrom was unable to continue his 2001 success in 2002 and returned to AMA SuperBike racing in 2003, making the Bostrom 998S a particularly rare special edition. Not universally acclaimed, the splashy graphics are appreciated by those who enjoyed seeing an American rider abroad. While I would rather the 998S returned to its deserved spot in a museum after 50,000 or so beautiful miles, the owner does have a point. Possibly added to your collection, or tuned up for the fall riding season, the 998S is a gem, the pinnacle of 916 development and super commemorative, for way less than it cost many years ago…
-donn
Fogged headlamps on the inside of the glass was common, as was a bouncing tach needle (possibly the reason for the non-stock gauges). The wind screen is also not stock, nor is the rear fender and missing rear directionals. Good luck to the seller.
Overall a lovely bike. Couple things about it leave me confused and a little sad. I love the ultra low mile time capsule museum quality of the bike. Just amazing. Thing is you want a bike such as this to also be as close to stock as possible. The gauges just scream out as a glaring eyesore on this Bostrom. They are from a totally different era. The new owner really needs to address this. It also brings into question what the actual miles really are. I’m sure the gauges were not changed at the dealer before the bike was brought home. They were not even available at the time this bike was purchased new. Because of this, the mileage is certainly not accurate.
Then there is the non original windscreen. What? Who would do that? The original windscreen carries over the white and blue graphics that are on the front of the bike. I’m sure you could never find an original one to make the front of the bike whole again. Custom painting would be the only way to possibly make the paint scheme complete again. I’m left wondering if at one point in time something didn’t fall on the front of the bike, crushing the windscreen and instruments. I’d check the front of this bike very carefully for additional damage, just to be sure.
Overall a beautiful bike. I would just like to see it back in it’s original form. But we’ll still never know what the actual miles are?
This bike worries me. A lot of changes from stock for a 250 mile bike. And that steering damper looks a lot more than 250 miles / heated garage old.
Agree on all points. Also the grips are not original. They came with blue grips.
I would not touch it with a stick, unless the seller explains some of these discrepancies, plus having 00 feddback does not help
Good luck with the sale
paint job on these makes me want to punch babies, and not in a good way
Shad, I’ll hold the damn things whilst you wail away, the paint on this thing gives me the creeps too.
I have one of these and mine is bone stock. I echo Phil that things are funky. That gauge cluster is all wrong(and awful), the windshield should never have been removed and the plate hanger is wrong. OEM CF and someone removed it? WTF?? No rear blinkers, etc… The grips are actually right (blue) but they get grimy and fade with use. Owner claims that he had the dash added when he bought it at the dealership, but has no paper work from the transaction….hmmm…..where is the plaque? OEM blue Stand? Custom Bostrom Cover? And that is NOT condensation in the lenses. It is a film that accumulates from the gas burnoff of the light bulbs and heat on the lenses….916-998’s all suffered this. It is a PITA to clean! It comes from having the lights on A LOT. 250 miles is NOT a lot. I love mine to death and think stars and stripes with a nod from Bologna is more than cool. That won’t happen again for a LONG LONG time….Mine sits next to my Parts Unlimited 999S…Bostrom signed both. 🙂 On this bike…..RUN FOREST! RUN!
O.K. I’ll dig up my Evil Kenevil leathers and jump it into the ocean…
Snake River….LOL
You guys have no idea about this bike. I am the owner of the bike. First off none you guys have anything better to do than nag on this bike. It is a perfect condition 2002 Bostrom. Most of you are jealous because you cant own one yourself. Not many go for sale and when they do they are very expensive. Yes it has some accessories on it. No it has never been in an accident. The dash was replaced to give a better look to the bike. Grips are blue and original. Its super rare and the only reason I am selling so cheap is because people want this bike all original. Its a damn shame what is being talked about on this bike. Not one of you ignorant people have seen the bike and are making false assumptions. Ebay history is 0 because I am a new user. I have sold multiple things through ebay but they were not auctions. I didn’t know about this blog until an eBayer told me people were talking about my bike on this blog. The headlights are not burned. They have water moisture in. The bike was sitting in a heated and cooled environment and they became like that. Same problem occurred on my 2001 Porsche Carrera. The bike does not come with a stand or manuals or anything like that. Its a shame that this blog is around because I had a serious buyer interested in purchasing the bike and was turned off by what was being said on this blog. Honestly i feel like a loser commenting on this blog because nothing good has came from it. I posted my bike on eBay to sell it. Not for some morons to waste time talking bad about it in a blog. Also I do appreciate the people that didn’t put bad thoughts up about the bike.