In 2001, Pauline Hailwood (widow of the great Mike Hailwood) sued Ducati over the use of her late husband’s name for the MH900e. What does that have to do with a 2002 Ducati 998? Well, the current owner represented the estate during the proceedings and received this 998 directly from Ducati! He rode it for all of 513 miles over a summer and then parked it, and when the owner told me all of this over a phone call I knew it would be a fun listing for us over on Iconic Motorbike Auctions!
Motorcyclist magazine said, “This isn’t a get-to-work ride, although some owners will no doubt commute on theirs, possibly because they just have to ride it again and again! But the 998 is also far from being a banzai, balls-out motorcycle – it’s actually very refined. This all-around user friendly feel is relatively new on a Ducati, leading one of the testers to comment on how it was getting to behave more and more like a Honda VFR800, a comment that didn’t actually go down too well with the Ducati factory guys present! It’s true though, this is the smoothest and most civilized version of the 916 ever released. But don’t worry, they haven’t washed the soul out of the machine – no way. This is still every bit a Ducati eight valve Desmo twin. It can still make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck in time-honored Ducati style.”
Manufactured in February of 2002, this example is VIN: ZDM1SB5V02B017858. It’s got just 513 miles but what makes it cool to me is the story. Two partners represented Ducati in the lawsuit, and they both got 998s. One guy immediately took his to the local dealer to turn it into cash, while the other one kept his as he thought it was make a fun complement to us his usual Harley-Davidson. He obviously didn’t ride it much and now it needs a new home.
It’s entirely stock and is still on the original tires. The sale includes the factory tool kit and original owner’s manuals.
Find this 998 for sale in Paramus, New Jersey with bidding up to $6,100 and the reserve not yet met here on Iconic Motorbike Auctions.
Disclosure: Bike-urious is a partner in Iconic Motorbike Auctions.