The FIM route does help, but it needs setting up correctly.
The stock gearing is very high. 14/36.................making town riding difficult.
14/38 will help and you'd not need to change the chain. 14/40 is pretty popular but you'll need a longer 96 link chain.
Slipper is stock on the R, although your aftermarket one will be more refined using bearings rather than plain ramps. Doesn't affect pulling off though.............
You can check, and if possible fit one or two dished plain plates. This will make the take up a little more refined, although still grabby.
One other "help" is a different clutch slave cylinder. Makes the lever lighter and helps with feel a little.

Hi noob,
I've returned to biking this year after a few years absence (initiated by plowing my FZR400 into a deer at 80mph!) and plumped for my first Duke, a 2001 748R.
It was just as you say, impossible to use the clutch effectively and no fun to ride at low revs.
Moto Rapido have been absolutely excellent so far and have worked wonders on the bike. The slipper clutch was worn and the basket teeth were a bit battered. These were replaced with standard Ducati parts.
An FIM chip was also installed and tuned (106.7BHP:sing: ) and the transformation was unbelievable. I have no problems using the clutch at all, and whilst the performance below 4000rpm is uneaven, it's not unbearable.
The best part about the FIM chip is that it has liberated the Carbon Termis even more, and the pop and crackle like thunder (trying to keep to 30mph is so much fun when you keep backfiring at the people behind you:devil: ).

Wilf also explained a few things about the 748R which have really helped me, and I will pass on..

The injection system on the R is the world supersport derived 'shower' injectors where the fuel is squirted into the top of the carb. Fuel can often gather on the top of the butterflies when they go from open to closed (when you come to a stop), and when you try to pull away with a light throttle, this extra fuel comes off the top of the butterfly and is dumped in the carb, resulting in a very lumpy response.
This is helped by the FIM chip which can be configured to run leaner just as you shut off the throttle.

I hope you're enjoying yours as much as I am mine!!!

Rich

[Edited on 7-7-2005 by Richd]

I have a 2002 748R with an STM slipper clutch fitted. The standard clutch was perfect for pulling away, not that snatchy, and did not make any noise or juddering. Where as the STM is and always has been a piece of crap. You either have to rev the crap out of it to pull away, which makes it shake or you try to pull away normally and the bike stalls. I have now bought a Corse clutch to see if it’s any better, have been looking for an original 748r slipper for ages, but have not found one.
Fueling as everyone says is down to setup, mine was great up until I had it serviced recently, now it stalls when I slow (which most 748r do anyway), and it coughs and splutters when rolling off the throttle.
Think I might put a PC on it to see if that will help.
Thing is, I could never get rid of it. Almost bought a Suzuki 1000 k5 after a test ride a few weeks ago. They are everything that the mags say but it doesn’t have the ducati thing.

748R
 

When i put my 748R together i put a 40 tooth rear sprocket on and Nelly set the bike up with a DP chip with 50mm termis, and there is absoltely no flat spots, occasionally it might stall when coming to a stop with the clutch in. But it dusnt feel especially lumpy below 4k just feels like it wants to be off, and when the throttles cracked thats exactly what it does! No probs with the clutch either, i think you just need the fuel injection setting up properly and i can reccomend no one better than Nelly at Cornerspeed to do that!