I have a question for those who bought an F1 in the US or those who later purchased one. Were they approved by the DOT for street use? The reason I ask this is because my Laguna Seca came to me without directionals, rear brake light switch, horn and flasher. The Statement of Origin read "Not for HWY Use". I'm not sure if the importer removed the parts as directed by the DOT and if this was the case for all F1s entering the US. There aren't many around. I know some of the F1 specials came with slicks. I was able to title and register my bike in NY although one insurance company refused to insure it when I presented the VIN. Simply, were F!s approved for street use in the US in the mid eighties?

Yes. But...

Nearly all standard F1s were street legal, even though some (such as mine) came with a "Not for street use" sticker. The Montjuich and Laguna Seca were specifically intended for use as race bikes, but I know of many that were registered for street use. When I registered my F1 in Georgia, Laguna Seca and Montjuich were on the list of possible models—which means at least one of each previously was registered in GA.

I think the issue is more about what the selling dealer did or did not do. Clearly many dealers were able to register F1 variants with state DMVs. If it has a VIN then it should be register-able. If you got one without a state registration, then perhaps it never was put through the system. Maybe you can get it titled in a different state and then transfer that.

I think what Danomar wrote is pretty accurate. I also remember something about the Vin numbers, maybe not having enough digits or something. So new vin tags were welded (over the old vin), to the frame with ZDM lettering added. Maybe they needed to be 17 digits. Sorry, I'm not home, so doing this from memory. I was able to register my F1a model in NYC in 1989. Bought the bike in Ohio, and he bought it from Britalia on the west coast. I miss that bike! Lou

Lou is correct as of 1981 a 17digit vin was required to register a vehicle, anything less was considered to be off road use only.
Homolgation specials did not have 17 digits and the usually had weird numbers or asterisks in the vin.
That’s was a real beauty Lou!!

Sorry I'm slow off the line, but here's my memory.

In the USA in 1988 Ducati / Cagiva sold a 750-F1S. S for street. Full lighting, dual seat and dual exhaust. They were supposed to make/sell 150 machines in order to qualify the F1 to race in the AMA Pro-Twins class called Modified Production. (The coming 851s raced in the Pro-Twin GP class)

I think you could get them registered in most states, I am in California and you couldnt register them here legally/technically. Loud pipes and open carbs wouldnt meet noise and emission standards for CA. My 87 F1B came as not street legal, no warranty, and it had a sticker to make it legal to transport it.

It did have a 17 digit vin and I was able to register it for the street a few years ago. (even thou my street legal lighting equipment may not have been up to DOT standards

Clay

Hay RP84. I replied, but it gets bounced back by MS. Says it cannot deliver to your email address. MikeV

I remember in the Cycle road test Phil Schilling admonishing Ken Vreeke to not ride their test unit F1 on the street since it was not street legal. My impression was that they were not strictly compliant but none of the Pantahs were for that matter. But the DMV wants to take your money and there’s many ways to skin a ‘cati.
Matt at