Are Ducati Singles Loosing Value

[Rocla]

Here is one of numerous reports relating the trend of worldwide interest for oldtimers (which forces the motorbikes makers to launch neo classical bikes!): https://www.htfmarketintelligence.com/press-release/global-retro-motorcycle-market
And an analysis of the oldtimer market trend, not pessimistic at all : https://personalpowermarketing.com/f/the-economics-of-vintage-motorcycles-understanding-market-trends

[Jordan]

I don't mind if a bike is not a "classic" or retro.
I do like "keep it simple" designs that avoid useless styling features.
Spare me fake carbon fibre and CNC mirror stalks.
Merry Christmas!

[graeme]

We have lived in the best part of motorcycling history. !!!
And a great Christmas to all.

Graeme

[LaceyDucati]

Hi all

Well to answer the question, yes Ducati singles have lost value recently. Probably about a quarter to a third from the heady heights they once demanded. Those heights, were fuelled partially by "investors".....which is a bad thing and just supply and demand at the time...which was a good thing. Whatever the reason, prices have fallen to a more affordable level and maybe on a positive note, this will allow "proper" enthusiasts to buy the bikes. The market for bikes moves on and later generations are interested in different newer bikes. However by the very nature of a Ducati single, those interested in them will be able to ride them much later in life than say a Bevel twin. I speak to many potential new buyers of Ducati singles and often they are downsizing from larger bikes. I wouldn't be that negative about the situation and there is nothing to suggest that the market is dead from my experience of my parts business. The business changes, but it always has done, and on another positive note, the turnover continues but parts sales are now more related to using and maintaining bikes.

Most will know by now that we at Lacey Ducati (Edina and myself), hope to pass on the operation of our parts business sometime this year. Contrary to popular scaremongering we aren't closing and even now we are continuing to restock and introduce new items. Our last resort would be to run the business into the ground and we are not in that position yet or ever hope to be. Our stock levels are high, so there's no chance that there will be an imminent chance of our products running short.

As for lack of specialists, I personally have no intention of retiring anytime soon from the engineering work that I do on Ducati Singles. In fact a reduction of my personal involvement in the parts business will allow me to concentrate on my Engineering business as Lacey Engineering.

So it's not all doom and gloom and we just have to continue with what we love regardless of fluctuation of market value. Our interest and use of these bikes continues because we are enthusiasts, not collectors or investors.

Best Wishes to all

Nigel

[Duccout]

Hi Nigel,

Good to hear that you are not retiring yet, so you will probably see me out!

I, a few weeks away from my seventieth birthday, am one of those old guys whom you describe; I have found my motorcycling changing in the last five years, with a lot less long journeys and I have been getting less and less excitement out of going fast, with the result that 95%of my riding now is done on small back roads, which is why I returned to Ducati Singles after fifty years on bevel twins. I recently sold my modern Ducati GT1000 as I found the speed was beginning to worry me and it made no sense riding it on the back roads. The final straw was when I took a trip to Lowestoft and never managed to get above fifty MPH the whole trip due to traffic density, which made me realize that a 350 could do it without all the stress of trying to keep in the right gear all of the time.

I replaced the GT1000 with a new Royal Enfield, which is marvellous and a great modern bike, but now I have reached a crossroads: do I sell my Ducati bevel 900? It is my last twin left after I was forced to sell my 750 Sport a few years ago to raise money, and after forty years I am SO attached to it. It is heavy and I am struggling to wheel it in and out of the garage and the riding position is a problem now on my knees and wrists, yet when riding it it takes me into another world....... But the reality is that I will not be getting younger and it is a handful on the back lanes, the traffic will only get worse, as will speed limits. I need the space in the garage and I have a ton of spares that could be sold off which would simplify my life.

My head knows the truth but my heart says otherwise.......... What to do?



Cheers,

Colin

[George]

Bite the bullet sell the 900 look forward not backward and enjoy the new chapter in your life. I had the same quandary five years ago and sold 750 Guzzi. My shed contains bikes from 125 to 350 and I enjoy riding them all. (Elite is still my favourite)

[graeme]

Colin and George,,
I’m the same age as you.
Years ago I restored a commando interstate, most comfortable gentleman’s conveyance ever.
Sold that 5 years ago to fund a ‘77 Darmah, same as I had back when I was young. Restored that but it was way too heavy. And I don’t enjoy long trips anymore. Sold it also.
I still miss my black and gold SS that was sold due to marriage split up.
BUT, the 450’s remain and are so much more fun.

Pics of Norton on its way to the new owner and the SD the day I sold it.
(to follow once I work out how to shrink the file size)

[Duccout]

Hi Graeme,

My 750 Sport was by far the best bike that I ever owned, but I had to sell it when I got divorced. My ex-wife died recently and I am trying not to think ill of the dead!


Cheers,

Colin

[blethermaskite]

So when I started to get what some would say 'old' it became as I expected that the Ducati's were now just for fun, my wife is a bit older than me and has refused to get on the bike with me for the last five years or so which did make me feel a wee bit guilty when I was out ripping it about. Since I was a little boy I have been fascinated with old racing cars and living within a couple of miles of the pre war Ards TT circuit didn't help.....so 35 years ago I started to build my own 1930s race car, I suppose I was kinda future proofing myself so I would still have something loony to rip it up with when I got too old for the bikes. It has taken me 'on and off' until seven years ago to get it finished and on the road. This has now given me the best of both worlds.....the wee car has proved to be nearly as much fun as the bikes in that its open, old, fast,noisy, and requires quite a bit of skill to drive, (its not like a car more like a biplane on the ground) my wife loves it (maybe too much ). So I now have the choice if I feel a bit too old I go out and 'play' in the car and feeling 'at it' out comes a Ducati single. I have owned dozens of bikes many being large and heavy.....big Triumphs, BSA's, Norton's Guzzi's, Velo's and the usual Jap suspects, even when I was young and fit my preference was always my 350 Ducati (which I bought new when I was 19) when presented with a 'just for fun ride' the big Guzzi le mans (or others) were left in the garage and the wee Duke came out again. I have run bikes and cars (or cages as I like to call them) all my life and it was the bikes first choice every time.....now 'for me' I think I have it sorted.
Cheers, George

[IanHood]

That’s a lovely old girl George.

Can I ask a question related to the yellow desmo? Where did source the dog leg clutch lever from and does it fit the original perch without modification?

Ian