Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > 998 / 996 / 916 / 748 > Advice On Touring On A 748!!!

[antonye]

Agree with Guido above, and don't forget that the Ventura bag and racks (to some extent) are universal, so you're only buying the specific adapter brackets for the bike.

I have them fitted to my 748 and bought the rack and bag, using it every year to go touring in France. I am going to get the brackets for the Hyper and will reuse the rack and bag so they'll keep going!

Great kit and well worth the investment.

[bikercub]

Have found best way to do long distances on 748 mono is to eat loads of pies ...bulge on belly is just right on tank to take strain of wrists, tho is more expensive now what with the tax

[Yellowduke]

I took my old 748 on trips to the Isle of Mann and Northern Ireland a few times riding up to Liverpool from Portsmouth. I used a tank bag and a tailbag and found the bike very stable with the luggage on and the tank bag was a useful chest rest. Now I ride a Streetfighter and have Ventura kit all bought off Ebay quite cheaply. It's very good kit indeed.

[gordonparker]

I did Munich to UK on my 748 in one hit , not a problem, 45K on the clock now,
with the Ventura system I bought the sports rack and hung my bags off it and a bag/back pack on the rack - 5 week tour round Europe, this keeps the C og G down and does not affect the handleing too much

[crm250]

Did northern spain and france on my 916 back in 05 and it was great.
2400 miles in a week and all that hampered me was the rectifier failing 50 miles from the ferry back.
I would have no problem using my 916 abroad again and i have far more suitable machinery to use.

Best advice i can give, service the cooling system, make sure the rad is clear, even consider a manual fan switch as it will get hot if you get stuck in traffic. i feel this overheating contributed to my rectifier failure.
Buy some water wetter and remove the antifreeze, it really does help.

When you considering going ? how long for? i got some ventura brackets you could borrow (bp or mono) but the bags are a bit faded so may be best you buy your own bags.

i did the same trip on a RVF400 and that was loads more fun, but couldnt carry anything like as much.

Oddly enough the little RVF was comfier overall too and loads more fun in the alps.

[bikercub]

regarding the cooling system in the warm weather, was wondering about connecting a 12v waterpump from rad. (cooler water), electrically in line with the fan, as overheating is worse when in traffik, or town, when the engine waterpump is either slow , or erratic. An increase in waterflow, alongside the fan would surely increase the cooling capacity more?

[Brad3AB]

just ride fast and avoid anywhere where you mite have to stop start otherwise youll end up with W***ers cramp in your left arm lol, or try riding no handed!!

that should do it!!

[OLD AND FAST!!]

Having ben a "born again biker " twice over, dusted down my ducatisorse 1 piece suit- and its still fits

I have a dainesse textile jacket which fits over it, :- is this combination adequate for doing my Birminmgham to Le Man trip? ( taken all your advice and everything else going in the ventura/ tank bag

[Monty]

Originally Posted by Stealth

748s (and indeed 916 to 998) are prefect tourers.

A 748 riding chum of mine accompanied me on my 996 many times to parts of Europe (usually ending up in bars if I remember rightly).

Never a problem.

Just stick magnetic tank bag in place/pack light and go.

North Wales? - that's not touring; its a commute :-)

I see all the old 'Run to the Sun' trippers are coming out of the woodwork.
In 2001 I led a trip down to Misano, there were 14 of us, 2 x ST, 2 x 888, and the rest a combination of 748, 916, and 996-no one that I recall had any problem with their riding position. Some of us got lost and didn't take a map-did we Ray..............oh, and I got nicked for speeding and fined 238,000 lira-which worked out at £213-we were all together but I was leading-so I got nicked.

John

[OLD AND FAST!!]

thanks for the advice, but not a run to the sun job!:- just trying to get relise one of ambitions ever since i bought my ducati 10 years ago!!

i have a 1 piece race suit, with a daineesee textile jacket to go over, althought not ideal, im assuming that would be okay to do the trip????