We're back with another installment of our #teaBreakreview - approx read time under 5mins
There’s always been something special about a Ducati, the iconic red colour and that unmistakable dry clutch rattle. We decided to take the plunge into Ducati ownership and see what all the fuss was about.
Official Specs
Max power: 116 bhp
Max torque: 60 ft-lb
Top speed: 150 mph
Tank range: 148 miles (Big lies here!)
Weight: 186kg
Seat height: 780mm
There’s always been something special about a Ducati, the iconic red colour and that unmistakable dry clutch rattle. We decided to take the plunge into Ducati ownership and see what all the fuss was about.
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| Ducati sitting pretty at Bedford Autodrome |
Max power: 116 bhp
Max torque: 60 ft-lb
Top speed: 150 mph
Tank range: 148 miles (Big lies here!)
Weight: 186kg
Seat height: 780mm
Our Ducati was the Ducati 749S
Monoposto, a single seat version of the Ducati 749S. As with buying any Ducati, full service history is a must have. But then again, the cost of the services may
make you think twice. Ours has a full Ducati, and Ducati specialist service history
with some services amounting to well over £700! It’ll be worth it –
right?
The 749S has one of the most aggressive riding positions we’ve experienced. Low bars, stiff suspension and a poor excuse for a seat makes for a very uncomfortable ride on our lovely British roads. Initially we had real trouble with the handling of the bike. After reading much about the wonderful chassis, it just wasn’t living up to what we had hoped so we took a trip over to Race Engineering and after they adjusted the setup it was like riding a new bike. Confidence inspiring, stable and incredible handling around corners. The only 'problem' now was the fuel consumption - at about 100 miles to a tank it was quite thirsty considering the official specs suggest we could achieve 150 miles!
You can always hear a Ducati in the distance and the 749S is no different. With a
full Termignoni exhaust system, the bike really did command a presence attacking all senses. If you
own a Ducati with a dry clutch, you know it's not long before someone tells you it
sounds like a ‘bag ‘o nails’. We laugh and say we think it just adds character.
Many people have reported the clutch as very snatchy on the 749S, but we didn’t find it much different to any other bike we’ve ridden. Although we were running a freshly uprated clutch.
The 749s packs a real punch low down but really lacks at the top end of the rev
range. It takes quite a while to get used to when coming from a screaming Japanese
inline four. One of the nice additions you get with the S version is full
Brembo brakes and these are still the best we’ve felt in a long time, great
feel and loads of confidence when you’re late braking on track.
As mentioned earlier, the 749S was a real struggle on the road, uncomfortable and bone shattering so we thought we would take it on track to see what this race pedigree was really made about. With the full Termignoni system booming we’re still amazed it past the noise test, the sound tester did have a smirk though…
The 749S really comes to life on track, with loads of torque to throw you out
the corners and amazing brakes begging you to brake later. The handling is made sublime after a suspension set up, it’s a bike designed for the race track. Being a V twin, the back end could
get quite lively when hastily shifting down before entering a corner but there
was so much feedback from the chassis it felt natural and very controllable.
Overall the Ducati was a great
bike for the track, but it was just too much for the road and certainly too
expensive to keep just for the track. Where ever we went the 749S got attention
– maybe we should have kept it as an ornament!?
The 749S has one of the most aggressive riding positions we’ve experienced. Low bars, stiff suspension and a poor excuse for a seat makes for a very uncomfortable ride on our lovely British roads. Initially we had real trouble with the handling of the bike. After reading much about the wonderful chassis, it just wasn’t living up to what we had hoped so we took a trip over to Race Engineering and after they adjusted the setup it was like riding a new bike. Confidence inspiring, stable and incredible handling around corners. The only 'problem' now was the fuel consumption - at about 100 miles to a tank it was quite thirsty considering the official specs suggest we could achieve 150 miles!
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| Always getting attention |
Many people have reported the clutch as very snatchy on the 749S, but we didn’t find it much different to any other bike we’ve ridden. Although we were running a freshly uprated clutch.
 |
| Enough torque to catapult you out of corners |
As mentioned earlier, the 749S was a real struggle on the road, uncomfortable and bone shattering so we thought we would take it on track to see what this race pedigree was really made about. With the full Termignoni system booming we’re still amazed it past the noise test, the sound tester did have a smirk though…
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| Coffee runs made special on the Ducati |
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| The Ducati at home on the race track |
Thanks for reading! We hope you enjoyed it.
BirotarUK
#BirotarUK
