Before you buy, have a look at the swingarm where the real wheel axle nut sits. On a LOT of the 999r's and 749r's I've seen, it looks like a gorilla has been at the rear wheel nut with a cannon-sized torque wrench. Many of the swingarms have bits of the black paint missing and have suffered various chip, scuffs and scrapes, often through to the aluminium underneath. Even seen one 749R for sale with a crush dent to the rear swing arm. Not good for that money!
Watch out for that nasty tank weld on the 749R too -- most are okay, but I've seen couple where the red paint hadn't covered the primer, and even one with a small fissure in the weld!
Other things to look out for: scuffs, scrapes and scratches to the carbon parts (timing belt covers seem bad for some reason) and black stripes on the rear number plate not lacquered down at the end.
In was looking at a 749R tother day..those tank welds are nasty....cue Mr Hackett getting a carbon cover knocked up to prise even more of yer hard earned out yer pocket !!!!!!
tank weld is to add extra volume to the tank to last the distance in the supersport races why bother tarting up something on a bike which is designed to be raced not ridden on the road
Mood: Relaxed - don't worry about things you can't change
So Nigel the fact that it is a homologation bike means that the standard of welding can be such as would disgrace a first year apprentice.....try looking at the GP bikes!
Furthermore these bikes are being offered for sale as road bikes at a hefty price premium. The point is that this is undoubtedly affecting the willingness of punters to part with their hard earned cash.
It is time that Ducati realised that poor workmanship and lack of attention to detail will result in consumers buying elsewhere.
Mood: Relaxed - don't worry about things you can't change
If they are prepared to accept p*$$p**r workmanship then more fool the buyers . It means that Ducati will not be forced to improve ....then we are all losers.