1965 Ducati Elite for Sale

As with MV Agusta, the name Ducati immediately conjures images of high-end exotics.  Ducati is known as a maker of booming, big-bore v-twin sportbikes with torture-rack ergonomics and very limited practicality.  But Ducati began its history in the postwar Italian motorcycling boom, making practical and fun transportation for the masses.

When they began their long-running record of racing success, it was with small bore bikes like the little Elite I found for sale on eBay, and it wasn’t until the late 50’s that Ducati made a bike over 175cc’s.  The Elite was a punched-out version of the earlier 175, and the little bevel-drive single made18hp at 7500rpm from its oversquare, 204cc motor, enough to propel the lightweight bike to nearly 90mph.

The original eBay listing can be found here: 1965 Ducati Elite for Sale.

Most literature shows the Elite with a distinctive, dual-exhaust on the right side of the bike, but the one for sale here shows a more conventional, although seemingly period-correct muffler.  The seller has also helpfully listed links to YouTube videos of the bike in action and the little machine sounds eager and happy:

Buy It Now is set at $11,500.  That’s a lot of dough for a little bike, but this is beautiful, collectible, and seems in great shape.  It’s being sold by a clearly knowledgeable seller and I know I want to buy all of my bikes and cars from someone who is “happy to answer all questions both silly and smart.”

-tad