Sold as BP but chassis says 748S? Fake termis?
 

Hi-
I've just bought a 1998 748 for my wife.
Very happy with the deal I got but like most Ducati's it's been tinkered with and not much of the old bike remains!
There's the usual carbon and bits, slipper clutch, cans, marcesini but 3 things stand out....

1) It was sold as a 1998 748BP but the chassis sticker says 748S - does anyone know what the differences between the 1998 BP and S models was? I know that from 2000(ish) they had Marcesini's and lighter internals...

2) Termis... it has carbon cans with Termigoni stickers but after sifting through the piles of paperwork that came with it, I found a receipt from John Hackett Performance - JHP. Now I'm not bothered actually if they are Termi's or JHP ; would actually prefer JHP, as EVERYONE has termis :). I'd just like to know what they are. Should Termis be stamped any where? I can only see a 'Not for Road Use' stamped on the rear collars.

3) Discs... They look massive!!! I had a 2001 748E, and I'm certain that the disc weren't as big. Where the discs different between the BP and S models? I know the SPS different ones.

Cheers

I've never had one of these bikes so I could be wrong but, as I recall you could get a 748s Bip - one of the guys that used to ride with us had one. I think people get confused that the Bip is the lower spec 'standard' model and I don't think this is always the case.

Termis - could it be that JHP supplied the Termis? As far as I know JHP never had a set of their own brand zorsts.

Discs - I would be surprised if they're any bigger than the standard 320mm fitted to virtually every Duke otherwise all the caliper mounting points would all be different as well

Then again, I might just be talking ballcocks

JHP did there own brand zorsts coz I had some on my 748s & very nice they were, I also think you will find that "S" in the number is quite normal as I have seen a 748e with "S" in the number & the frame is completly different.

Cheers -
the Termi mystery has been solved.
They were JHP (although made by the same factory as termis) but re-stickered as Termi at some point.
Cheers

S is for Supersport - it's the model designation rather than the spec.

The S spec wasn't introduced until 2000 and included grey frame, adjustable steering angle, 5-spoke Marchesini wheels and Showa Titanium-Nitride coated (TiN Gold) forks.

my 99 bip had 748S on the sticker on the frame

oh well....
thought i had a bargain for a minute there!:)

My 748 bip was a 99 plate with the s sticker on the frame. Came with adjustable head angle etc.

Mind you, I think that the frame is the only thing left standard now!

frame sticker
 

guys..maybe a silly question, but where on the sticketr does it say 748S or 748E?

thanks

It doesn't ... the sticker on the frame by your right foot is just the frame number and that has nothing to do with the spec of the bike.

Pre-2000 the 748 was available as either Biposto or SPS.
Post-2000 the 748 was available as E (same as Biposto), S or R.

E/Bip = three spoke gold wheels, gold frame
S = 5 spoke grey wheels, grey frame, TiN forks, SPS engine parts
R = 5 spoke grey wheels, grey frame, Ohlins forks & shock*, silly engine - Ti parts, overhead shower injectors, large capacity airbox, etc, etc

*except 2000 when some had Showa forks.

mine too is a bip but says 748s on frame

I don't think antonye's right about the "E". i think by the time the "E" came out, they werre all grey frames and grey (3-spoke) wheels.

At any rate, "S" models were certainly available in biposto or monoposto form. But "S" bikes have Marchesinis and adjustable steering heads, which "E" bikes don't.

I think mine has as well!
I had a 2001 748E previously and the steering damper was locked in place, HOWEVER on the 1998 748BP I now have (with the S in the frame number), the damper has 2 mounting positions. I presume it's to allow for the change in steering geometry?

Yes, all the "old" (to 2000) 748 range had adjustable steering head angles but the later E bikes didn't as part of the cost saving exercise.

Maybe, but certainly the majority of E models will have gold frame and wheels.


All models were available in Mono or Biposto (single or dual seat) versions, but only the R bikes comes as Monos as standard. You can order a single seat for a biposto or a dual seat for an R if you really wanted. That had nothing to do with the specification of the bike itself though.

its not just the sticker on the frame, the actual frame number probably reads 748S**** this frame number was used for std bip's also, the fact you have a reciept for the termis or whatever they are suggests the bike might have has the right kinda history. u just need to compare them to someone else bike that has propper termis to tell if they are the real thing or not the most obvious differances are the ends / exit nossles ( or whatever they are called) the weave in the carbon and the trim that are riveted at the front and rear of the carbon tube, if these all match they are probably termis.

mine is a 1998 bip and has S on the sticker maybe Mr ducati made up too many stickers and couldnt be arsed to change em