Ducati 750 SS

http://manxads.com/?Title=Ducati-750SS&ListingId=11229&Category=5

This one in fact - it looks like it might be a bit of a giggle, but I
know nothing about these bikes at all... any gotchas, and is what he is
asking reasonable?

--
Gavin.

GSXR600K1
Twitter: http://twitter.com/gavin_wilby
Blog: http://www.stoof.co.uk

 

Seems very cheap.

I'd rip his arm off myself.

 

<Rolls up sleeves>

I wouldn't. It's a very early 750SS and the quality control was pretty
crappy. You really want one made after the Yanks bought into the
company, so 1996-on. Better built, better electrics, better finish.

Quite apart from anything else, later bikes have a double disc front
end, and while the single disc is OK-ish, the better brakes make a lot
of difference.

You can get a decent 1996-98 (ie: pre FI) 750SS for not much more than a
grand now, maybe £1300, and it's worth the extra.

Among the cognoscenti (fx: polishes fingernails) they're reckoned the
best of the old two-valve aircooled Dukes. OK, not as fast as the 900,
but a much *much* sweeter engine, much tougher because the crank and
transmission is less loaded, and they've got a five-speed box which is
rumoured to be tougher because they shaved it a bit to get six speeds
into the 900.

Best of all, like the 600, it's got a proper wet clutch. The 900' dry
clutch is the same as just about every Ducati dry clutch since time
immemorial: nasty, grabby, short-lived and requiring maintenance.

It also steers better. The 900 has a 170 section rear tyre, and the 750
got a 160.

The suspension is cheaper and cruder (unadjustable forks, cheap Sachs
rear shock, steel rather than alloy swinger) but it still handles
brilliantly and you can always uprate the kit as and when you want.

Mine's 12 years old and has done 30k. It's only ever been sidelined
once, and that was a dodgy brand new NGK plug. It's consumed a couple of
neutral switches, a set of wheel bearings, a set of head races, tyres,
chains and sprockets, a front brake light switch and one battery. It's
still on the original brake pads.

Things to look out for: you want to know it's been run on fully
synthetic oil and that the belts have been changed properly. That's it,
really. The fuel tanks rot through at the bottom on ones that aren't
used much. Look for filings round the rear sprocket - it's possible to
get the rear wheel spacer in the wrong way round and then the sprocket
floats and grinds away at the swinging arm. Head races are short lived
as new because the Italians don't seem to have heard of grease.

I really, really rate the 750, but I wouldn't buy this one.

 

Not even at throwaway money? - I know they're not the best of the breed,
but that's a very cheap bike.

 

No. Throwaway is right - you're throwing money away. It's been
neglected: only 12.5k miles in nearly 18 years, and it's been standing
for so long that the carbs have had to go through an ultrasound machine
already.

The white frame and wheels deteriorate rapidly on these ones. OK if
you're fanatical about cleaning and have a heated garage, though.

But the later 750s are *so* much better. Yes, OK, it's a good buy at
£750 but I'd much rather spend another £300-500 and get the double disc
front end, if nothing else.

 

Cheers TOG, thats really helpful, and consice!

If he still has it I might try and throw 500 sheets at him and see what
he does, it says no offers but I NEVER pay the asking.

Its just that time of year again where I fancy something different for a bit.

I was even looking at SO BMW's earlier.
--
Gavin.

GSXR600K1
Twitter: http://twitter.com/gavin_wilby
Blog: http://www.stoof.co.uk

 

I'd tell you to piss off, if I were him. It's worth more than £750 for
sure - it's just that I'd pay the extra for a later bike.

 

Have to start off somewhere though. Im on the IOM remember, so getting
a local bike thats already regsistered saves a lot of hassle, Im in no
rush for a new bike, I just stumbled across it.
--
Gavin.

GSXR600K1
Twitter: http://twitter.com/gavin_wilby
Blog: http://www.stoof.co.uk

 

Ah, I'd forgotten. Makes a difference, yes.

 

The real cognoscenti prefer the F1, before Ducati reversed the rear head.

 

Oh yes. Oh God, yes. Utterly beautiful. Didn't that have a Verlicchi
frame or something?

A one-time editor of Bike was racing one on the Island, years ago, and
got the shock of his life when at the bottom of the Creg, as he was
preparing to peel right at the Keppel Hotel, he squeezed the brake
lever and....

.... nothing.

He pumped and pumped and it started working. The descent from Kate's
Cottage had been so bumpy that the wildly flapping floating discs had
bashed the brake pistons back into the calipers =:-0

Amazingly, he got round the bend.

 

That ain't lovely. Sorry, but it isn't.

 

I'd say less, there was not much interest in Jean's. I felt 1000ukp +
Aquavit + Norwegian cheese was a good deal

 

It looks like it has been crushed

 

Cash, good. Booze, good. Norwegian cheese, utterly appalling.

 

I quite like a good Jarlsberg.

 

Nah, I like it

 

That's strike 2 you know...

 

I expect so, but they'll be red.

 

Those were two _very_ different cheeses, mind. Even without custom
maturing, I don't agree that the utterly appaling one[1] has a flavour
reminescent of neither Camembert, Roquefort nor Danish Blue.

[1]< http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamalost>