Is The Cagiva Elefant The Best Adventure Motorcycle Ever Built?

[@uhtred7860]

I'm actually amazed by the comments how so many people didn't know Cagiva owned Ducati, Ducatis from a certain era (mid eighties to mid 90s) are plastered with Cagiva logos😄. Guess it was 30 + years ago, seem like yesterday to me.🤣🤣

[@barebonesmc]

A forgotten story that shaped the European industry. The Castiglioni brothers were one of a kind. Heres hoping that there are more people ike them that in the future, the industry needs people like them. they gave Tamburini the freedom to build such fantastic bikes as the Paso, 916 and Mito as well as the Elefant. heres to 2024 mate, I hope you have a great year

[@cornelpanaite5620]

Hi there.. I’ve just discovered your channel and at first glance I can tell you that your voice sounds like Michael Canine’s an actor which I definitely like… On the other side of the story,lately I’m watching a lot of KZbin videos on different channels and HONESTLY I can say you Mister are talking 200% PURE EXPERIENCE, AND I LIKE THAT A LOT! I plan to take a full driving license for motorcycle next year,…now is a bit late..,and I’m searching.. informing myself for the right motor,considering that I have no experience in driving a motorcycle..haha..(A dad bicycle commuter here)… ,but YOU SIR definitely changed my perspective on looking and understanding motorcycles and definitely what to look for when I will buy my first one! You have won a new follower,eager to see and learn more from your experience! Wish you SUCCESS!

[@barebonesmc]

Welcome aboard mate, enjoy the ride and cheers for the support, you will find plenty to watch on the channel, and ill do my best to answer any questions you have. its never too late to start

[@MoreLikeYewTube]

I’m on my second Ducati E900 aka Cagiva Elefant in the last decade (first one was stolen 4 years ago). One of the most underrated ADV bikes ever made. Impeccably balanced and capable with a few easy updates/mods.

[@barebonesmc]

I am a certified Cagiva Nut lol. off to visit a friend who has several next week. one of several incredible bikes that came out of the Varese factory. There is more in the main video linked in the description 🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂

[@bikeserv]

First desmo engine i did a valve job when i was an apprentice,20 years ago.Was owned by my boss.Luck would have it,having my iwn shop and still work on the same bike,i think 3 owners later

[@barebonesmc]

Great story 🙂Cheers for adding your bit mate. Ride Free 🙂

[@ENDUROTRIALCLUB]

I am the happy owner of a 900 i.e. This motorcycle was misunderstood at the time of its creation, because it was ahead of its time. Elefant Can handle it just like modern machines and surpasses them in many ways. Greatings from Czech Republic❤

[@barebonesmc]

hi, we nearly managed it to the Czech republic this year, without the delay at the start we would have been there. and yep, the Elefant is something special, happy riding

[@koyval22]

I’m from the Philippines. I have an elefant 900 also but i needed it’s stock engine guard and front fender.

[@barebonesmc]

Have you tried the cagiva fb groups? I can ask but shipping from Europe won’t be cheap. Let me know if you want me to ask around

[@wilco1v]

Personaly i did love The Gran Canyon 900 (ss)ie for 20 years

[@iansellers406]

Nice Video, im the lucky owner of both the 750 and 900 lucky explorers love them both and really fun to ride and look at ,still modern today!?

[@barebonesmc]

good on you for eeping them going mate. i know id rather have either than the 2 new imposters :-) there is more in the main video here kzbin.info/www/bejne/mqesaJWYZbKfjpYsi=FzELe9cfGiTyocEB

[@piotrkoller3570]

Hi, I want to buy e750, searching, looking and buy elefant 650 , 1987 original. What a grat bike, more enduro then next generation. Have a lot of fun on ride this bike 2000km this year off and on road. Greetings from Poland

[@barebonesmc]

great bikes, there is more in the main video here kzbin.info/www/bejne/fH61mp2sfax6pc0si=LM17Hs6yz0IoWF6s there are other Cagiva videos too, I had a W12 and a Navigator for a while 🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂

[@derekdingwall]

I never knew that either 👍

[@barebonesmc]

🙂Cheers for watching and for the comment mate. which bits? and what were your favourite bits? 🙂there is more in the main video linked in the description 🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂

[@derekdingwall]

@barebonesmc I didn't know Cagiva use Ducati engines I remember Cagiva back in the 80s but never gave them much attention back then 👍

[@barebonesmc]

@@derekdingwall Cagiva owned Ducati, from the Paso to the 916 are more Cagiva than Ducati 🙂 without Cagiva Ducati would have died in the 80's

[@jaimzandfriendsthecoolbike9581]

Nice bike, looks a lot like my own garden too! ❤

[@barebonesmc]

lol, if its your place mate let me know, im happy to credit people, i get loads of footage sent and as i figured a while ago, not all from the original owners. I put a call out on the various Cagiva forums of FB and this was some of the footage i was sent, just let me know if its yours and send me a link to video

[@jaimzandfriendsthecoolbike9581]

I sold the bike 3 years ago, no swet. Still have some other cool classics

[@barebonesmc]

@@jaimzandfriendsthecoolbike9581 what are you running now? ive about finished the SF2, and just doing a refresh on the CB700SC, I still miss my Cagiva's, I had a W12 that was fantastic and a Navigator that was quite trick, i miss the W12 most, such a great bike

[@jaimzandfriendsthecoolbike9581]

@@barebonesmc kzbin.info/www/bejne/qGS9qWqsjrqNi8U these i kept, along with some ducati classics

[@offseason9856]

I cannot wait to leave on my Elefant 900 as soon as the mechanic hands it over

[@barebonesmc]

enjoy it my friend 🙂

[@Tara-x7y]

I had two 94s... Best bikes.... A i had the all... Africa, bigs, tiger, 640 ad entures, and lot more... BUT elefant is the clenot

[@barebonesmc]

Sometimes they do just get it right 🙂Cheers for watching and for the comment mate. Ride Free 🙂 there is more in the main video linked in the description too

[@gordanbobanac9903]

Yes

[@barebonesmc]

short sweet and to the point lol 🙂 cheers for watching mate, hope you will climb aboard 🙂

[@lorditsprobingtime6668]

You're a wealth of information alright. I never knew Cagiva and Ducati were ever tied together, nor that Husquvarna was too. Then again, I saw a graphic of the car companies that were all essentially the same company and it covered something like about 15 or so different brands. This one even clearly states Ducati on the engine itself proudly.

[@barebonesmc]

the Cagiva story could make a full length feature film, the European industry would be a very different place if it hadnt been for the Castiglioni brothers. My mates Ducati Paso has elefant castings all over it too, i think they just grabbed what fitted half the time 🙂

[@lorditsprobingtime6668]

@@barebonesmc Ha, that sounds like some of the workshops I've worked in! Just get it working, use whatever's available, bodge or make some contraption to keep things running lol. I know you're doing top up research as you go but, you obviously have a vast range of experience and knowledge of your own to back it up. Me, I've just always bought cheap and usually second hand Jap bikes, or rebuilt ones, at least till I went all out and bought that BMW. Even the scooter was a demo scooter that nobody except the one bloke from the shop had ridden, he only used it to do post runs etc and only had 80 ks or 50 miles on it. The DL 650 I did buy new also the DRZ 400 but I just stuck with the common and (supposedly) easy to find parts for Japanese bikes. Man have they improved over the years too! Then again, a few of those Jap bikes like Yam RD 350s or derivatives of, I wish they were still making now. Then today I went a bit nuts and did what I said I was never going to do with that scooter and bought a MIVV FULL SYSTEM EXHAUST HOM URBAN minus cat for it. Yesterday I was rather naughty on it right in front of a cop car and they never even stopped me to say how naughty zipping between a pair of potentially dangerous car drivers, blasted away at the lights full throttle,let her zip up to 30 kph over the speed limit to put some distance between me and them and nothing so, I gotta make her louder and a bit quicker, maybe then I'll get their attention lol. Actually, the stock exhaust has paint flaking off and rust setting in. I was going to strip it and repaint it with this ceramic based high temp but screw that, these look so much nicer too.

[@dailyallowance3826]

Its me agaain i want a go 😂

[@barebonesmc]

you are going to need a big garage lol, have a great week mate

[@awannagannaful]

Trashes Ducati for cashing in on a brand it actually shared history with, then promotes his own clothing line exploiting the Cagiva brand name he has nothing to do with? lol

[@barebonesmc]

I’ve had more cagiva than most and was initially asked to do the T-shirts by elefant owners club and other cagiva riders. And try looking at different videos. I had a go at Ducati once. Others have fared much worse 😊 I say it as I see it mate

[@awannagannaful]

@@barebonesmc all good, was just ironic. saw the link, some cool stuff there ;

[@barebonesmc]

@@awannagannafulI do my best. There are plenty of more positive Ducati mentions too 😊 I’m not a hater honest lol. It’s mainly the marketing of all the big brands I have issue with. And as a triumph owner you’ll see even though I love the bikes in general (there are exceptions) I hate the marketing department with a vengeance 😂😂😂 there’s 2 Italian specials videos but there’s others with the old monster 916 and 748 and even the old desmo 250 in the fastest 250s. And the get 2 bikes in the fastest 500s 😊😊 but my heart will always put laverda and cagiva first and second 😊😊

[@awannagannaful]

@@barebonesmc Well, the DesertX Rally is my dream bike atm.... and marketing bs aside, sounds like they did a pretty good job for a first attempt. And still cheaper than an old 900ie... yikes.

[@barebonesmc]

@@awannagannaful my friend who is a collector ( has 4 and a half lol) offered me one for 5k. But I had to say no. Been thinning the fleet out for years now n still find it hard to but 15 bikes meant more time on maintenance than riding which is a bit silly to me. Interestingly he has bought a desert x now. I sort of like it. But not the electronics 😂 if I could get the bike without all the wizardry and with real clocks I would be MUCH more interested 😂😂😂

[@jimtitt3571]

The Cagiva didn't win in 1990 against the might of Yamaha, they had no works entries after the FTZ 900 in 1987 until they entered the twin cylinder Tenere in 1991 andd thereafter dominated. I've ridden the Elefant and it's actually a bit of a slow pig by any modern standards, I'm a V-twin fan (I had a 998 and own an Aprilia RVS550) but that really wasn't it's best application.

[@barebonesmc]

we all have our opinions mate