Every now and then a really rare and desirable motorcycle comes up for sale, like a 1994 Ducati Supermono, for instance. This particular bike, number 34 of 65 ever built, took second in the Isle of Mann TT (IOMTT) in 1994 raced by Robert Holden. The bike was then purchased by Ian Falloon who wrote about the Supermono in several of his books.
The Supermono is a 4 valve, 549cc desmo single with just over 61 horsepower.
This bike has an extensively documented provenance. Along with the sale of this motorcycle comes all the books and history. This includes letters and correspondents with those people involved with the IOMTT race. These correspondents include letters from former crew members involved in the 94’ TT as well as letters from Mr. Falloon and Alan Cathcart. I will also include all photos and video tapes I’ve collected showing Supermono #34 and Rob Holden.
Most of you are not going to be in the market for this bike, but for those of you who might be, this one definitely looks like it’s worth checking out.
Link: Supermono on eBay – auction over
Nicolas says
Holy cow, $70k and still not reaching the reserve … Saw one @ Barber, really cool bike, but hope the buyer will ride it as it should be, otherwize that will be an expensive dustholder …
Will13 says
Nice Supermono that is a type not often seen. The history and the names involved with this bike are very significant; however, with the economy in the condition it’s currently in, it will take a very enthusiastic collector to make the jump for this awesome little machine.
I do agree with Nicolas and would strongly like to see this bike put back on the track in vintage events so that as many people as possible can enjoy this fine little Ducati.
Scott says
Very cool! I’m not rich, but if I were, I’d definitely like to add something like that to my collection.
I keep hoping someone will start making some high-revving street singles with real performance. I don’t know if that single racing series ( http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2008/02/28/roland-sands-450-supersingle/ ) ever really got going (I know there were rumors for the AMA, but it looks like we may have gotten the XR1200’s instead), but I’d love something like that with turn-signals and headlights.
jeff from va says
Kneeslider,
Since you are the mega-wealthy IT entrepreneur, what would be the odds of you sponsoring a drawing for this fine specimen for a lucky, dedicated visitor/member of “The Kneeslider?” ………..hey man, it’s Christmas!!
Oldtimer says
BEAUTIFUL!! Hope the youngsters don’t start chiming in with the old “outdated technology” rant. IT’S ART PEOPLE!!
Just a little out of my price range though. Any of you well to doers looking for a last minute gift for the Oldtimer………well all I can say is go for it!! Please!!
Bob Nedoma says
A 1994 550cc 60hp single, and a Ducati on top of it!, wow. My type of bike. Exactly! Reserve not met at 75k? Perhaps not. One Question anyway:
Do spares and maitenance expertise exist outside of Italy, as it was a rare bike even when it was in production.
todd says
I’d love to have this bike. It would be my commuter.
-todd
Will13 says
@ Scott
The AHRMA runs a modern race series for singles despite being a vintage club….
http://www.ahrma.org/Road_Racing_Modern.htm
I can seriously see these classes growing in numbers by leaps and bounds thanks to the slow economy.
Honda’s new fuel injected CBR250R is looking pretty nice. Wouldn’t mind seeing a spec road race series devoted to these once they arrive State-side next year.
Florent says
I remember seeing this bike in France back in 94. Stephane Chambon was riding it. We don’t realize by looking at the pictures how small the bike really is.
Marvin says
126 KG wet and 61 bhp “bike has not been started in a couple of years” I don’t think I will ever under stand collectors.
Bob says
Hey a Terblanche design I like. It doesn’t make economic sense for Ducati to try to field and air-cooled Supermono, but, it’s nice to imagine a DS based 500cc single with the balance from the dummy piston.
Gunner says
I remember them. We used to pass them along the back straight at Misano with our Suzuki DR800 based 85 bhp supersingle. And we were not the only ones doing that, several racers at the time did just that. The Supermono was not the bike to have towards the end of the era when singles were raced as back-up to superbikes, but at least you could buy one even then. The rest of us built our own bikes. Looking at the bids for this one….who is thinking this is real value for money? At least, let’s hope the new owner will race it again.
Wave says
It’s very nice but it would seem to fall into the cracks somewhat when it comes to actually using it. A 16 year old race bike is kind of unusable. It’s not really old enough for vintage racing, but it’s probably too old to be used as an outright modern race bike. It’s also considerably too expensive and high-maintenance to really be used for track days. Would you want to drop it? Or break something mechanical on it for which spares are probably near-impossible to find? It would certainly look nice doing a few laps at a classic bike show or something, but for the rest of the year I think it may be somewhat of a garage ornament.
BoxerFanatic says
That thing is just flat out gorgeous.
That is the sort of bike you park in your house as a sculpture.
Anthony M. says
I wish Ducati would bring back a roadgoing version of this instead of messing around with a chopper.
The problem is that it is not too much more expensive to develop a high performance v-twin than a high performance single.
Tom says
I plead ignorance on this, but at 61hp, is this still considered a powerful 500cc bike today? Seems pricey.
MikeC says
All,
The expertise for working on this bike should exist in any major Ducati shop as the only tricky part for most is the head, which is the same basic layout as the 749/916/996, as is the crank, rod, rocker balancer, cases (modified slightly) and the rest of the drive. The electronics/injection are custom to this if I remember correctly. That might be a problem. I rode one back in Aussie in 2000, for about 15min and they go like stink, but my guess is that a well set up 450 ‘crosser powered RR chassis bike would eat it up nowadays. This model of Ducati always was about rarity and collectibility.
muzz says
aimed at bob, mate anything can be made in nz and expertise is everywhere!