Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > 998 / 996 / 916 / 748 > Help with buying a 748R

[Garry Smith]

Re 748R - a couple of things to be aware of: buy the latest model you can, primarily because Ducati changed the design of the Conrods in the later bikes as it was not uncommon for the original Ti Rods to fail - I know, mine exited the crankcase at approx 11,000 RPM, not at all pretty - but at least I've now got a very interesting paper weight for my desk! 01 model year onwards have Ohlins front and rear and carbon airbox (00 had Showas and plastic airbox) 02 on had the 998 style solid fairings and a slightly revised seat unit paint job.

I bought one new in 2000 and yes, initially I had all the running problems described above. However, once I took the bike to JHP (Ducati Coventry) it was transformed - if you buy one take it there and get it appropriately chipped and set up, better still the PC3 works really well on this bike and JHP will map it on the dyno for you.

The bike has a unique character and combines the reviness of a 600 four with the grunt of a twin - its sort of in between the two. I loved mine.

As per the above posting if you need to know anything specific drop me a u2u because I carried out various mods to mine over time - different pipes, chips, gas flowing, porting, etc.

Happy hunting!

[Steve M]

Lily's bike

go on, you know you want it.

[keller]

Lily,

Can't argue that your bike looks nice (thanks for the pic Steve!) but it does have quite a few miles on it.

Help me out guys: would you buy a 748R with 10K on the clock? Forgive my ignorance but is it not going to need a lot more work doing to it over the next couple of years than an 02 with say 3-5k?

[Gaz 748]

As long as it has a full service history and the belts have been changed every year, should be ok.
I went from a 748 to a 748R, its a much better bike + put a larger rear sprocket on + 2 or 3 teeth = fun.
Give Snells in Alton a ring about service costs.

Keller,

The work needed will be identiacal as every 6000m / 12 months it will need a service and every 12000m / 24 months it will need a major service ...other than that it will need brake pads, clutch plates and other service items just the same as the bike with 3.5k.

I'm sure Lily has a stack of receipts and can tell you when such items have been done.

The other thing is that at 10k you can guarantee that any niggles are sorted and that it runs like a dream.

[keefer]

I know it seams like we are all giving lils bike the hard sell, but its what I would go for. rather than paying over the odds at a dealer.
I don't like buying bike from shops, all you end up doing is lining someone else's pocket.
as said by someone else I would expect everything to be sorted on that bike by now, go have a look at it

[JPM]

Low mileage bikes are obviously everyone's dream I guess when looking, but if you look at the service schedule the second service (2 years/12K miles) you need stuff like fork oil done etc, so that bumps the price up. Also on something like a 748R with quite aggressive cams the rocker wear will probably be increased, I know Lily's bike had several rockers replaced at the last service under warranty, so with a low mileage bike you'll probably hit these issues rather than get one that's had them and someone else has already paid for the work to be done.

I know her 748R well, I think it's first service and 1yr/6K miles was done at Ducati Manchester, the 2nd year was done at JHP

[keller]

I get the feeling that this is definitley a bike i should go and see?
There are a couple of others that i'm gonna check out this weekend, one is listed on here in the marketplace (he wants £6400 for it which seems steep) and another through Biketrader with only 1000 miles for £6600.

Can someone post a link to the original advert for Lily's bike for me, as i cant seem to find it?

Thanks guys

heres it is ...

http://217.199.188.40/xmb/viewthread...7285#pid164964

[JPM]

I'll see if I can find it...

U2U on the way...