1993 Ducati 888 SP5

• Number 88 out of 500 made
• Two owners from new
• 5,747 miles from new

As if intended to help Ducati (which they almost certainly were) the rules for the new World Superbike Championship allowed twins of up to 1,000cc to compete against 750cc fours. Ducati made the most of this capacity advantage, kicking off the inaugural Championship with victory in the opening round at Donington Park in April 1988. Works rider Marco Lucchinelli took the honours aboard an over-bored and race-kitted version of the Ducati 851 sports roadster, and the following year the factory announced what would be the first of many 'limited edition' models - the 'Lucchinelli Replica'. In 1990 Ducati replaced the Luccinelli Replica with the competition-only Corsa, the first in a series of such machines based on the preceding year's works racers. Like the Replica, the Corsa used the 888cc engine, which also went into the limited edition, higher-specification 'SP' series of Ducati roadsters. Too good to reserve purely for limited production, the 888cc engine eventually went into the 851's replacement – the 888 Superbike – in 1993. Strada (road), SP (Sport Production) and SPO (Sport Production Omologato) versions were offered.

The SP5 offered was purchased by the current vendor in 1994 from Frontiers Motorcycles Ltd in London on the 24th September 1994 (purchase receipt on file), during his ownership it has been used sparingly and for the occasional track day to fully use that Ducati power that it was made for. In 2010, it was discovered that there was a crack in the crankcases and work was carried out by G TEC performance (invoice included within the history file) to get it back together and fitted with new crankcases (originals included in the sale) whilst the crank was balanced, cam belts changed and other work carried out, we're advised by the vendor that only 100 or so miles have been covered since the rebuild. Since its last MoT in 2015, only 8 miles have been covered and whilst dry stored and cared for, careful recommissioning is needed before returning to the road. Offered with a substantial history file including a V5C, purchase receipt, expired MoTs, invoice for engine rebuild and various other invoices.
Offered with key