Quote:
Originally posted by island911
Yeah, those thing REALLY get you heart rate up, the first time you get the back end loose in a corner.
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Ha, BTDT! Not much beats the thrill/satisfaction of controlling a high-speed slide on a street bike (coming from someone who jumps out of airplanes for fun). What really gets you in trouble is your instinct to correct the slide with counter-steering (as you would do in a car), as opposed to throttle modulation. Can you say "high side"?
Blue-
Ducatis are great bikes. They are not for the timid, in both the balls & pocket book departments.
That said, if you find a nice example that has been broken in properly, and taken care of, it will be a joy to own/ride, as long as you keep up on the regular maintenance. Basically, if you are comfortable working on your own machines, and are somewhat mechanically inclined, you should have no big issues. You might want to take it to a dealer or wrench for things like valve adjusts, setting belt tension, etc.
Also worth noting: The 748 is quite a bit down on power (95HP if you're lucky) and is a bit heavy compared to it's Japanese 4-cyl. rivals. However, the trellis frame is amazing and makes up for the power deficiency a bit in the twisties.
Factory and after-market mods are a bit pricey though. For example, if you wanted to put those "R" Marchesini mag. wheels on a standard 748, it would cost you more than a set of 16x7&9 Fuchs! Termignoni 52mm full pipes: around $2k. Oh, and those Ohlins SBK forks are only about $7k!
Anyhow, if you are serious, the same recommendation for a PPI goes for bikes too. If you want to pass on any specifics (year, model, price, miles, upgrades, etc.), feel free to PM/email me for a second opinion.
They are expensive, but NOTHING beats the sound of a Ducati twin!
