1996 Cagiva Elefant 750 For Sale

The Appeal

Cagiva were relative newcomers to motorcycle production having entered the fray in 1978. Originally an engineering company focussing on small, machined parts, Cagiva quickly carved a niche producing small capacity, two stroke motorcycles underpinned by significant racing success.

With Cagiva’s acquisition of Ducati in 1985 they suddenly had access to a range of four-stroke, V-twin motorcycle engines of significantly larger capacities. It wasn’t long before they started to fit these engines to their large enduro frame, known as “Elefant.” The Elefant, so named after the Elephant in the original Cagiva logo, attained international notoriety after Edi Orioli won the 1990 Dakar Rally riding one. He repeated the feat in 1994, further cementing the Elefant’s reputation as a tough and durable enduro machine.

The History and Paperwork

The motorcycle appears to be a UK supplied and registered bike

Showing first registration as June 1996

All Cagiva Elefant’s were supplied with KM speedometers regardless of market

The motorcycle has been enjoyed by a total of 9 owners

This represents an average period of tenure of nearly 3 years

The current owner acquired the motorcycle in August 2020

Clearly lightly used by all owners with a mere 20,000 kms recorded

The motorcycle comes with the original owner’s manual and book pack

There are a good number of invoices and previous MOTs on hand also

The last MOT expired in August 2019

The motorcycle is currently registered as SORN

The Interior

The riding environment of the Elefant is typical of a big 90’s enduro

This means a reasonably low seat height and high, upright bars

This helps promote a comfortable, upright riding position

Protection from the elements is afforded by the big fairing and screen

The Perspex screen is deeply tinted

Within the fairing are nestled the twin gauges and a number of warning lights

Other controls are situated at the base of the grips in traditional style

The grips are fitted with knuckle guards

Large oblong wing mirrors are fitted for good rearward visibility

The low saddle and tall tank combine to create a nicely enclosed riding environment

The generously padded saddle provides adequate pinion accommodation

Foot pegs for both rider and pillion are present and folding for longevity

A useful alloy luggage rack is fitted to the rear mudguard

A small, lockage storage cubby is also present

The condition of the riding environment and contact points look to be in great condition

The Exterior

This Elefant is presented in the red and white Lucky Explorer livery

This is in tribute to the Dakar winning machines and Lucky Strike sponsorship

The overall presentation appears very good for the motorcycle’s age

The appearance of the Elefant is dominated by a big alloy sump guard

The tall and upright stance of the motorcycle is also very distinctive

The wheels are alloy rimmed, spoked examples and are in a very clean condition

These are fitted with Pirelli Scorpion trail tyres with decent remaining tread

The well shielded tailpipe sits high up by the saddle

The Elefant is a real eye catcher in its bright and distinctive livery

There are a couple of areas exhibiting some surface corrosion

These include to the gear selector lever and some sections of exhaust

These are not unusual for enduro model of this type

The Mechanics

Thanks to Cagiva’s ownership of Ducati many quality parts were available

Not least of these was the Ducati V-Twin 750cc desmodromic engine

A well proven unit this was originally good for 60bhp and 50 Ib-ft

With a dry weight of a mere 191 kgs this was sufficient for spirited performance

Power is transmitted to the rear wheel via a five-speed gearbox

Suspension is care of 41mm Marzocchi forks at the front

Rear suspension is by an Ohlins, rising rate adjustable swing arm

Brakes are by Brembo with quad piston callipers at the front

Prior to the motorcycle being registered SORN around £1,700 was spent on maintenance

This was undertaken by Cagiva independent specialists

The work included carburettor tuning, timing belt replacement and routine maintenance

As the motorcycle has been off the road for six months plus the owner can attest to its current running condition

Given its prior maintenance it is likely to only require a light recommission

The owner does report that the front disk and pads need replacing

As pictured, these are included with the motorcycle

Summary

At the turn of the 1990’s Cagiva was a less well-known brand in the UK, despite its then ownership of Ducati. That all changed with the high-profile successes enjoyed by the brand in the Dakar rally, of course. Since then, the big capacity enduro motorcycles of this period have become increasingly popular and sought-after. This is thanks to coverage received by YouTube channels such as “Harry’s Garage” and their, for now, reasonably attainable price point.

This is a great example of the 750cc Elefant too. It’s in a great overall condition and boasting a very light usage history. It’s very original, too, which is essential for the informed collectors and connoisseurs. There is plenty of documented provenance on hand with this bike, as well, making it a very desirable and hard to find proposition for all the big-capacity enduro enthusiasts out there.

Notice to bidders

This item is sold on an ‘As is Where is’ basis. The condition of this item is the opinion of the seller and may differ from your own opinion. Photos and listing descriptions are for guidance purposes only*.** Car & Classic do not warrant listing accuracy. Full inspection is recommended. Viewings are at the seller’s discretion. Buyer is responsible for delivery and collection of any item purchased.*

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1996 Cagiva Elefant 750

Highlights