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Is that a real legend?
A recent
mis-step highlights why you need to check high-value
classics
January 1, 2026, by
Guy 'Guido' Allen
Here’s a little cautionary tale when it comes to chasing high-value motorcycles at auction.
A 1974 Ducati 750 SS is a pinnacle 'get' for Ducati collectors. Based on the bikes which won Imola 200 in 1972, just 401 were built.
They have increased in value enormously over the years to the point where you can expect to pay over Au$300,000 (US$200,000, GB£150,000, €170,000) for a good example.
Mecum’s upcoming
Las Vegas auction lists one which has been restored.
Among its claims to fame was, initially, the restoration
was conducted by world-renowned Ducati expert Ian Falloon, who resides in
Australia. It wasn't his project. He quietly alerted the
auction house, which of course corrected the listing.
The listing now says the work was done by Mike Kron, a
restorer who has worked across several marques, in Europe.
Why does this matter?
Falloon is rightly regarded world-wide as the
authentication expert on these machines, and so one
carrying his imprimatur attracts a significant premium.
From Mecum's point of view, the last thing it will want
is to get embroiled in a post-sale dispute over the
machine’s provenance.
It's also a handy reminder that, with motorcycles like
these, you really want an authoritative confirmation of
the machine's identity. We are not in a position to
comment on the identity of this particular bike.
When you look at the wider market, the 'green frame' is
valuable enough for people in the past to have built
clones of real ones. Even with the best intentions, a nice
replica will be worth far less than a premium example of
the real thing. There is nothing wrong with a replica, so
long as it is declared as such.
Falloon has published a number of books referring to the
SS, one of which is a specific authenticity guide, available through Ebay. It sells for
Au$375 (US$250, GB£190, €220), which to some extent
reflects the value of the information it contains and the
effort it took to obtain it.
See our Ducati
1972 Imola profile
Plus the
plentiful Ducati features at AllMoto.com
See the full
Mecum January 2026 auction, with 1200 listings
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