748 Reliability

[finncoyle]

Hi,
I'm in the market for a 748. I have been led to believe that reliabilty issues were sorted in the later models. Anyone got any suggestions as to which is the minimum age of bike to get - i have been looking at some 1997 bikes

[Manch]

Weeksy's correct but most of the earlier bikes would have been fitted with new reg/rectifiers by now as the origionals were hopeless. I've a 97 and it's always taken a fair amount of "enthusiasm" to keep it going (but I still love it). For people with smaller toolboxes I'd advise a '98 onwards model.

[Nigel C]

I gotta 99 748bp i've done 8000mls on it no problems find someone who services them properly and your sorted ! the only thing i've done is change the oil twice in that 8000mls (I know other people on here haven't been quite so lucky )

[Nigel Booker]

I had a 1997 model 748 bip for 3 years and as mentioned the regulators are very dodgy. The regulator on mine expired at just on 16K and I had the rear brake caliper seize at 19K. Other than that it was 3 years and 24K of pure joy, just make sure it has a full service history by a dealer or specialist.

[bradders]

had 1 for a year now, no problems at all with reliability, although servicing and running costs can be a challenge:(

Still - wouldn't swap it for anything....well maybe a 998:D
Paul

[pguenet]

I had a 1998 748 and did not have any problem with her. But I was only doing very little mileage though...

I believe later models around 99 or 2000 or even better because they feature the modified rockers which are supposed to not have any chrome pealing issues ... well in fact they still have the issue and just last that little longer though!

Generally speaking don't necessarily try and get the cheapest possible bike or the latest possible one... just a bike that has been very well looked after is what you should aim for. Just expect that a Ducati requires more looking after than a basic Japanese bike, but then the reward riding her is also something very different. So you'll get over it!!

[Gordy]

Welcome to the board matey. there is a 748 for sale on the FOR SALE. section. but it is the slow colour. LOL. but seriously, i have a 2000 748bp, the only problem i have is i don't get the time to ride it enough.




[Edited on 15-10-2003 by Gordy]

[TopiToo]

hello finncoyle

I have a 748Bip on a p reg and although I don't think I would sell it I have had a few problems that would drive most normal people up the wall.
I bought the bike 3rd hand with FDSH with 8000 miles on the clock.
to list but a few. . . which I now understand to be normal for the age (some).

expansion tank cracked leaking coolant down the rad.
bulbs popping in tail light
breather leaking oil
oil switch
3 rockers replaced
alarm system blowing relays.
and last May just before Mallory main bearings went.

So after that I bought a 2001 engine on 4000miles and stayed in the good books for what seemed a life time with the lady in doors.

Would I sell it nope . . and half the fun has been learning about these bikes, along with lots of overtime at work. (sorry that part was not fun)

get a maintenance book first you will save the pennies.

welcome . .and good luck.

regards

TopiToo

[rcgbob44]

Finncoyle

Part of the joy of owning a Ducati is knowing that you have something quite unique and unlike any Japanese product, don`t get me wrong Jap bike are excelent but do not have the heart and sole of an Italian machine.

The need for more frquent maintenance and mechanical dabling is all part of it.

Buy, ride, dable & enjoy!

Welcom to the club.

[DAVE HARRIS]

I have a 1998 916 aprox 30,000 miles after 1000 miles the neutral light switch packed up, ducati sent me a new one which is still in the packet as the old one started working again after a week or two. The bike has been thrashed, crashed done numerous track days and apart from warping the front discs(EBC HH pads caused this, if you use them make sure they are a loose sliding fit in the caliper!) new steering head bearings this year(cack handed wheelies), and I have had to replace the connecter where the alternator wires join the regulator. The engine still has the same compresion it had at the first major service (after 4 months) all the rockers are ok, (inspected this year) the only signs of age are the rear shock is just starting to lose its damping and a multitude of cosmetic problems due to my childish delight in running it with the bodywork held together with gaffer tape! In my experience these engines tend to have less problems if used regulaly.

Dont believe all the stories of ducati reliability but do be prepared to spend a lot more on servicing etc than on a japanese 4 cyl bike. I would also reccomend cam belt changes at 1 year/6000 miles regardless (I work in the motor trade and see far too many belts snap before thier reccomended replacement mileage/age.

good luck
dave

[Guido]

I echo Dave's sentiments.

My 748R was new in Sep 01.

It clicked 20,288 miles on a run out last night and has never missed a beat since new.

It's been trackday'd, crashed on track once and been on a few overseas trips.

Roll on the next 20k.

[antonye]

Ducati was at a real low in terms of both company turnover and product reliability in the run up to 1996.

The American venture capital company, Texas Pacific Group (TPG) then jumped in with a whole load of cash and started putting in lots of quality control to improve the products.

From this point on, Ducati really turned itself around in both the quality and amount of products it could produce, mainly thanks to this cash injection from TPG.

There were a lot of problems with the mechanics on the 95/96 bikes at this low point, mainly due to poor quality components. As this coincided with the launch of the 748, these early models are sometimes best avoided unless they've already been sorted.

All the 916/996/998/748 range have suffered from the same problems which are down to either design faults or bad batches of components - these include the rockers (poor chroming), coolant tanks (these split), oil breathers (these leak), voltage regulator (these weren't "beefy enough"), alternator connector (as volt. reg.), oil pressure switch (poor design), and so on.

Nearly all of these shortcomings have been sorted as time has passed because components get redesigned or manufactured better. As Phillipe says up there ^^^, the 99+ bikes featured most of these revisions so are the safest best for quality and reliability, but obviously at the premium of price.

Don't think of Ducati as any different from a Honda, Kwak or Suzuki to name a few. Most of the Jap models have suffered with their own design faults at some point (Hayabusa subframes, Kawasaki carb icing, etc) but because there is an abundance of these bikes and models you don't hear about it so much.

As with any bike, European or Japanese, check it's history and how it has been serviced. Any competant owner will keep bills or service records for things like replacement parts or work done under warranty. You can then check this and see if you're buying a bike that's about to go wrong or has already had all it's problems fixed.

Obviously, we're all biased to Ducatis but don't forget that as owners we also have first hand experience of it. I expect all of your tales of poor reliability have come from people who have never ridden one, let alone owned one!

There's plenty of great advice on here, so stick around and you might just get to like it...

:D

[ducatikid]

hello mate,

ive got a 748 bp for sale, if your interested e mail me.

Nothing wrong with the reliability either.

[Jasper]

Mine is a 1995!First on ein the country.I've had it since new.New regulator,new rear brake caliper.That's my lot.I love it to bits.Even more now it's an 853!:D

[DC]

Originally posted by Jasper
Mine is a 1995!First on ein the country.I've had it since new.New regulator,new rear brake caliper.That's my lot.I love it to bits.Even more now it's an 853!:D

Hello m8,

Im going to get a 853 conversion for my 748 Bip. whats it like to ride. I heard good stories about the 748 keeping its rev range and having a good dollop of power thrown in for good measure.

I like my 748 at the moment but i cant help wishing it had just a little more ooommhhp! :devil::sing:

[Chaz]

had 4 748s&1 996 fist 1 96 only problem recty/rely no other problems unless you count thives.


Chass

[Jasper]

The 853 is superb!You keep all the revs of the 748 but as you say,get some extra shove!

[skidlids]

Gordy, that colour is only slow down your way, as my bike had a snooze on the ride out, only woke up at going home time.

[DC]

Originally posted by Jasper
The 853 is superb!You keep all the revs of the 748 but as you say,get some extra shove!

Yep,
getting in contact with Sigma performance very soon to get a full monty service and an 853 conversion. Cant wait.:devil:

[Jasper]

Neil is very,very good.He didn't do mine,but has advised me alot and set the chip up at Mallory.you will not be disapointed!:devil:

[bradders]

have a 748, am considering 853 kit, but seriously tempted by IianX 748R.

Are there many performance differences which make it worth it spending my £2K on this rather than 853, and is servicing etc the same?

Paul

[Jasper]

I think it depends on how long you want to keep the bike.I would have thought that the 748R would hold it's value better than a 748/853.But i don't care,'cos i've had mine 8 years and am not intending to sell it!

[bradders]

not too worried about resale value, more running costs and riding experioence! I guess if I bought an R I would want to 853 that next year!
Paul

[Shazaam!]

Except where noted below, there are no model years that are free from the following issues.

Safety

There have been three potentially safety-related issues.

Rear Wheel Spindle. 1994-1998 models were recalled so Ducati could inspect for possible cracks present on the rear wheel spindle. The concern was that this condition could cause the spindle to fail, causing a loss of control of the motorcycle and increasing the risk of a crash. Ducati sent ultrasonic inspection equipment to their dealers who were authorized to replace spindles if necessary.

I'm not aware of any spindles that were actually replaced during this recall. There's been speculation that improper tightening of the nut on the rear wheel caused wheel wobble, that in turn caused spindle cracks on an early machine (owned by a lawyer as I recall). I mention this because if you change your wheel yourself, there are safety consequences if you don't retighten it properly. Always recheck tightness after you've ridden a few miles.

748R Fuel Lines. An initial batch of 748R's were produced using suspect fuel lines which can deteriorate and subsequently leak. (CHECK YOURS GUIDO)

Clutch Slave. 2001 models were recalled for attention to a clutch slave cylinder problem. These slave cylinders would hydraulically lock the clutch if they leaked. Ducati has stocked its dealers with replacement cylinders.


Reliability

There are several reliability issues that could leave you stranded.

Alternator Wiring. For 1999, Ducati redesigned the electrical system for a larger capacity by going from a 350 watt design to a 500 watt three-phase system. Unfortunately the wiring and in-line connectors between the alternator and the regulator/rectifier on all years overheat because they have to pass over 30 amps continuously. The solution is to replace the wires with a larger gauge and eliminate the in-line connectors. Do it before you have problems.

Voltage Regulator. Voltage regulators fail due to overheating because they are located inside the fairing where they don't get enough cooling air. The solution is to either move them to a cooler location or to carry a spare. Actually, I've done both (after five failures). When I changed the alternator wiring, I mounted an Electrex regulator to the back of the license plate bracket and left the Ducati regulator in the stock position. Keep your battery on a trickle charger to avoid prolonged high charging currents.

Cam Timing Belts. It's critical that the cam belts be replaced every 12,000 miles to avoid potentially catastrophic engine damage. Ducati uses smaller diameter pulleys that cause the belt to turn tighter corners than the larger pulleys used in automobile engines. Ducati also uses a small diameter back-side belt-tensioning idler pulley arrangement that causes the belt to flex back in the opposite direction on each revolution. This back-and-forth belt flexing promotes premature fatigue failure. The original drive belt material often failed before the first recommended 6,000 mile replacement interval so Ducati now uses a Kevlar fiber reinforced belt.

Fuel Lines. Ducati fuel injection uses a high pressure fuel pump and in-tank fuel line failures are common if the recommendation to replace fuel hoses every two years is not followed. No danger, but the bike quits running.

Fuel Filter. A clogged fuel filter causes the high pressure fuel pump in Ducatis to draw much higher currents that are prime contributors to regulator failures.

Starter Relay Connection. The electrical connector that goes to the starter relay is often a poor fit and can cause inability to start for no apparent reason. Zip-tie it tight.

Starter Motor Wires. The rubber boot that covers the connection to the starter motor catches and holds water that corrodes the terminal making it crank hard or fail to start. Cover the connection with dielectric grease and check it seasonally.


Design Deficiencies

There are a number of commonly-experienced problems that you should be mindful of.

Rocker Arm Flaking. This is a major unresolved design problem that affects all model years. The chrome plating on the rocker arms flake off and damage the cam lobes. A time-consuming removal of the camshafts is mandatory to determine the full extent of the condition of the rocker arms so ANY PURCHASE SHOULD BE PREDICATED ON AN ACCEPTABLE INSPECTION. Depending on the circumstances, Ducati may elect to replace defective parts on out-of-warranty bikes but the owner will have to pay the labor costs.

Coolant Expansion Tank. The tank sees repeated thermal cycling and they crack at the molded seam (underneath the ignition key) so watch for small coolant droplets. Check that your dealer keeps replacements in stock or pick up a spare on eBay.

Flywheel Retaining Nut. Problems develop when this retaining nut is removed. They may loosen and cause extensive damage and they are difficult to re-install reliably.

Cush Drive. These occasionally are reported to back-out and cause damage to the swingarm.

Crankshaft Oil Galley Plug. Check your oil screen at each oil change for aluminum fingernail clipping size particles. Early-year bikes had problems with this plug backing-out. If not caught in time, the plug will come out and you'll get a catastrophic loss of lubrication. In 2001, the aluminum oil galley plug was replaced with a steel plug.

Oil Pressure Sending Unit. These parts are unreliable. However, if your oil pressure light comes on don't run the engine until you diagnose the problem.

Low Fuel Sending Unit. These parts are unreliable (by nature). Get in the habit of resetting your odometer when refueling.

Clutch Slave Leaks. Watch your reservoir fluid level. There are aftermarket replacements for the stock unit that are more reliable.

[Edited on 10-21-2003 by Shazaam!]

[Edited on 10-21-2003 by Shazaam!]

[bradders]

shall I sell her now:o

[Jasper]

NAH!!!!!!!

[Guido]

748R Faulty fuel lines

Bl00dy Hell Larry,

That's exactly what had happened here on 27/08/03 - Spooky :o

http://freespace.virgin.net/guy.cope/images/DSC Adhoc/Fuel Leak.jpg

Fuel ejecting from the LHS at a real rate of knots