1982 Ducati 900 Mike Hailwood Replica – $45,000 (Sold)
Ducati MHR900 for sale
SELLER SAYS: Immaculate condition. The bike is Australian Complianced and plated 1982 ‘Mike Hailwood Replica’ which was purchased by the current owner from a motorcycle collector in May 2015. The previous owner operated, and still does, a high profile motorcycle dealership network and spared no expense in meticulously maintaining the Ducati to a very high standard. He was fastidious and only collected original high end motorcycles for his personal Ducati collection amongst other motorcycles that he also acquired. The bike has done minimum kilometres since the current owner acquired it, predominantly on club runs. All work has been carried out by DMoto and Gowanloch. The bike was recently inspected at DMoto to ensure that it was in excellent order before being offered for sale. She starts, idles and runs beautifully! This motorcycle presents in original condition and will suit a collector or someone seeking to own a very fine example of this classic model. . Contact 02 722 xxxxx SOLD (Alexandria, NSW).
EDITOR TERLICK SAYS: One of history’s most recognised and revered open-class sports bikes, Ducati’s MHR900 was originally intended to be a very limited run of 200 bikes in 1979, to commemorate Mike Hailwood’s stunning comeback victory at the 1978 Isle of Man. Mike’s bike was a modified 900SS wearing a full race fairing in Castrol colours, so that’s what Ducati built (with a standard 900SS engine, with 40mm Dellorto carbs and optional Conti exhausts). Those 200 bikes sold in a blink, so Ducati built some more. And some more. And some more. By the end of 1986 when Ducati finally retired the MHR, the engine had grown to 1000cc and there were more than 7,000 of them, shaking suburbs and scaring dogs all over the world. While those first 200 bikes are the most collectible, the 1982 incarnation is also highly regarded. The following year, Ducati introduced an electric start and switched to the Darmah frame (as opposed to the SS frame), making the bike easier to live with but another step away from the original design. This example of Bruce’s looks like a beauty in showroom condition and ready for a new lover. (Incidentally, for Ducati tragics waiting on a movie that’s evidently in the works, retelling the story of Hailwood’s comeback ride, I’ve recently been in contact with one of the directors who assured me yes, it’s still coming!)
