Ducati 748 servicing
1995 to 2002 · 748cc Desmoquattro V-twin · Greenwich, London
At its independent Ducati workshop in Greenwich, London, Ray Petty Meccanica services and repairs every version of the Ducati 748, from the Biposto to the SP, SPS, E, S and R (1995 to 2002). The smaller 916 revs harder than its big brother, so RPM pays close attention to its belts and valve gear and to the cooling system faults these bikes are known for.
About the 748
The 748 arrived a year after the 916 and used the same Tamburini chassis: trellis frame, single-sided swingarm, under-seat exhausts and bodywork, with a narrower 180/55 rear tyre. Its engine shares the 916's crankcases but has its own 88 x 61.5mm bore and stroke for 748cc, liquid-cooled with four desmodromic valves per cylinder and Weber fuel injection. The shorter stroke and lighter flywheel let it rev more freely. The Biposto was the standard road bike, while the SP and SPS were single-seat World Supersport homologation models with an oil cooler and an Öhlins rear shock. From 2000 the range was the cost-cut 748 E, the 748 S with the SP engine, and the limited 748 R. The 749 replaced it.
Servicing your 748
The 748's camshafts run on toothed belts, and Classic Bike Guide's advice for this engine is to replace them every two years even on a bike that has covered few miles since the last change. The Desmo valve service is also where RPM looks for the best-known weakness of this engine family: inlet rocker arms that lose their hard surface plating. Cooling is the other area to watch. The radiator header tanks can split and the coolant reservoir under the front of the tank can crack, so any coolant around the headstock gets traced and fixed. Some 748s also have ECUs chipped for exhausts that are no longer fitted. If you're buying one, RPM will look it over first and tell you what it needs.
Book your 748 in
Tell us the mileage and what's due, and we'll arrange a date.
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Saturday: 10am to 5pm
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