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Thread: Review on my new/ancient Ducati 748

  1. #1
    Member Yearly Supporter rifleshooter's Avatar
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    Review on my new/ancient Ducati 748

    I've finally taken some pics of this ride and wanted to share my observations after a couple of days of riding in a relaxed environment. This is a long post, for which I pre-apologize.





    The bike is not in showroom condition with 23k miles on it, having been through an accident and a couple of tip-overs, a repaint from “banana” to Ferrari Red/Ducati Platinum, and at least three owners.





    Most of the "warts"


    I wanted to let you folks know what I think of this bike – and what my first impressions are of the brand and the factory and its designers.
    Configuration: Unmodified beyond the repaint. I’m pretty sure it’s a stocker 748, and not the S or the R model, and it’s a Biposto (my Italian isn’t so great, but I’m using my considerable powers of deductive reasoning to derive that this means “two-seater,” LOL).





    My experience:


    I’ve owned seven motorcycles, all of them being Big Four Japanese bikes. I am not agnostic to any brand; all make great bikes. I had known that the Italians made motorcycles and mentally assigned them to the category of “exotic, European-made coolness,” assuming I’d never have the income to buy and service one or the fitness to take the riding position for more than 10 minutes. They were always two or three levels beyond me, like a supercar. I took my money from the sale of some assets and bought a used, ancient, but very clean CBR 600 F3 and rode it for 1.5 years, becoming an accomplished and safe supersport motorcyclist. It was traded for an old pickup, but I bought a nice Kwak 250 to futz around on. Shortly after I did this, I realized that the joy of street-riding was gone. :-(.


    The trade proposal from the fellow from Craigslist had me thinking, “Could I do this? Can I live a dream? Will it be ruined when I discover what a catastrophic POS this thing must be? European stuff has to be unreliable and hard-to-live-with – and wickedly overpriced.”






    I expected a twitchy, snappy, temperamental beast, designed entirely for handling on a track, with rider comfort down the scale of importance below the color choice of the brake and clutch levers. I expected a too-tight rider triangle, forced by high, narrow pegs, hard-shifting, and a snappy turn-in – a motorcycle completely at home with high speeds and turns in a race environment and only barely controllable on the street.


    What I got was a completely different experience. Here’s my feedback after 145 miles of mixed highway, country and urban motorcycling joy:


    Controllability and comfort:


    This motorcycle is eminently controllable and as comfortable, if not more so, than the F3 was. I can’t understand why – the seating position is more raked forward and the clip-ons are below the triple tree. The tank intrudes upon my small middle-aged gut. The seat is a mousepad. Nevertheless, I have spent several longer-distance commutes (maybe 40+ miles) on this bike and I am more comfortable than I was on my “more relaxed” F3. I feel like putting in a 150 mile day would be no big deal. My guess is that the tight rider triangle rewards a fellow who has shorter legs (31” inseam) and long, ape-like arms (LOL). I can use my leg muscles and paunch (LOL) to grasp the tank and flex my back to take pressure off my palms.


    I do sense that the bike’s head angle is steep, and that low-speed handling requires close attention and deliberate counter-steering. The Honda steered like a standard – very easily – at low speed. This bike turns in very rapidly as you enter any corner and you have to apply some throttle (at speed) or countersteer (low speed) to prevent clipping the apex of turns even at very minimal bank angles. You can tell it wants to fly through corners, which I am nervous about doing with the dry-rotted Pilot Powers on the three-spoke wheels. I need some new tires… and I wish I could get some much more attractive 5-spoke Marchesinis on this machine.


    Suspension:


    This bike is equipped with Showa front forks and rear monoshock, which was a used replacement unit according to my trade partner. In spite of this bike’s intended purpose – which I mistook to be narrowly focused on track use, the suspension is superior in every way to the suspension I had on the Honda. The Showa forks are inverted, and are much more progressive, yet more compliant than the Honda’s. Bumps are handled deftly and don’t much upset the balance of the machine in turns. The ride is smoother than the Honda’s, although you are clearly not in the back seat of a 1977 Lincoln Continental Town Car. The rear monoshock seems to soak up big whoops and expansion joints with aplomb; the same lumps and bumps caused more much more drama on the Honda.


    The Engine:


    This engine is enormously powerful and tractable. It produces truck-like torque which comes on in a linear way to the sensitive, but not snappy throttle. It has a completely unique and beautiful, muscular sound. It doesn’t care if it’s putting along at 1800 rpm in an urban environ or at 4,000 rpm accelerating onto a highway entrance ramp. Its gentility can be immediately swept aside with just a touch of throttle input, at which time the front end begins to aim its headlight (which sometimes actually works, LOL) at terrified birds. Freeway blasts reveal a seemingly-endless wellspring of power that can allow this amazing machine to effortlessly climb up from 90 mph to speeds I refuse to disclose on a public forum. All of this happens with the kind of alacrity which can only be described as ferocious. I cannot plumb the depths of this amazing powerplant yet because I want to actually live AND keep my license. I know it’s not a literbike, but it seems markedly more powerful than my CBR 600 F3 Honda was. I believe there is about 30 lb-feet more torque then the Honda had (and about the same horsepower) at about the same weight, and the driveline may be more efficient in delivering engine power to the big 180 rear tire.


    Fuel Economy:


    I was staggered with what looks like half a tank left on this machine after 145 miles. Even if I consumed 3 gallons, that means I’m getting nearly 50 mpg! This is actually almost as good as the worst mileage I got out of the Kwak 250, and markedly better than the 38 MPG I got out of the 600 cc Honda. Freeway-speed revs are in the 5500 - 7000 range, which bodes well for both engine life and economy.


    So what am I left with?


    An enigma – my dream machine is a far, far better motorcycle in every regard than the very composed and reliable F3 I owned. It’s more comfortable (!), torqueier, more precise, and far more elite. Aside from the prior owner’s questionable wiring practices, it seems as reliable. It’s definitely more fun, too. I very quickly have adapted to this unique ride’s handling and power and am on my way to becoming smooth and graceful.
    My opinion is that Ducati’s designers and engineers have created a formidable work with which to compete with the other makes. It does not seem like a touchy boutique bike, but rather a solid, well-engineered, serious motorcycle.



  2. #2
    Gold Member asp_125's Avatar
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    Re: Review on my new/ancient Ducati 748

    Congrats. Yes Duc's are a different breed altogether. Glad you found a good one!
    When life throws you curves, aim for the apex
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  3. #3
    Senior Member Moderator Jmetz's Avatar
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    Re: Review on my new/ancient Ducati 748

    I really loved my 748. Doing distance is difficult on it and not really what it's made for. Maintenence is steep so prepare for that if you put miles on it. Other then that they are a blast to ride, and corner almost effortlessly. Have fun and enjoy!
    I've got more flavor than a packet of macaroni.

  4. #4
    Senior Member Lomax's Avatar
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    Re: Review on my new/ancient Ducati 748

    Congratulations on the new bike. Ducati's are fine bikes and the several I have had needed no more than normal maintenance.

    Marc
    84 R100RS LE, 14 Ducati MTSGT, 18 Desert Sled, 73 850 Commando, 78 CT90, 14 Ural, 74 Eldorado police, 64 R50/2, 01 DRZ400E, 94 900SS/CR, 77 HD XLCR, 2011 T100, 63 MG Falcone', 75 Ducati 860GT, 2015 Royal Enfield Classic Chrome, 2009 XR1200, 1944 Nimbus, 1989 GB500 https://lomaxcm.smugmug.com/

  5. #5
    aka - The Devil Lifetime Supporter
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    Re: Review on my new/ancient Ducati 748

    Welcome to the club!

    I've owned 3 Ducatis and 2 Aprilias and they have all been fine bikes. Keep up with the routine maintenance to avoid costly problems.

    The previous owner is right, the Showa shock was stock on the "s" model and what you have here is referred to as an "e" model. The stock shock for the "e" was a Sachs unit, that wasn't bad.

    I always found the forks of my 748's (both street and race) to be really good straight from the box. We did some tuning with them to get spring rate and valve stack right on the race bike, but all in all the stock parts were really really good. I ended up with an aftermarket rear shock on the racebike because the stock Sachs unit used an odd spring size that wasn't easy to source.

    Things to consider changing / getting spares of:

    1) The foot pegs on the stock rear sets are very slippery, especially when wet. Consider replacing them or making them more rough. It improves the experience quite a bit.

    2) The coolant expansion tank just under the fuel tank at the front is prone to failure. If you start overheating and you don't know why, this is the likely culprit. The failure occurs on the seam where the mold comes together and is impossible to detect when the bike is cold. I kept a spare tank at the ready at the track. I would probably try to find one to keep in your garage (as this will pretty much assure that you'll never need it).

    Finally, the brakes and master cylinders are very good from stock, but benefit greatly from a better than stock brake pad. I really liked the Ferodo CP1 or the Performance Friction #95, but your tastes may be different.

    Enjoy!

    Scott

  6. #6
    Senior Member One-ops's Avatar
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    Re: Review on my new/ancient Ducati 748

    What happend to the pics??

  7. #7
    Senior Member Captain Obvious's Avatar
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    Re: Review on my new/ancient Ducati 748

    Sound location link broke (photo bucket account deleted / images deleted) is usually the reason. Which is too bad, I just wanted to see those pics as well. Been romanticizing about a 916 lately.
    The closest thing to immortality on this earth is a Federal government program - RR

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