I also have an 06 1000rr fireblade.

A to B the 749r is just as quick

Well i took a 749r out for an hour today, its at a local kawasaki dealer and they were most helpful!
Anyway all i can say is wow, brilliant!! However it was standard but whats happened to the noise? No intake roar and barely audible exhaust, does it all come back with filters and termis?
Also, the clutch, whats that all about? I see theres been a post about them being changed, why was this? On this particular bike the lever felt wierd(almost 2 stage) and almost every time i pulled away there was a horrible noise, very similar to the sprocket slipping on the chain...Nasty! It also cut out much to frequently in traffic..Only this puts me off, i certainly wouldnt buy this example but i really hope they dont all do this and that with a couple of mods you can add some soul (noise)

Trust me ,you do!
Butch

With the factory fitted clutch there is a click to be felt through the clutch lever,its not there with a bucci fitted,also it sounds like this example maynot have had the ECU change,if it has then it needs carefull setting up to cure the cutting out.
The soul is there with an exhaust change and filters.
they can sound awesome!
Butch

Thats it but what would the graunching sound be about? Really didnt seem good and i cant believe thats how there supposed to be

they all do that Sir.............have you ridden a dry clutch before? Only say that cos they are better to use as in or out. Ride it like a wet jap one and it wont last 5 mins!

Yes my 748 has a dry clutch, however i cant believe this is right...It sounds terrible and you can feel it through the bike, granted ive not ridden anything with a slipper before but this really put me off the bike

Putting new dished plates in the clutch is often a cure for the graunching. Just done mine.

Had a series of 748, 996, 749s, 996s, Fila 999r and now a 2004 749r.

The 749r is the best of the bikes I've had, handles, stops and turns perfectly.

If you buy new you will take a hit on depreciation, aim to pay £9k ish for a proper carbon 2004 model and the price will be reasonably static for ages.

£9k should get you a clean bike, 3,000 mile ish, full history, Termig and some extra carbon.

As for the graunching clutch. Mine was exactly the same when I bought it. Basically the clutch needs stripping, cleaning, dish plate checking and possibly swapping, pack height checking. Allow for 1 hour labour and £10 worth of bits. Will ride just perfect afterwards. A well set up slipper should feel and ride like a normal clutch when pulling away.

If you can find the right bike, buy it. You will not regret it.

Cheers Carbon, thats what i wanted to hear

..........and it will start doing it again!........:D :lol:

Also meant to add, get the Termig with race filters, race ecu and an open clutch cover and the bike will sound awesome.

You will get the twin boom on the overun :D

Plenty of clutch rattle as well :lol:

Better still fit THE KIT!
BUTCH

Well whats the kit?

749R comes with loads of stuff the 999R don't, different shock, rocker and suspension action and frame/forks have adjustable offset. Reasons for this are Supersport racing allows less changes from standard so it has to be homologated by a production run, 999R can have quite a few changes for WSB and BSB but not as many for AMA. i'd heard rumours that the 749 won't change for 2007 and that possibly the R will be identical, not sure how true that is though :(

the clutch problem is almost certainly the slipper, i've removed mine from the 999 as it slipped too much in town and made the bike a pain to ride and every so often you'd end up stalling it. the 2 stage effect will be the basket starting to open the plates as you start revving it cos the spring is worn then the pushrod takes over giving a notchy feel. it probably needs a new slipper spring.

'The Kit' is the full factory Supersport race kit-Butch can explain better but it's new heads, cams, ecu(I think) and lots of bits, cost's about £7,000 but his bike is a missile with it fitted, makes 140+bhp! He also has a Leo Vinci Ti exhaust on his and it's very LOUD.

John

I hear everything people say and agree the 749r is an awsome bike but in my opinion a little flawed as a road bike.

Clutch on mine was real **** but was replaced under warranty, new clutch much better but not perfect.

My experiance is the 749R cuts out no matter what setting up is done to it, mine had the lot done (new ECU, timing, plugs and more). You will get it close but it will still do it and speaking to other owners they all confirmed it happens.

Regards

DaveO

Yeah, the Leo Vinci certainly gives the 749R some soul. I had a power commander put on too and it's the best bike I've ever had by miles

My bike does not cut out at all since I had it set up and my replacement clutch is perfect, no clicking at the lever, very smooth, still get the grinding noise when pulling away quickly or on a hill etc though but this does not affect the bike at all. About town I find it no different to any other bike.

Is Butch,s 140bhp at the crank or at the rear wheel ?

Andy R had his on a dyno a couple of weeks ago and it was about 116bhp and we presumed that this was at the rear wheel so what would this make it at the crank ?

Hope you're right Butch - I really do quite like the idea of one. Would love to take you up on your Cadwell offer as well but I won't be there :mad: Poland calls for me...

Cheers
Martin

Mines now 143 AT the back wheel !
Roll on cadwell!
Butch

I'll test it for you if you want Martin and report back :lol:

That's very kind of you Jools.. I'll look forward to reading it when I've got an hour or two spare :D :D

Iv had my 749r from new in march 2004 and am never ever going to get rid of it. I work as a tech for yamaha so ride alot of bikes and nothing comes close and trust me i ride alot of bikes

Iv fitted a leo vince 57mm system and a power commander and it pulls a train on steriods, iv got 119bhp at the back wheel if that hepls with wot to expect from them.

I went to the Le Mans gp this year on it and when leaving the track the french just line the roads in there thousands and i had adults and kids jumping out in front of me to stop me just to get me to rev the bike and when i did thay were all cheering and clapping for the noise and the beauty of the bike. That is something i will never forget.

My mates all on there jap bikes said the looks it got and people pointing was was unreal, thay said thay didnt think it would get that much attention but it did.

Everything about the bike is spot on it really is excellent value for money and i for one want another one for the track but i think ill have to wait a while lol.

Your welcolme Jools!
Butch

!!!AH you seem to have forgotten one VERY important thing!!!COLOUR!!! RED no too common,BLACK maybe??,nan too um !GHOST RIDERISH! I KNOW YELLOW NOW THATS A NICE COLOUR, all the BEST BIKES ARE YELLOW.....and faster.

Only come in Red

OK, well i think ive found one, 1 owner, 04, 3800 miles, just had belts etc, great price but what did these bikes come with? Did they have a cover or anything? What handbooks should be supplied etc?

Ducati claim to have made a loss on every one they sold.....so no cover....you should get an owners manual and a toolkit

Any ideas how many were made in 04?

thought they had to make 500 for homologation purposes

Mine is a late 54 plate and numered in the 400's.....I would have said about 500

Righto, how does this sound to all you R owners?
04 (18/8/04) 749r, 1 owner,Just had 2nd year service with belts at italia moto lincoln, has all books although missed its first year service,immaculate standard bike, new racetecs,3800 miles, meta alarm, rg spindle bungs and s/arm bobbins,viewed and rode it last night,can buy it for £8000. Is this a fair/good price?

Cheap ! mine was £10,495 a year ago

Moto Rapido sold an '04 for £11,000 a little while back so they told me

I was kinda hoping someone would say that, the guys an antiques dealer, quite eccentric and absolutely loaded, i rode a 04 thursday thats up at £10699, dealers offered it at £9699 but it needs a rear hoop and a belt change

mine did only have 1100 mile on the clock when I bought it tho'
and they did the belts b4 I picked her up

G

Well thats it, ive bitten the bullet and will hopefully be collecting the baby r saturday, many thanks to all for the advice!

rock on !
another man with style n taste !!

Well Done, £8k for an R is an absolute steal, even if I was desperate for cash there is no way I would sell mine for that amount even standard.

You will soon have spent another couple of thousand on it !!