[Doomwitha929]

I am thinking about buying a Duc maybe a 848, 749 or 999. All things equal I would choose the 848 but at over 14K with all the charges I am thinking about a 999 or 749. I checked out a 749 before and thought it was beautiful but I am not sure about how they stack up. Is the 999 or 749 down grade worth saving a couple Gs?

[jsglaw]

the O8 600rr is twice the bike the 749 will ever be. If your just mesmerized with the Duc thing, go 999s. I have spoken to a number of guys with the 749 who tired of it very quickly. Why not the 1098? I'm thinking if I had either I'd almost be afraid of taking it to the track.
All the ducs are classic and timeless. I have a 2002 XK8 coupe, that looks as gorgeous today as any car ever. The new ones are beautiful too, but good design is timeless. Ducs are the same. I would say the 999s is in that category. the suspension alone is worth the difference between the 999 and s models. If fact in some ways its better looking than the 1098. Go with your gut, but I would avoid the 749.

[slickwill]

The 848 and 1098 were such leaps forward that even the 848 has a better power to weight ratio than the 999. So as far as engine technology goes the 848 is a huge step up over the older bikes. The styling is purely subjective. I think the 999's and 749's are some of the ugliest bikes ever made, but if you like the looks then buy what you like. Every review of the 848 has been 100% positive. Everyone I know who has been on one has loved it. Another consideration would be that the engines have been updated enough on the 848 and the 1098 that you only have to do maintenance half as often. The service interval on the 749 and 999 is VERY short. Something around 3500 miles. It is 7000 miles on the 848 and 1098. That can be enough of a savings right there to make up for the extra $2K.

[Doomwitha929]

hmm, good info thanx guys. The 1098 is just too far out of my price range and I think power wise more bike then I really could use anyway plus I just like the 848 designation.
Jsglaw funny you should mention the XK. I have a 2000 British racing green XKR coup sitting in my garage. I actually thought of selling it if I bought the bike but I just cant part with it.

[jschaf]

Just my 2 cents. I thought long & hard about getting a 1098 but when it came down to it (& since I didnt have 40k$ to drop on a 1098r) I did the "sensible" thing & purchased an 08 CBR1000RR (Yellow & Black). I'm definitely not disappointed. If I did have 40k$ to drop, which I don't, I might consider a full HRC kit for my RR (why don't the bike magazines do an apples to apples, $ to $ comparison between the HRC equipped 08 1000RR & the Ducati 1098R?) My wife's ordered a new Monster 696 & I'm sure it will be an excellent bike for her. Monster's are Ducati's bread & butter, sales volume wise, so their price has to be semi-reasonable. I'd love to be a fly on the wall at a Ducati when talk turns to sales volume vs. price. The 848 seems to be a sweet bike. I guess I all boils down to, are you a cheapskate like me that wants the most for your money, or are you willing to pay for the exotic lineage & split the development cost with the few rather than the masses.

[Doomwitha929]

I was thinking sort of the same thing. For 3K less then the 848 I can get the 08 1000 and I am sure it is every bit as good and probably more comfortable. It all depends on how what is important to you. The 848 is more $ but wow its beautiful and every other kid isnt riding one.

[jkobflys]

the ducatis will defenetly set you appart from the masses,
and if i had 40k to put to a bike i defenetly grt the 1098r, even though the 1000rr with the hrc kit would be a faster, and probably more reliable bike the duc will set you appart.
and they sound sweet.

[lee remmy]

This is my first post but after reading the misinformation about the price, and the maintenance of owning a ducati I chose to post here first.


First the price of a 848 is 12,995 and the price of the 1000rr is 11,599.

The 848 Evoluzione powerplant that purportedly puts out an impressive 134 hp and 70 lb-ft of torque. Thats quite a bit less than the 1000 but more than a 600.


Maintenance on a ducati in not as bad as all would think. the older bikes 999 and older had maintenance schedules of 6000 miles, this was oil/filter change, change belts, change plugs, new air filter, check valves and fluids for a cost around 6 to 800 bucks. This is more than any maintenance on a Japanese bike for sure but not as bad as people make it out to be. The new schedules on the 848, 1098 are I think 7500 miles and about the same in price for the service.


I own a couple of ducatis and have had nothing but good times in owning them, no nightmares or horror stories to tell. Ducatis are a modern machine and great to own, they may or may not be a better bike but they are definitely a different bike to own.

I just bought a 05 999 and I expect it to be just an unbelievable motorcycle to own and ride. It will see track and street use mostly.


If you are still looking for a bike I would look again at a ducati before you buy a bike. Good luck and enjoy the new ride.

[jschaf]

Good luck in making your decision. I'm riding the 1000rr with no regrets whatsoever & my wife picks up her new Monster 696 tomorrow. I too might buy a Ducati someday.

[Doomwitha929]

I just got my 929 back today from having a load of work done to it and before I even got home my phone was ringing with a call from the manager of our powersports store asking if I was still interested in a new bike. I would LOVE an 848 but there is really NO reason to sell mine especially after dropping 2800 bucks on work and upgrades. My other issue is of course having a PAYMENT and I think the 848 is going to be VERY uncomfortable.

[03swanman954]

Buy a Honda,,,,,lol ,,honestly I would take an 08 CBR 1000 RR over a 1098 anyday,,but if your going to buy a Ducati , I would get the 848 over a 999, the bike is so sweet and heck if you going to go really crazy why not get the 1098,,lol ,,honestly a buddy of mine just baught the 848,,,its a nice bike, I hate to admit I like it, but they are like Nike Sneakers,,,you pay for the Name and thats it.

Bottomline: Get what YOU want and what feels best for you on your budget. Good Luck!

[Grover130]

It seems no matter what you get - there's always something a little nicer.

[curt248]

What did you do to your 929 for $2800? I thought adding a full exhaust and powercommander to mine was expensive.

[curt248]

I'm not sure what it is but the 848 looks better than the 1098 to me. Maybe it's just that white color scheme that's in all the magazines. One women put it nicely "the 848 is pure sex".

Personally I would buy the 08 cbr 1000RR over the 1098. Maybe I'm biased. This IS a fireblade forum. lol.

[Doomwitha929]

I doooont know. Personally I dont think an 08RR has anything on a 1098. The RR is bad ass no doubt but the 1098 is art and has amazing performance and top notch componets. I hate to ake this comparison but its like putting a 350Z against an XKR or Porshe. Yeah they both perform great but the European one is just... nicer and has more style or soul. Pure numbers arent everything. I pick the 848 over the 1089 because I have always liked middle weight bikes, the 848 is to me just a bit more special with a sort of "I dont need a 1098 because I can RIDE this 848" feel and I personally do better on a bike I can wring out more and the 1098 I fear may just be too brutal.

[Doomwitha929]

Originally Posted by curt248

What did you do to your 929 for $2800? I thought adding a full exhaust and powercommander to mine was expensive.

What I did : Powder coated wheels and rear sets
New wheel bearings all around
Valve adj
BMC filter
LOF
Fast card and dyno time
Shorten Hindle can and polish it
Rebuild forks race tech, springs, gold valves new seals etc
WP/lindeman rear shock
new x ring yellow powder coated link chain
Harris Ti axle nut
New plugs

[curt248]

How much was the filter?

What is a fast card?

What is LOF?

Was the suspension in bad condition to start with? How does the new stuff feel?

I'd like to see pics!

[Doomwitha929]

the filter was like $90
Fast Card is the same as the Dobeck card
LOF is Lube oil and filter
The suspension felt OK but had 30K miles on it and was getting soft plus the seals were starting to leak
Here is a link to a post with pics
Just got my 929 finished Pics

[curt248]

i like the undertail

Did the front brake distance till the brake engages disappear with the braided lines? I wish my brakes engaged quicker. They take about an inch before they work at all. They work fine after that. I'm really thinking of putting on some braided brake lines. How much were they?

Do the controls feel better with the pazzo's? Did the clutch pull effort get reduced with the new levers?

Ok still lost. What's a Dobeck card?

Are you tracking the bike or is it mostly for street riding?

What is a gp shift? Is it a repositioned foot peg setup? Does it allow the bike to shift easier?

What is a pair mod?

[Doomwitha929]

ok here goes
The undertail is Mototek
The brakes are not too abrupt but I never had a prob with the lever travel. It did take some softness out of the pull though. I like the lever to have some free play before it starts to bite because going into a turn I can drag the lever back and feel it start to bite. This way when I hit the brakes they dont bite suddenly.
The levers feel nicer then the stock ones on your hand and the action is smoother and more precise mostly they look cool.
The Fast card is a power commander type thing but instead of making a new map it uses the stock map fuel/air ratio graph and just modifies the fuel value. Its hard to beat the graph the factory built in so instead of remaking one from scratch it just tunes out the emissions leaness.
GP shift is reversed shift patten. One up five down. It helps prevent missed shifts by making the UP shift a stronger motion (foot pushing down) It also keeps you from getting our foot torn off in a turn when you stick your toe under the peg.
Pair mod: do a search in the CBR fourm for this that will explain it better.

[whitefirelight]

Originally Posted by Doomwitha929

I am thinking about buying a Duc maybe a 848, 749 or 999. All things equal I would choose the 848 but at over 14K with all the charges I am thinking about a 999 or 749. I checked out a 749 before and thought it was beautiful but I am not sure about how they stack up. Is the 999 or 749 down grade worth saving a couple Gs?

I'm struggling with the same question, so I will respond with my current thoughts. I've been riding Triumph triples for the last 10+ years so I'm pretty neutral on the 2 cylinder vs 4 cylinder thing. My next bike is between an 848 and a 1000RR, frankly I'm leaning pretty heavy towards the CBR.

The 1098 is out of the running because then I would have to compare it to the other modern litre bikes, and frankly it doesn't compare, at least not on paper in terms of speed and horsepower. For $2k less the 848 has a comparable top speed to a 1098, quicker handling, and a modern wet clutch. Plus, in my humble opinion the 848 in white is the most attractive bike of 2008.

Having said that, I can spend another $2-3k less on a CBR in yellow & black, spend less on maintenance, and be happy to know that I won't stop accelerating at 160mph......so that's probably what I will do!

[tlstreak]

theres alot of hate on here for the 999. Its a great bike. It was a better design than the 1098 out of the box. More time put into race design and geometry than appearence, which seems the opposite for 1098. There are several articles out there that proved the 999 though low on power was the better machine to ride with suspension setup and power would allow the tires to work better on the bike.

PLUS all the ducati people like the 996/8/1098 look which makes the 999 a better buy. I would love to have one if I could justify the price. would have to be the second bike and a lifetime keeper as a classic everyone hated.

For the record, I like the way the 999 looks. Nice to get away from the common look now and again.