Unfortunately this was sold just as Mike was putting the finishing touches on the post. Congratulations to the new owner! -dc
From the land of sunny Florida comes this striking 2002 Ducati 748R. Only in Florida (and some of the Western states) can you get a shot of your Ducati in such fine fashion during the Christmas season – without snow or rain, that is. And how about that color? Are Ducs really like Ferraris where they have to be red, or do you like ’em with the occasional splash of color? Personally, I think the Tamburini designed 916/748 would look great in ANY color, as this is one of the all time classics when it comes to style.
The 748 was first introduced to the world in 1994. Essentially identical to the 916 – save for a shorter stroke motor and less top-shelf suspension bits – the 748 competed against 600cc Japanese fours in major roadracing competition. Initially, there were several different variants of the 748 – including the base, the SP, and the SPS. While most records show the base bike being a biposto and the remainder of the higher performance models being only of the single seat variety, rumors indicate that any seating configuration bike could be ordered in your desired state of tune. Thus, not all biposto bikes are 100% base models, and vice verse.
In 1998 Ducati introduced the 748L model, which was an exclusive color for Neiman Marcus. Shortly thereafter, the entire lineup was renamed, with the base being the 748E (available in mono or bi-posto formats), the 748S which was in a higher state of tune, and the R model you see here, which was intended for homologation racing.
This 748R offers a limited edition number on the top of the triple clamps to identify it as special. The other visibile changes include Ohlins suspension front and rear, and an oil cooler poking out from the bottom vent of the chin. The rest of the “special” parts were unseen but very racetrack worthy. Connecting rods and valves where made out of Titanium, allowing for lighter weight and a quicker revving motor. The valve angle was made more extreme to help flow air, and the fuel injection system was changed completely from a throttle body setup to an overhead shower arrangement. This last detail altered the design of the airbox; the R model has a split airbox arrangement specific to the type. Finally, the clutch was replaced by a slipper-type as befitting the bike’s racetrack status.
From the seller:
UP FOR SALE IS MY DUCATI 748R MODEL, ITS NUMBER PLATE IS #0682. THE BIKE HAS 10400 miles on it and is in immaculate condition. THE BIKE IS FACTORY STOCK EXCEPT FOR THE CARBON FIBER CHAIN GUARD, FENDER GUARD AND FULL TERMIGNONI EXHAUST SYSTEM. IF YOU ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE 748R, DO A GOOGLE SEARCH AND SEE THE DIFFIERENCE BETWEEN THE STANDARD 748 MODEL.
R model bikes are pretty rare macines. These first generation bikes do not have quite the pull of the later 999/1098 R machines, however, meaning that your dream of Ducati greatness might be closer than you think. This is a very clean, very original bike (nobody cut away the rear tailsection, there are no LED turnsignals, etc), that is rare enough to be numbered. We don’t see many of these, so you might want to pay attention.
This bike has a few more miles than others we have seen, but it is by no means excessive. The seller is asking $7,500 for this bike, which is pretty square on for the model, year and condition. To check out all the pics (and there are quite a few), or just to dream of motorcycles and sunny Florida, click the link and jump over to the auction. Good luck with that New Year’s track day resolution!
MI
