Ducati 748S

What's the good bad and ugly on these things? I've got a line on a 2000 S model for what seems to be a great deal. All stock, yellow with 4700 miles. Looks to be a biposto. Iconic has a couple in their sold section that went for $7k and $9k respectively. Cycle trader has them listed from $7k to $11k. Would i be crazy to pass it up for a smoking deal?

 

Typical stuff to look for like any bike. From what I remember of a friends 748's issues, check the coolant overflow for cracks (recalled).

 

They are a $4000 bike tops. It’s crazy days still. no horsepower. Go for the nine series definitely.

 

And then only if you plan to pull a Garth and make it a piece of living room art.

 

RareSportbikeForSale.com has an 02 748 S with 6k miles for $13,500, guess you can ask. Didn't some of these have the flaking chrome desmo rockers? Pretty bikes though.

 

Hence why Italian cams are all the rage

 

thats the one thing I was wondering. I wasn’t sure if they were affected or if it was just the bigger 916/996

 

All desmoquattro engines were susceptible to this.

 

I have a 748s and a 996s. I actually prefer the 748 for just bopping around town. The power delivery is better for normal riding IMO. The 996 is NOT happy being ridden slow or in traffic. The 996 is also way hotter for some reason.

 

I've always heard they are a pleasure to ride. I'd use it for Sunday rides in the twisties and maybe once or twice a year down in the NC mountains. This is the kind of garage jewelry that I like, something that makes you whistle at it every time you walk by it.

 

They're fun bikes and really easy to work on. FWIW, I paid $4,500 for a local to me 15k mile 1998 748 that was due for the valve maintenance, and it was arguably too much for the state the bike was in. It was complete but had been mildly neglected in recent years, although it was pretty easy getting it back to mechanically perfect. As someone already stated, flaking rocker arms need to be checked for and replaced, but it's not difficult to do by any means. If you can read a manual, you're good. Here's the go to manual for these bikes. https://desmotimes.com/product/2-desmoquattro-maintenance-and-modification-manual/ A Haynes manual is nice to have for everything else.

 

I had one. Biggest PITA. I could never trust it.

 

I too want one for art purposes.

 

Get a D16RR, trust me on this one

 

Do it. They still have yet to make a better looking motorcycle and after all the years since, I’m doubting they ever will.

 

Have also thought about those......we'll see how Q3 pans out for bonus time.

 

Just went and looked at this thing. Pretty good overall. Couple of scratches from being dropped once but it fired right up and runs like a champ. Needs a monoposto tail section and period correct aftermarket exhaust and a thorough cleaning and it will be perfect for me. Probably go pick it up Friday.

 

Monoposto run a different subframe IIRC

 

That's correct.

 

Monoposto tail should fit on the biposto subframe. I did it with a 998.