Elefant Sightings?

erappaport · 05-24-2006, 08:56 AM

Any Cagiva Elefants out there? last saw one (With a Ducati Badge) on the floor of my local dealer about 12 years ago. Since then, no word or sightings, and I've gotten intrigued as I ponder upsizing my dualsport fleet. The dealer is long gone, so no help there.

grisezd · 05-24-2006, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by erappaport

Any Cagiva Elefants out there? last saw one (With a Ducati Badge) on the floor of my local dealer about 12 years ago. Since then, no word or sightings, and I've gotten intrigued as I ponder upsizing my dualsport fleet. The dealer is long gone, so no help there.

I've got one, a '94 in a glorious mid-80's Buick shade of maroon. The color is the only thing I don't like about it. The local dealer wouldn't help if he was within a million miles. Ducati don't support it even if the dealer gave a damn. Fortunately there's a fine email list and lots of online resources. Good mechanics aren't hard to find, as it's basically a Monster motor with some modification to the rear of the case. Brake parts, etc. are just motorcycle parts. The only thing that is hard to find is plastic. And if you can't stand the color anyway...

Gustavo · 05-24-2006, 12:30 PM

I know where there is what could be considered a whole herd of them. Surprisingly, most actually even run.

But none are for sale, so I don't think it really helps you.

Gustavo

erappaport · 05-24-2006, 01:11 PM

Thanks.. This post was driven by curiosity as much as any immediate plan to buy, so no need to lock your garage just yet. I just hadn't heard anything about themse bikes in years, and wondered how many were actually around. I guess that, much like the transalp and AT, this was a bike nobody wanted when they were available in the US. Silly people.

Gustavo · 05-24-2006, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by erappaport

I guess that, much like the transalp and AT, this was a bike nobody wanted when they were available in the US. Silly people.

Well.... I am not sure it's the same. At least to me the issues with buying an Elefant (or Gran Canyon for that matter) were not the same as when considering a Transalp or TDM. The fear of being left with an "orphan" bike with the Italian bikes was real, and as it turned out, pretty well justified.

It's not just that that specific model isn't imported anymore, the whole dealer network was (in some cases still is) non-existant.

Sure, some parts are interchangeable with Ducatis, but not all are, and until you had the list figured out, it was hard to find the right parts. Not to mention that if you needed soemthing that was bike specific, you were SOL, even if your buddy Luca was willing to comb the Italian countryside for those parts.

And that's a real shame, because these were some of the best Adventure Touring bikes around at the time. Heck, I know a nicely modified Elefant 900 that would give a run for it's money to many of the newer bikes.

Just need to remember to check the oil more often than on a V-Strom...

Gustavo

DesmoHead · 05-24-2006, 01:43 PM

Here is mine Pretty fun bike, just wish it had a better seat

Ulyssessix · 05-24-2006, 09:57 PM

You know I never knew what an Elefant was until one evening after riding the Uly on some of the most challenging, for me, off road adventures. I rode a grown over trail with a sand washout on a steep hill that I went down in and up out. Then I rode in a sand pit. I had to talk to the GM at the HD dealer I bought the Uly from and I parked the Uly out front. It was January on a Friday night just before closing and no one was in the store. I walked to the parts counter to see if they had a part I needed and then on the way back I stop to talk to John. I soon noticed three guys outside looking the Uly over. I ask John why he did not have a Uly on the floor and he tells me that the one they had left was at another store. We go outside and find out that these guys saw my Uly parked out and pulled off the highway to look at it. Just about the time the first of lookers drive off, here comes this twin headlight motorcycle that first looked like a Tiger, then I thought a Buell, then I realized I did not know what it was. The guy riding the Elefant explain the bike to me and he too saw the Uly out front of the dealer and pulled off the highway to look at the Uly. John and I were looking the Elefant over while he was looking the Uly over. Cool bike.

Evil Invader · 05-24-2006, 10:23 PM

I had one, -97 750 with the "Lucky Explorer" paint. Sold it last year.
Really great bike. So fun to ride and easy to handle despite it´s size.
Much more fun than the AT, and better looks to.
Some days I wish I´d kept it.

rocker59 · 05-25-2006, 06:58 AM

I owned this 1995 Elefant from November 2003 to March 2006. It's living up around Telluride now with it's new owner...

Cool bikes the Elefants. I wish Ducati still built them.

vegasphotog · 05-25-2006, 07:55 AM

I know a fellow strommer up here in Alaska that seems to ride his 'fant more than his wee....

Stuntman · 05-26-2006, 07:51 PM

[quote=DesmoHead]Here is mine Pretty fun bike, just wish it had a better seat

Nice 750!

Pretty rare to find a clean one.

HighwayChile · 05-26-2006, 10:06 PM

yeah nice, the seat can be fixed.
great bikes

FatChance · 05-27-2006, 06:55 AM

OTB? OTB to the white paging telephone!

Jim Rowley · 05-27-2006, 07:17 AM

This was what it looked like when I sold it.

I regretted selling it but then I regret selling every bike. A few months ago I got an email from the current owner with some pics. Here's what it looks like now.

Some old lady ran into him and he had to get the bike redone.

Jim.

duckrider · 05-30-2006, 08:37 PM

Here's a couple of not so good pics of my '95 with the rear plastic off.

I read somewhere that they imported 100 in both 94 and 95. They are a great scooter, 75 lbs lighter than a GS. About the only thing that is hard to find is the plastic.

Duke

05-24-2006, 08:56 AM	#1
erappaport ^OP pray for rain Joined: Jun 2004 Location: Maine Oddometer: 228	Elefant Sightings? Any Cagiva Elefants out there? last saw one (With a Ducati Badge) on the floor of my local dealer about 12 years ago. Since then, no word or sightings, and I've gotten intrigued as I ponder upsizing my dualsport fleet. The dealer is long gone, so no help there.

05-24-2006, 09:57 PM	#7
Ulyssessix Studly Adventurer Joined: Apr 2006 Location: North Carolina Oddometer: 618	You know I never knew what an Elefant was until one evening after riding the Uly on some of the most challenging, for me, off road adventures. I rode a grown over trail with a sand washout on a steep hill that I went down in and up out. Then I rode in a sand pit. I had to talk to the GM at the HD dealer I bought the Uly from and I parked the Uly out front. It was January on a Friday night just before closing and no one was in the store. I walked to the parts counter to see if they had a part I needed and then on the way back I stop to talk to John. I soon noticed three guys outside looking the Uly over. I ask John why he did not have a Uly on the floor and he tells me that the one they had left was at another store. We go outside and find out that these guys saw my Uly parked out and pulled off the highway to look at it. Just about the time the first of lookers drive off, here comes this twin headlight motorcycle that first looked like a Tiger, then I thought a Buell, then I realized I did not know what it was. The guy riding the Elefant explain the bike to me and he too saw the Uly out front of the dealer and pulled off the highway to look at the Uly. John and I were looking the Elefant over while he was looking the Uly over. Cool bike. __________________ M2nc 06 Buell Ulysses 99 Buell M2 Cyclone 99 Honda Z50R (Hot Rod)

05-25-2006, 06:58 AM	#9
rocker59 diplomatico di moto Joined: Mar 2004 Location: The Trans-Mississippi Oddometer: 14,315	I owned this 1995 Elefant from November 2003 to March 2006. It's living up around Telluride now with it's new owner... Cool bikes the Elefants. I wish Ducati still built them. __________________ Rocker59 (aka guzzimike), Aux Arcs (NW Arkansas) Moto Guzzi: LeMans 1000 CI, Sport 1100, V11 LeMans Nero Corsa IBA #24873, MGNOC #21347 “Just keep playing, no matter how weird it gets.”

05-25-2006, 07:55 AM	#10
vegasphotog Las Vegas Cheechako Joined: Jun 2005 Location: Covered in Desert Dirt Oddometer: 3,248	I know a fellow strommer up here in Alaska that seems to ride his 'fant more than his wee.... __________________ "I would rather ride my motorcycle on Sundays and think of God, than sit in church and think about riding my motorcycle..."

05-26-2006, 07:51 PM	#11
Stuntman Studly Adventurer Joined: May 2006 Location: Don't know...I'm lost. Oddometer: 677	[quote=DesmoHead]Here is mine Pretty fun bike, just wish it had a better seat Nice 750! Pretty rare to find a clean one. __________________ Bring a compass, it's awkward when you have to eat your friends.

05-24-2006, 12:30 PM	#3
Gustavo Motociclista Errante Joined: Jun 2004 Location: Sometimes in Hillsburrito Oddometer: 2,242	I know where there is what could be considered a whole herd of them. Surprisingly, most actually even run. But none are for sale, so I don't think it really helps you. Gustavo

05-24-2006, 01:11 PM	#4
erappaport ^OP pray for rain Joined: Jun 2004 Location: Maine Oddometer: 228	Thanks.. This post was driven by curiosity as much as any immediate plan to buy, so no need to lock your garage just yet. I just hadn't heard anything about themse bikes in years, and wondered how many were actually around. I guess that, much like the transalp and AT, this was a bike nobody wanted when they were available in the US. Silly people.

05-24-2006, 01:43 PM	#6
DesmoHead Adventurer Joined: Aug 2002 Location: Missouri Oddometer: 78	Here is mine Pretty fun bike, just wish it had a better seat

05-24-2006, 10:23 PM	#8
Evil Invader Studly Adventurer Joined: May 2006 Location: Hell-sing-land, Sweden Oddometer: 593	I had one, -97 750 with the "Lucky Explorer" paint. Sold it last year. Really great bike. So fun to ride and easy to handle despite it´s size. Much more fun than the AT, and better looks to. Some days I wish I´d kept it.

05-26-2006, 10:06 PM	#12
HighwayChile greetings from Wa state Joined: Aug 2003 Location: Bow, WA USA Oddometer: 4,096	yeah nice, the seat can be fixed. great bikes __________________ “I would rather wake up in the middle of nowhere than in any city on earth.” .....Steve McQueen

05-27-2006, 06:55 AM	#13
FatChance Road Captain Joined: Jun 2003 Location: Durango, Colorado, USA Oddometer: 9,322	OTB? OTB to the white paging telephone! __________________ Pain in the Butte Ranch Durango, Colorado - Calculated risk or forbidden fruit?

05-27-2006, 07:17 AM	#14
Jim Rowley Now what? Joined: Jul 2001 Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado Oddometer: 2,253	I had one. This was what it looked like when I sold it. I regretted selling it but then I regret selling every bike. A few months ago I got an email from the current owner with some pics. Here's what it looks like now. Some old lady ran into him and he had to get the bike redone. Jim. __________________ Jim Rowley Colorado Springs, CO M. A. P.

05-30-2006, 08:37 PM	#15
duckrider Studly Adventurer Joined: Feb 2004 Location: Southwest Orygun Oddometer: 992	Here's a couple of not so good pics of my '95 with the rear plastic off. I read somewhere that they imported 100 in both 94 and 95. They are a great scooter, 75 lbs lighter than a GS. About the only thing that is hard to find is the plastic. Duke

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