If you are a ducati guy I think it could be worth it. I'm doing an engine swap in my Aprilia and it's cake. I don't know how easy older duck parts are to get, but working on my Ape is a breeze.

I have the new engine sitting in my garage and am 100% confident if I needed an entire (other) new one, or any combo of parts therein I could have it all in a matter of days for under $1000. And bikes are dead simple. So the question really is, what is the ducati community like? (I honestly don't know, but if you were in the same situation with an aprilia it'd be a stupid easy project).