Update 4.27.2019: Sold in just two days to an RSBFS reader. Congratulations to buyer and seller! -dc
The Ducati 851 is the father of modern Ducatis, from the world-changing 916 to the astonishing Panigale V4R. Without this boxy, lithe very red machine, those bikes would not be. The 851 arrived in 1987, with a very hopped up version of Ducati’s venerated Pantah engine. The air-cooled 90-degree, two-valve twin in the Pantah was updated with liquid cooling, four-valve heads and fuel injection for the 851, and Ducati shot back to the top of racing leaderboards.
Spitting out 93 horsepower and gobs of torque in a 430-pound chassis, the 851 was a statement that Ducati could use its agricultural engine tech to devastating effect. In 1990, the bike took home the World Superbike title, among a raft of other accolades over its five-year run.
This 1992 Ducati 851 Strada is from the last year before the 888 broke cover, and it has been kept largely unridden in a climate-controlled storage facility. Though it hasn’t crossed 3,000 miles since it was purchased as a leftover in 1995, all the major services have been done on a strict interval. Aside from the Fast by Feracci carbon cans, it is a stock machine.
From the seller:
This is a rare find, super low miles, Ducati 851 Superbike. This bike was purchased used from Bellevue Suzuki Ducati in 1995, at the time it was under 1000 miles on the clock. It has not seen much more use by its current owner as it was purchased to round out the collection of Ducati Superbikes, the 851/888/916. All three bikes have remained in owners collection until recently when he let the 888 go up for sale. Now we have been asked to find proper homes for the 851 and 916 still in his possession. Both the 851 and 916 have been kept serviced and stored in a heated shop/garage space. Run from time to time, oil changed and belts replaced at regular intervals. Other than the ever popular Fast by Ferracci carbon exhaust and a tank protector this beauty is all original. Ducati 851’s rarely come up for sale as it is, let alone one as clean as this one. Hurry, it will not last long. We have it scheduled for complete safety inspection and a 2-year service which will include oil, filter, hydraulics, coolant along with new timing belts. The owner has kindly provided some service records as well. It does have a clear WA title, all original keys and manuals included.
Here is some of the early press about these;
Ducati came of age in the late 80s, using ideas that the Far East thought as antiquated and as such not worth pursuing, the Italians enjoyed staggering race successes, and with it many sales to the public, motorcycling hasn’t been quite the same since. Chris Pearson samples the bike at the beginning of it all
Based upon the 1978 Pantah bottom end, the design was the first real modern day Ducati Superbike and successfully bridged the gap until the arrival of the 916 some seven years later. The first sight of the all-new Ducati road bike was caught at the Milan show in the autumn of 1987 although the prototype race bikes had provided more than their fair share of clues and insights into what was waiting just around the corner. Developed as a direct descendant of the Daytona winning twin from 1987, the production version of the 851 differed little from that prototype race machine. Ducati’s intentions for the new model were clear from the outset being offered in both Strada (road going) and Kit (race track) specification, for those wishing to put their 851’s directly on to the track. 200 examples of the latter were hurriedly assembled to satisfy the homologation required for the inaugural 1988 World Superbike championship, a roadster based race series that Ducati were more than keen to be a part of.
The basis of the 1987 spec Ducati 851 lived on until the end of 1993, gradually growing in capacity up to the 888cc model of 1992, proving so dominant on the rack that the planned update, the iconic 916 series, was held over for more than a year finally making its debut towards the end of 93 ready for its full onslaught in 1994.
Credits cards accepted, up to $150.00 documentation charge may be added.
You’d be hard pressed to find another 1992 Ducati 851 in this kind of shape anywhere for any price. At $9,200, we have a low-mileage perfectly-preserved example of the superbike that put Ducati back in the conversation.
