Description
Click here for an CycleVIN Motorcycle History Report on this 2001 Ducati 748S. Additional photos are available here for your perusal.
To the joy of American riders, Ducati finally decided to import the 748 in 1997. Considered a baby brother to the 916, Ducati’s 748 had been well-loved by the European motorcycling press since its introduction. It was identical in almost every way to the 916, both creations of Ducati in-house designer Massimo Tamburini, and both sharing some design elements with the Ducati Supermono. The only differences were rear tire size (180/55/17 as opposed to the 916’s 190/50/17) and engine capacity (88 mm bore and 61.5 mm stroke) of 748cc. The engine’s shorter piston stroke also gives a higher rev ceiling of 11,500 RPM, and the smaller pistons and lightened flywheel help the L-twin engine build revs quicker up to a peak horsepower output of 95.
In 2000, Ducati offered three variants of the 748 – the base, the S, and the R. The S featured the same motor as the base model but it got lighter 5-spoke Marchesini wheels, upgraded suspension (Showa forks with Titanium-Nitride coating and Showa shocks), and an adjustable steering head.
This example (VIN: ZDM1SB3R61B008389) is offered by the second owner. It shows 3,769 miles on the odometer.
Per the CycleVIN report at the top of the page, this bike spent the first few years of its life in Arizona, then moved to Texas in 2014. It is highly OEM (no aftermarket turn signals or tail tidy), though there are several upgrades which include Ducati carbon fiber heel guards, exhaust guards, chain guard, and rear tire hugger.
We also note a carbon fiber Termignoni exhaust:
P moto (Paulimoto Racing) clutch cover, pressure plate, and main sprocket cover.
Design Corse brake and clutch master cylinder reservoir caps (OEM caps included in sale).
The seller notes that this bike “has been kept on a tender and exercised routinely on a weekly basis. The bike gets started, brought to operating temperature and then rests again.”
It got a new battery in October 2018 and has brand new OEM air filters. There’s a fresh tank of Sunoco GT104 (non-ethanol) in the gas tank waiting for the next owner to burn. Per the seller, “She’s the PERFECT display piece right now that runs strong and sounds awesome. If this bike is to be put back on the road, I’d suggest the following:
–Standard cam belt service and valve adjustment – no noted problems when the bike is run now, but simply due to time since last service, I would have this done prior to getting her back on the street.
–Fluid flush – I’d give her an oil and oil filter change, flush and bleed the brakes and flush and fill the coolant (again, no noted problems, but the fluids have some age).
–Spark plugs – just because.
–Tires – it has a nice set of Dunlop’s Q3’s on the bike now for display, but again, they have some age and I would not ride the bike with any aggression with these on her.”
This 748S is in impressive condition – the one flaw of note is a crack in the temperature gauge glass, a common issue with these bikes that is typically due to ambient temperature fluctuations.
The sale includes the owner’s manual, factory tool kit, and three keys (one red master, two black).
This is a beautiful example of a gorgeous bike – will you keep it on display or enjoy it on the road?