Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > 998 / 996 / 916 / 748 > newbi looking to buy a 748! Help needed pleeeeeeeeeese

[chris99]

Hiya Guys / Gals,

I was t-boned on my R6 by a **** in a Pug 406 back in April. I smashed my right femur and since then i have been re -learning to walk.

Anyhow, im now thinking of replacing the six with a 748
I have spent a fair amount of time trying to suss out all the versions and which i like/can afford ( im 22 3yrs ncb )
The article in Bike(how i found the site) worried me a lil bit but im still up for it.
http://217.199.188.40/xmb/viewthread.php?tid=10958

My wish list is:
RED
2 Seats
5 spoke wheels
Grey Frame

pref the smooth fairing too but dont mind the other.

I think that all means that i want a 2001/2002? 748S

Im gona have to get a loan untill the other guys insurance pays out but im thinking £5000 - £5500 ish Do you think im about right or am i way off?

Any tips or things i should look out for would be a great hlp.

Thanks in advance

Chris

[Lee1980]

Hi and welcome,

I hope you are able to ride now sounds like a real bad one

I have a 748s a 2002 model and has all the things you require apart from the colour see pic below,

They were avaliable in bip and mono versions to.

The s has the 5 spoke look a like marachisenis (spelling??)
gold titanuim nitrided forks, adjustable head stock, showa shock and lighter thinner front discs.

Mine was new so not sure about second hand buying, more peeps will be along soon to answer that one.

I think it was from 2002 that they had the smooth fairing

[chris99]

Hi and thanks lee.

The crash was harsh! Bout 50 mph into a road sign! Can walk a fair bit without crutches now so NEEEEEED a bike again! My R6 is Very bent

Is that a Senna? Would it cost more than standard coz im liking the look of that

[antonye]

You'll need an S or R model if you want the grey 5-spokes and frame, but the R will have a premium on the S model.

You should certainly be able to get one for that kind of money, and plenty will be coming up for sale once the summer season is over, so hang on if you can.

Other than what's already been said in the Bike article, just go out and see as many as you can!

[chris99]

I guessed that i may aswell wait till winter anyway now. Gives me a couple of months to polish it

What you think about used or dealer? They seem alot more in a dealer.

Also in the bike mag it said aserviced higher mileage bike is better to newer less serviced one. True?????

Is it right to say the R is better but has one seat and cost more to buy and service ? If so i guess i dont want one

[Edited on 25-8-2004 by chris99]

[jj250]

chris, not trying to hijack your post but i too am after 748 buying advice, looking for a sp model,need to know any bad things to spot,also would you steer clear of this : 97 P 748 Sp,odd marks,14000 kms,3 owners, history with bills,last service £2600 inc 5 spoke wheels, wavy discs, chipped etc, BUT lockwired grips, sprocket bolts and sump...£3900...ANY advice/thoughts appreciated

[Lee1980]

Hi chris,

It was just a different paint job supposed to be 'titanium grey' and is not a senna or anything same spec as boring red or yellow ones

It looks a lot better in the flesh the grey being more lighter and the finish is like a matt satin so will never be shiny.

In market place yellowfriedegg said his mate has one for sale might be worth a look

[chris99]

Hey jj250 sounds like its seen some track time matey. Not one that i would look at but its up to you. Others on herer ( i hope ) will be able to help more.

Cheers for that lee will look now

[antonye]

The dealers charge a premium because they (mostly) have expansive knowledge of the Ducati range.

As Neil says in the Bike article, a Ducati is unlike any other UJM (Universal Japanese Machine ) and so needs specially trained mechanics to look after them, hence the higher premium paid.

As for servicing, it MUST be done - no question about it. What Neil is trying to say is that it's better to have a bike which has been looked after properly (ridden and serviced) rather than one that has just sat in a shed. Ducatis do have their faults which appear over time, and a well ridden bike is more likely to have already experienced these faults, leaving it less likely to develop them later ... ie, just after you've bought it!

There's nothing wrong with buying a low-mileage, nearly-new bike, but beware of low-mileage older bikes as these may well need a full service (500+) before even being ridden.

The 748R was a special homogolation model, which Ducati built under SuperSports rules - these state that parts must be fitted to the publically available bike in order for them to be used in the race series. Ducati build a low number of these every year and coat them in the finest components (some people say they even sell them at a small loss) to ensure they can get developed & research changes onto the race bikes.

There's nothing wrong with having a 748R on the road, the engine is fundamentally the same, but they are of a higher-spec both engine and component wise, thus they are more costly to purchase, run and maintain. You'll get the Ohlins kit on an R model, along with extra carbon, so it may well be worth paying this extra premium if it's not too much. The R was also only available in MonoPosto (single-seat) versions.

Having said that, finding one may well be hard enough!

As Lee says, the Grey 748S was a limited edition and looks pretty damn funky. Very different from the red and yellow, but again pretty hard to find compared to the red and yellow models.

As for lockwiring - a lot of people do this to give their bikes the "race" look even if it's never been on the track. Don't be put off by the lock wiring, but ask the seller about it as they may well have an honest explanation.

The availability of parts means it's very easy to buy new sump plugs to replace drilled/lock-wired ones, and race bikes use race plastics, so again these will be pristine. Look for marks on the frame and engine casings (the bits that are too expensive to replace!) as evidence of a bike going down the road.

[pj748r]

Sorry to hear about your accident.I changed my R6 for a 748r but under different circumstances,thank god!!I looked into the different models and decided on the 'R' which wasn't exactly met with approval by the wife or 10 year old son but pillion's ruin the handling anyway!!

just had a look in last weeks mcn:-
00my 748s 4k -- £5400 ono private
02my 748s --£6400 ono private
02my 748s 4.7k --£4950 ono private

01my 748s 4k --£6299 ducati dealer
01/51 7k --£6499 ducati dealer

Insurance is another thing to bear in mind,as I pay less for my 'R' than i would have for an 'E',work that one out,the insurance co didn't even know why!!

a lot will depend if you want piece of mind buying from a dealer,warranty etc.If you decide to go private,it would be worth the money to get it properly inspected ,by someone like Nelly(Cornerspeed).
Servicng is more expensive than you'll be used to,but hell,you don't buy a Ferrari and get it serviced at Halfords!!
On one last note,buy YELLOW,faster and don't look like it's finished in primer!!