Some years ago I promised myself I'd buy a 916 for my 40th.... 40 came and went, think I got a paper shredder and socks I've watched the price of my dream bike literally double in value in a few years, now they are out of my budget. I've joined up to find out more about the other options, read owners stories and watch the classifieds like a Hawk....
Hi, I swore i'd get one for my 30th, was 41 when I finally did. Buy one, you won't (shouldn't) lose cash. Or if to much get a 996 like I did or a 748.
Don't lose the faith! I had on the wall by my bed as a teenager the Superbike centrefold from the 900ss v Le Mans v Jota shootout. I sooo wanted a duke. Forever! Few years back I was commuting from Bristol to London on the train once a week and worked out my train fair was more that the repayments on a 696 ... interest free... so i got one! Never regretted it once. It's now somewhat changed and been down the road and fixed up and altered and tweeked (bought a monster, turned it into a cafe racer... why didn't i buy an 848!?)... and i still love it. There's always a way Where abouts are you in N Devon? That's my neck of the woods.
I'm not so keen on the modern bikes, I like the 90's style, and I've been looking moreseriously at the 748s recently (since the write up in PS magazine) I had dismissed them as the weedy sibling to the 916 but it seems it may well be the riders choice? - I need to read up on here and decide if a newer 749/996/hyper motard/whatever may make more sense. . . but when should buying a bike make sense? "Dave's not here man" The correct grammar should have been 'whur yu too?" - but I'll let you off Yelland.
Are you getting confused between 996 and 999? 916 and 996 look the same apart from graphics and the latest like mine had the better looking 5 spoke wheels. 748 with 853 conversion i'm told is not "weedy" and is referred to as "the bike Ducati should have made" by some. I think @cookster had one if i remember rightly.
Nah, you could never confuse those two, what a fugly mess they made of that 999 The 996 has the right look but it's not a 916, it's not the bike I lusted after in Performance Bikes whilst still a teenager on my FZR 400 - champagne tastes and lemonade money as my mum said! Quite partial to the earlier air chilled sportsbikes 851,888,900SS as well, with the 900s a budget concious practical choice over the 916/748 by many reports?
TBH i never rode a 748,, but own a 749,,,, if you wanna entry bike which is a keeper then thats the one,,,,,,,,,,, or a 999 if fundz permit
the 748 is a fantastic bike and shouldn't be discounted or underestimated... more than enough for the rd (depending on the rd i guess!) it has different characteristics to its larger bros in that it revs higher (i like this in a v twin). the 900ss is a totally different bike to either and though its perhaps cheaper i dont think it a budget choice.... or practical! allthough it is more comfortable. gotta ask ya self what you are looking for really. the look of the 916, the revs of the 748 the sound and feel of the 900.. i guarantee any of em will make you grin from ear to ear and be proud to own
( i dont know ) ,,, does the 748 rev higher than the 749,,,, in my ignorance i thot it was the same engine in an advanced frame ???
i thot the 748 has only got half a swing arm and only one head lamp, apart from that it is ok ,,, ( neeew kid,, neew kid in town )
Any particular reason for getting rid, it seems the main complaint about the 748 is comfort, I've had sportsbikes in the past with no problems, then swapped to enduro/off roaders, I had a VFR400 recently and had to sell it as it was excruciating to ride below 50, I'm a small bloke (5'8") so it wasn't like I was cramped on there. Small world. The 749 is the one? or the 748? Coming from mostly inline 4 japs, I like the idea that it revs higher. What am I looking for? To pretend I'm 19 again and that sound, what a noise. I want a bip as well because I need to educate my boys, I can guarantee the missus wont get on the back.
took my 748 out today for the first time in weeks as my shoulder is playing up and ive been using the ss because its a lil more comfortable (a lil more!) and although ive owned the 748 for a good few years it is still fving awesome to ride ... sure there are so many bikes out there that will eat it in outright speed, but as a package, for the price you can get em for, i personally think there is not much that can compete.
