Hi All, Right, while I wasn't getting bored of my 749 - After just touring Europe a few weeks ago (8 Countries in 4 Days!) with someone on a yellow 748 I was starting to get the itch for one, What a beautiful bike! As soon as I got home I started trawling the internet daily, and I was ideally after a bike I could track and keep my 749 for the road... and then I found this! I won't say what I paid for it (I still feel a little guilty!) but it was a bargain! Just in desperate need of some work. Quite a bit of corrosion in places - Sprocket / Chain / Ohlins Spring - And then there is the tank, the thing is full of rust So she hasn't run in years, supposedly just had belts changed though - Where do I even start? Plan is to get her up to Tony @ Moto Corse UK but we are just in the process of buying a house so money is limited at the moment and don't want any horror bills. Maybe I should wait until the house is sorted? But I am desperate to get her running! I did originally plan to do away with the headlights and a few other bits and just run a daytime MOT, although the more I think about it, it would probably be more appropriate to get her back up to standard with a few changes under the skin for reliability / Performance. Absolutely dying to get this thing done and be able to ride it! Although I feel it is going to be a long term project! More Pictures...
great find but carries lot of horror bill potential... take all the time sourcing parts carefully after having made a full full list of what you need... otherwise it will just trickle in and before you know it, you'll be spending money you didn't plan on spending...money that no longer is in relation to what it adds... succes !
That's the third SPS to be mentioned (i.e. purchased) on the forum this year. Only 100 were ever imported into the UK if it is a genuine UK model you have. 40 in 1997 for the 98 model year, 40 in 98 for the same year and 20 in 1999. I have a very late fully documented 1999 model. Well worth saving no doubt about it. If you got it for a steal so much the better and not a bad track bike either. Were you lucky enough to get any of the extras with it at all? These bikes were amazingly expensive in 1998/1999, mine was a staggering £12,250 when new, I still have the bill of sale. They all came in via Moto Cinelli.
Yeah I remember you saying on the 'The ups and downs of my 748 track bike.' thread that they were a rare thing! What extras were available? All I got was a bike, 1 key and the Northern Ireland Reg Doc!
They came with standard pipes and it looks like you got the Termi's and probably the chip that came with them as extras, they were supplied with the bike when new along with a gold frame coloured paddock stand and a yellow dust cover. A lot of dealers kept the Termi's and supplied the bikes without. I am not sure if the numbers imported covers Northern Ireland or not, a lot more were supplied to Europe. If it has a an MPH speedo and a 250 F temperature gauge then I am guessing it must be a UK model. A nice find whatever and I am surprised to see a few turning up on this forum now, there can't be that many left now and I know of at least two that have been written off, so there are not even a hundred left at very most. You will love it when you do get to ride it, so much better than a stock 748, they really come alive when you start to ride them a bit harder.
Good news! What I would give for a yellow fitted cover! It's in MPH and temp is up to 250F so yeah UK model... Just want to ride it! Once the house is sorted I will start ploughing money into this :tongue:
I have a Yellow cover for mine and with age it has started to disintegrate, so even finding a new old stock would probably lead to it falling apart after a while. The cover reminds me of dish cloth material!! It's vented all over and is quite thin. If you do find one expect to pay a premium if anyone knows what it is
Do they still make these dust covers? Struggling to find anyone genuine Ducati Superbike fitted covers, and would love a yellow one for the 748 and a black one for the 749!
No unfortunately not, they stopped quite a while ago. I picked up one a few years back off eBay and to be honest they are not worth the money even new. I remember now what they resemble a J cloth!!! It's almost exactly the same material only thicker. So you get a fitted J cloth and Ducati 748 on the sides, it does not even say SPS. Best to give them a miss although it's nice if you still have a pristine original. I would never buy another.
I've got a genuine Ducati performance fitted cover in yellow off my old 748, I'll check the condition as I've not looked at it for years. Let me know if your interested.
nice thread jlc. i'm the other 1999 sps owner mentioned. we have a unique bike lol, club of 3 so far!
These are good, not a J cloth at all. Not cheap, but nice quality. Genuine Ducati Performance Indoor Bike Dust Cover, Panigale, 848, 916, 998, 1098 | eBay
A couple of used red ones on still eBay for £35 ish at the moment. Genuine Ducati Performance Motorcycle Cover 848 1098 1198 | eBay
