I finally picked up the 05 749R - trading in a barely ridden S4R (lost 30% of my purchase price)... The bike looks really nice, except for the welding / paint work on the tank. which I will eventually do something about it.. Are all 749R bike like that??

Some are worse than others (its done by hand)

The tank on the 749R is appauling, the welding is poor at best, looks like somone has levered the tank apart and welding in a section, I could understand this on the race bikes, it's function over form, but when you're road riding you want it to look good... don't you?

Yes, I think it should look good. But then, knowing that it's done by hands, it reflects how serious they are with the R model, I guess.

One dilemma, should I trade in the S4R? I ride maybe once a week. When I saw the 749R, I just have to have it..... FYI, it costs too much to buy any motorcycle or car in HK.. the S4R trade-in price is not bad on dollar terms. but crap on percentage terms given low little I have ridden it......

CONGRATS!!! :)

I really don't like the 749R big tank, but didn't knew it had those welding issues.

Thanks!! Looking forward to the delivery date.. which may be 2 wks. but in the mean time, I still have the s4r.. kinda hard to part even tho i only rode for less than 200k.

Erm ... aren't all Ducati bikes built by hand?

So Ducati are employing a paraplegic welder then? I could weld better than that with my left foot

I probably am wrong. but thought some of the monsters at least machine built.. then I am new to the Ducati world... sorry for being ignorant.:sniff:

The 'by hand' comment originated from an observation that some 749R tank welds were worse than others (mine is quite good!).
Some are worse than others because they are welded 'by hand' - by hand infers human input and human input infers variability....some are worse than others.

Sorry for being pedantic