At the beginning of the millennium, Ducati sold a limited motorcycle called MH900e. The series of two thousand pieces sold out within 12 hours. Recently, one specimen appeared in an intervention auction and it is interesting that it is not yet unpacked.
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The Ducati MH900e was first introduced to the public at Munich’s Intermot in 1998 as the concept behind the designer Pierre Terblanche. December 1999, it was decided to create 2,000 machines.
Sales began a minute after midnight on New Year 2000. And on the Internet. This is the first motorcycle sold exclusively online. The price was 15,000 euros (regardless of the customer’s country of origin) and the first thousand were dismantled in just 31 minutes. Later, sales slowed down a bit, yet all the pieces disappeared within 12 hours.
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The Ducati MH900e is a motorcycle that combines handmade production, design inspired by the past and modern technology. The acronym “MH” is reminiscent of a rider named Mike Hailwood, the winner of the Tourist Trophy on the Isle of Man in 1978. In addition, his motorcycle served as an inspiration for the look. The number “900” corresponds to the engine capacity (actually 904 cubic centimeters), which is an air-cooled two-cylinder Desmodue tuned to 75 hp at 8000 rpm and 76 Nm at 6250 rpm. And the lowercase “e” at the end means “evolution”.
Manual production did not start until December 2000, with about five motorcycles produced daily. This is one of the reasons why production lasted until 2002. When the motorcycle was completed, it went to customers packed in a special container.
And that brings us to the specimen that is currently available via the Internet auction in the United States. As we indicated in the introduction, this is a machine that is still, almost 20 years after its production, packed in the original “box”.
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According to the advertisement, this Ducati, apparently with serial number 875, was delivered to a motorcycle dealer, where for some reason it remained in the factory transporter. The motorcycle is therefore packed exactly as it left the factory in Bologna, Italy. In addition to the box, the package also includes various protective foils.
It’s an interesting sight and we would honestly like to know what condition Ducati will be in the carrier after 20 years, especially some parts of it. And, of course, we wonder how much the rare machine will eventually sell for. And if the future owner unpacks it at all …
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