Ducati 748 Biposto

Having owned the Duke for just over a year i find the bike to be more reliable than its reknowm for.The handling is simply superb,sure its down on bhp compared to modern sports bikes,but that makes it easier to control.The looks are still georgeous even after 16 years,i dont think that the 748 will ever look dated.

If anyone is going to buy one of these great bikes,make sure of a good service history,and allways let the engine warm up for a few mins before riding.

They arent much fun in slow moving traffic,but when out of the town and on the twisties they really come to life.

Some riders complain of the cramped riding posititon,it really does not bother me and i stand nearly 6 foot.

Dare to be different and stand out from the rice burning fours.

This is not a moto for a timid rider. Yet as you own it and ride it, let it take care of you like nothing else. You wonder, when did I start having so much fun? looks that you get? The way it forgives you forever? The late breaking in turns. sure its heavy, sure its old. 10 years now. I think it is the best way to sport ride and have fun if you can afford it or know how to fix it. Have a safe ride and no chicken strips ;>

I do love this bike,but it's far more of a show pony than a work horse.

If you ride it like you stole it, it stings the pocket. Several bits have fallen off on track days, and the frame cracked,not sure why? Also the header tank split under the fuel tank, maybe coming down to hard from the back wheel? Still a fun bike though! Sounds strange for a V twin, but you really have to rev it to make it perform.

Great Ducati model, best concept (like 916,996,998),I just don't know which is better - 748 or 749,which is also great,but he's not typical Ducati like...

Everyone told me I was mad buying this as my first 'real' bike. Passed my test last month and had this sitting around waiting for me to ride it!

I have the Biposto which I'd recommend as a starter 748 for anyone. It's not got insane power but more than you'll need to get you started. The first time I took her out I thought she'd be hard to control as I was not used to the power. But if you're sensible and respect the bike you will be rewarded greatly for it.

I cannot explain how incredible the feeling is when you open up the rattling v-twin engine and the power is unleashed. From right at the bottom of the rev range the power is there waiting to be used all the way up to about 11,000 rpm where the sound just makes love to your ears. When decelerating the sound is even more awesome.

The tall first gear will have you slipping the dry clutch round tight corners and roundabouts but that's all. The riding position feels like your Superman whizzing through the air but at the end of the ride your wrists ache a bit and your back might be a bit stiff.

The fuel consumption so far seems to be reasonable, filled up with £15 of fuel (at the time of writing this it was £1.21 per litre for super v-power fuel!) which has got me over 100 miles.

If you are thinking about this bike I'd say you won't be disappointed at all. Just enjoy. I wanted to write this review how I would have wanted to read it if I was going back 2 months to look at buying one again. Honestly, buy one with history and a clear receipt of the cambelts having been changed in the last 1/2 years. They will have to be replaced every 2/3 years and cost about £200 all in. The services can be costly if you want the whole works and anything out of the ordinary needs doing but just look after her and she will show you a good time.

I'm on my fourth Ducati, always interspersing them with various large engined Japanese (last one being a GSXR 750).

I can't stop coming back to them, but as I'm a sunny day rider of advancing years, I don't rely on one to get me to work in the rain or snow.

I want a bike that looks like the proverbial dogs bollox but doesn't cost a fortune, and my 748 Biposto fits the bill, with insurance at £144 per year tpf and t.

It's now 9 years old and has 12000 miles on it, but still looks like it just got wheeled out of the showroom.

I've kept the standard cans as I can't justify spending several hundred quid on something that isn't greatly going to affect my riding or the bikes performance in my hands.

To take account of the rapid response from the willing twin, I have conceeded to update my helmet to a five hundred quid Arai RX-7 Corsair - I just hope the valves don't need checking when I take it in for service!

The Ducati 748 Biposto has great looks, an fantastic finish, sounds like no other, I have a open clutch at first this was like a bag of spanners, but that wirrrrrr with the clutch in is beyond belief.

This is my second ducati once bitten your hooked you love them or hate them, better then any other disposable stuff.

I love my Ducati 748, even with the service costs! The stability and grip, drive out of the corners hard with confidence at big leans. Looks great still, sounds ace.

Having finally graduated from 125's, I decided to go the whole proverbial hog and buy my (almost) dream bike - the Ducati 748 Biposto. I say almost, because my dream weapon of choice would be a 916 or a 996, but for now the 748 packs a massively bigger punch than I'll reasonably need, and is aesthetically identical.

I'll get the easy bit out of the way, I love the look of this bike. Thirteen years after the first chassis rolled off the production line in Italy, and it still looks as fresh and beautiful as ever. A real head-turner. The noise it makes is phenomenal; as if to encourage people to look at how pretty it is, it makes a deep, 'end of the world'-esque noise that makes people look first in terror and then in envy.

The engine has massive of grunt - though despite being 748cc is more comparable with a sports 600. The speedo goes up to 180mph, though I doubt it would tip those scales, despite my model having a race chip and exhaust system. I have (accidentally) reached a very effortless 135mph while motorway riding (it really was an accident), and that wasn't in top gear, or even full throttle, so the 748 certainly has plenty of power.

The smug feeling I get riding this bike (a common problem of Ducati riders so im told!) makes me ignore the blatant problems, such as the very punishing riding position (particularly for commuting), the 1 tonne clutch, the bikes stark inability to go slowly; It could just be a fault on my machine, but it simply will not go below 25/20mph without riding the clutch.

Obviously I've owned this machine for a very short period, and like any new relationship I am in the honeymoon period. I am worried however about the looming (circa 10 months) service regime that MUST be adhered to unless I want my work of art to be just that, and only that.