Photo: Bonhams
If you feel like getting your hands on a very rare piece of motorcycle racing history, April 27 is the time, and the Bonhams Stafford, Staffordshire County Showground auction is the place. And if you’re also lucky, you might bring home an all-new, in-crate 1989 Ducati 851 Luchinelli replica racing bike.
Ducati factory rider Marco Luchinelli won the debut round of the 1988 World Superbike season in April, aboard a Massimo Tamburini-designed Ducati 851 which received a racing tune-up. The bore was increased by 2mm, resulting in extra 37cc of displacement, and bringing the engine to the 888cc mark.
A racing kit was obviously installed on Luchinelli’s machine, including a new Weber injection and a racing exhaust, which helped the bike produce around 132hp. The compression was also increased and racing-spec, larger brakes were fitted.
After the success of the bike, Ducati kick-started the customer version of the machine, and between 20 and 30 Luchinelli Replica bikes are reported to have been manufactured. This particular one has never been assembled, and is still in its boxed condition, with bubble wrap covering the bars and multiple original spare parts it was supplied with.
The bike was imported by the official UK Ducati dealer at that time, and was initially sold to one of the current seller’s friends. The machine was then sold to the actual owner, 4-5 years later, but remained in the NOS condition. Bonhams is expecting that the Ducati 851 Luchinelli Replica brings between $23,400-30,100 (€17,000-21,800). For more details, check with Bohnams.
A racing kit was obviously installed on Luchinelli’s machine, including a new Weber injection and a racing exhaust, which helped the bike produce around 132hp. The compression was also increased and racing-spec, larger brakes were fitted.
After the success of the bike, Ducati kick-started the customer version of the machine, and between 20 and 30 Luchinelli Replica bikes are reported to have been manufactured. This particular one has never been assembled, and is still in its boxed condition, with bubble wrap covering the bars and multiple original spare parts it was supplied with.
The bike was imported by the official UK Ducati dealer at that time, and was initially sold to one of the current seller’s friends. The machine was then sold to the actual owner, 4-5 years later, but remained in the NOS condition. Bonhams is expecting that the Ducati 851 Luchinelli Replica brings between $23,400-30,100 (€17,000-21,800). For more details, check with Bohnams.
Google News