Ducati 749S

High engine revs are allowed by a special valve retainer collet system used to secure the steel intake and exhuast valves. The system is also used on the R versions as well as the World Superbike and MotoGP race engines.

The L-twin Testastretta engines are very compact, making the finished motorcycles incredibly narrow and agile, much like their racing cousins. They also offer excellent torque and remarkably vigorous power delivery compared to four cylinder engines. Ducati Superbikes have incredible acceleration and provide outstanding riding thrills.

The suspension is fully adjustable at both ends and features a TiN-treated upside down Showa fork at the front and a Showa rear shock. Thanks to a wide steering angle (28.5°), the steering damper, adjustable headstock rake (from 23.5° to 24.5°) and foot rests that can be set at any of 5 different positions, the Ducati 749s can be adapted to suit individual riding styles. In addition, on the single-seat version, the seat-tank assembly is adjustable longitudinally by 20 mm, thus giving the rider the opportunity to personalise his or her riding position on the bike for track use.

Review

Ducati has certainly come a long way in recent years. American investors moved in and restructured the way the company does things. As a result the Bologna factory is certainly producing much higher quality products than we have seen before. Recently I have enjoyed good stints aboard the new 1000SS and also the new Multistrada, but my most recent Ducati sojourn was onboard the new 749S.

This is a more focussed sports machine than those aforementioned models but at the same time it also possesses a civility that Ducati’s earlier top line sportsbikes certainly never offered.

Of course the trademark bangs and rattles that are synonymous with Ducati emanate from the engine room and dry clutch area but as soon as you sling a leg over the latest machines you immediately appreciate the vastly improved ergonomics. In fact these latest Ducatis even allow the rider to tailor the riding position to their individual preference with the pegs offering different mounting positions while the seat can be slid fore or aft through a range of 20mm. I never felt the need to adjust a thing, even after a 600km day in the saddle.

Speaking of saddles, the seat on the 749 is fantastic. It has the perfect balance of firmness and cushioning that manufacturers so rarely get just right. There is still some weight on the wrists and hands of course, but it is very manageable and certainly nothing I would gripe about. Cruising at a fair clip the only minor annoyance I found was a slight tingle through the pegs. Selecting a different gear to lower or raise the revs seemed to make it go away.

Gearing is something I would experiment with if I was to have a lot more time with this bike. I would add a few teeth to the rear sprocket and possibly even drop a tooth on the front to liven things up a bit more on the road. I think Ducati may have over-geared the bike to pass the drive-by noise regulations required for road registration in Australia.

The engines appetite for revs means it is most happy with more than 5,000rpm on the tacho, just as the cams really start to reach into their sweet spot. That is not to say there is nothing below this mark as that is certainly not the case. The 749 pulls reasonably well with only 3,000rpm on the tacho and the remarkably fine Marelli fuel injection system that is now synonymous with Ducati ensures that there is no complaints from the engine when lugging around on city streets. Ducati twins are now smoother and more refined in the lower parts of the rev range than any similar capacity Japanese twins.

Up top the power does tail off a little but I am sure a set of pipes and appropriate fuelling adjustments would certainly extend the top end. If I was to take this step though I would certainly ensure I found an excellent tuning centre I could trust to get the injection tuned to suit the pipes. As standard the fuelling is just about perfect and if I was not confident of finding a tuner to replicate that finesse with aftermarket pipes fitted then I would leave well enough alone.

As with most sporting twins, fuel range is not a Ducati strong point. If out for a strop in the country you will have to fuel often as the low fuel warning light starts to glow on the comprehensive instrumentation panel in as little as 150km. This light signals that there is only 3 Litres remaining in the incredibly skinny 15 litre tank.

The front stoppers are sourced from Brembo and offer excellent stopping power along with good feel at the lever. During my experience with the bike the rear brake proved virtually useless.
Handling is as you would expect, sublime. Along my brisk and bumpy test route the 749S never put a foot wrong. The $22995 749S model I had on test comes with a fully adjustable Showa shock and a few more ponies than the lower spec 749 for what amounts to a $3000 premium over the base model. For my money, I think the extra $3000 is money well spent.

As with most high revving twins things are prone to vibrate loose and I discovered the left clip-on bar had slipped down the fork stanchion when I couldn’t complete a left hand turn due to the bar hitting the fairing! Just remember to keep a check on all the bolts during the running in period and everything should be fine.

Overall I was certainly impressed with the 749S. In fact I could imagine myself living with one and thoroughly enjoying it, and that is certainly something I would never have said about its predecessor. Yes, it is that much better.

Source MCNews.com

2003 Review

It may come as something of a surprise to hear that the 749, despite all appearances to the contrary, is not just a 999 with smaller holes in it. Strangely enough, the only paper difference is the rear tyre, reduced to a 180 section from the more fashionable 190 fitted to the larger bike. So perhaps I should rephrase myself. Although technically the 749 is no more (and no less) than a 999 with smaller holes and a skinnier rear tyre, it feels comletely different.

Like its larger sibling, the 749 is a radical redesign of its predecessor sharing little more than the tankbadge and a few common components. Also like the 999, the 749 has exchanged some of the purity of line and sheer elegance of the older model for a rather more functional appeal. I have to say that, having had more of a chance to get used to the new shape, I honestly do quite like it, especially in the bright yellow with which this particular 749 is blessed.

Technical stuff matters on a bike like this, so lets get down to it. The biggest change from the outgoing (but still in limited production for the diehard fashionista) 748 is the engine. For the first time, the Testastretta engine has been shrunk and fitted to the 749. What this means, apart from another cool badge on the fairing, is healthy amounts of power and torque right through the rev range. While nobody would accuse the 749 of being a low revving torque monster, it certainly has far more oomph that its predecessor. Ally that to a silky smooth gearbox and you have a recipe for making very quick progress indeed. But there is a price for all this. Despite the beefier engine curves, the 749 thrives on revs. The more the better. And that means it likes a drink every now and again. Well, every 100 miles or so, actually, ridden with any degree of enthusiasm. Still, no problem - the fuel light gives plenty of warning and reserve seems to be generous enough for all but the most dedicated chancer to reach a garage before taking a walk.

As we're talking about a supersports Ducati, mentioning that the handling is sublime is probably rather unnecessary. But I'll do so, just in case. The handling is almost perfect - rock steady stability allied to a razor sharp turn-in and a degree of chuckability the likes of which the 999 could only dream of.

Which brings me to my earlier point. Despite the bikes being ostensibly the same, the 749 is so much easier to ride than the 999 that you might be forgiven for thinking they were totally different machines. And I don't know why. The only differences are that rear tyre and the reduced reciprocating mass of those smaller pistons. Maybe that's enough - I don't see how - but whatever else there is combines to make a devastatingly potent road bike and track-day tool. There is no doubt that for the lazier rider the 999 will be easier to fire out from a corner - the huge amount of grunt makes sure of that - but the 749 will have turned into the corner later, harder and maybe just that bit faster.

Now of course all this talk of getting on the power harder and earlier is rather less important for road riding than for the track. On the road perhaps the 749 suffers a little from a lack of outright power. There are times when, perhaps, it would be nice to be able to get a move on without doing the gearbox tango. But then again, perhaps I'm being picky. Not once did I find the 749 lacking performance or usability - indeed it probably has some of the most usable power around today - and I never really wanted to be going any faster than I was at any given time. But sometimes you just want to relax and take it easy, which is something that doesn't come naturally on the 749.

While we're talking about road riding, we should get some of the practicalities out of the way. The mirrors, despite what you may have heard elsewhere, do actually work and will let you see something other than the state of your elbows. You just need the right technique, just like on the larger bike. The ride is reasonably comfortable, although the miniscule screen means that your neck will cry enough way before your bum, especially if you're getting a bit of a move on. But that's not a problem, because, as mentioned before, you will run out of petrol before you run out of endurance anyway.

Our test bike, by the way, was a 749 S - until the R version comes out next year it is the top of the 749 ladder. Blessed with higher spec suspension and far more adjustability than the base model, the S is otherwise mechanically identical. Cogniscenti will tell you that the Nitrided forks give the game away at 1000 paces, but I prefer to sit on it and look at the beautifully crafted triple yokes instead. Either way, you'll be pushed to tell the difference when you're moving.

Verdict
If you do more than one or two trackdays a year, if your riding is more for fun than anything else, if you're a rider who enjoys getting the most out of your bike and working a bit to do so then the choice is easy. Buy a 749. If you're a slave to fashionable numbers or ride with more purpose, or even if you are simply lazier and want ready performance on tap without any effort then you should think twice.

Me? You know, I think I'd rather like a 749s monoposto.
In yellow, please.

Source Motorbikes Today 2003