749R or 999S
 

Gentlemen,

I have read several threads on the 749R. I have been thinking a lot about getting this bike or the 999S; they are about they same price range here in HK... which one will you choose?

thanks,

Jack

749R...No question!

Look at it, all dripping in Carbon and Titanium loveliness, that gorgeous swingarm, radial brakes and just the way the whole package works together is very special indeed. Despite being 20 Bhp down on the 999S I doubt you'd know it in the real world

Ditto. got to be the R.
Though it will cost more to run - belts every 6000 miles (1 year) for an R, 12000 (2 years) for an S, etc etc. But sod that bit, get the R.:flame:

Just one word of caution - try both, the engine characteristics are very different. The 749R is all revs and top end power band whilst the 999S has tractor like torque firing you out of corners with elan. Some folk like one type of engine and some like the other.

Very true!

funnily enough was thinking about this myself this weekend as i stood in a ducati showroom.

would i notice the lack of power/torque compared with my 999s.

would i notice the difference in the improved chassis/swingarm.

would the overall package be quicker/slower round the track for me?

its undoubtedly a better looking bike at standard but seeing as i dont get to the limit of my bike or any other bike for that matter i doubt the lap times would be much different.

would love to try them both back to back. it'd be the only way to tell.

Very true. I kinda add on another thought which is the "value" of retaining or even reselling the bike after a few years. The R will definitely be worth more, correct?

How about this stalling issue with the 749S? do they exist on 749R? Or do they only take place in bikes in the US because of emission standard?

Hmm,yes all true enough,but.........
I'm a bloke that likes to ride my bike as often and as far as I can.Look closely at the fairing of my "cooking" engine 999 and you'll find the scars,....stone chips,marks on the swingarm(cack handed when adjusting chain) and a bit of roadrash from a low speed drop.Now imagine that on a carbon faired R.:o:o:o
Also the servicing costs come into the equasion.Its bad enough keeping my two bikes on the road as it is,without more expense.
After owning a 998S,I know that 134 bhp motor is a beauty.
Yep,tough call as the R has the prestige,looks,etc but for me,it would have to be a 999S.

i'd be glad of either

just get a 999R then!:eureka::biaggi:

Having just swapped my 999S for a 749R I can tell you it was definitely worth it.

The service intervals are not an issue , both bikes require belts every year or 6000 miles.

Yes the 749R is down on power but 99% of the time you don't really notice it , you just use a few more revs on the smaller engine , it's much smoother at high revs anyway than the 999 engine.

The big tank is a big plus , I always had the fuel light on between 90 and 100 miles on the 999 , the earliest the light has come on on the R is 130 miles.

The carbon bodywork is completely different to the ordinary plastic stuff , it's not even the same shape , the air tube covers are integral to the fairing , not a bit of black plastic trim , the air deflectors are closer to the body and are fitted differently , they look less like bolt on afterthoughts , I don't know if it's the top fairing is different or if it is the screen but the top edge of the screen is clear of the idiiot lights and you can see them without dipping your head , a small point I know but very annoying on the standard bike.

All in I am very happy with the swap and would reccomend anyone to do it , the biggest problem may be finding a 749R , I believe they are very scarce :sing:

there is no doubt that aesthetically its a better bike, i can see all the 749/999 variants going that way soon. on a purely performance basis on track do you think you are quicker on the 749r than the 999s ????

Just to add a bit more spice to the original question. How about MV Agusta? Has anyone owned one? I went into a dealership today. They had a lot of used 748, including a 748 R. They can also get a MV Agusta F4-1000 for similar price....

i px a 999 for a 749r but having just picked it up its difficult to tell difference bearing in mind i'm restricted to 6k revs,but first impressions apart from the subtle difference in looks the bike turns much faster and generally has a different feel to it.I cant wait to get the running in process out of the way so i can give it some.
This is the first bike i've owned with a slipper clutch which felt a bit strange at first as it appears some engine braking is lost - but i guess you get used to it.
It was interesting in a recent track test in MCN the 749r out paced the 999s!