I’ve came across a W reg Ducati 748 I’m considering buying, however it’s not been ran for over 10 years Having trolled the internet for the last few months and learning about the belts etc. What genuine standard parts are no longer available and what parts are demanding a premium? (assuming I’ll be replacing a lot of it due to age/perishing) I see the gauges and petrol tanks can be eye watering money thanks
depending on storage, bike could need very little. Re:- "premium" - definitely headlamp. try and find a good one under £600
Hello Mr Dutton. How "aged" is your potential 748? Lots of gossip about cambelts. Some made by Gates. Same belts as Renault Megane. Cheaper but not as chunky. I have heard of issues with them. Better off getting ducati belts, dearer yes. Injectors, if you can find new are mega expensive . Used going for £100 on e-bay as such. Some parts are modular and shared with other ducatis. So that is a plus. What's wrong with the fuel tank then?
it looks old old, paint faded, zinc plating is corroded as are most bolts, a lot are chewed so will need replaced. It wouldn’t surprise me if the tank had corrosion inside, wiring looks dry, rubber boots perished and usual furring on aluminium
It don't sound too clever. Chances are you will have corroded rubber pipes inside the tank due to old age and ethanol in the fuel. Maybe a new pump needed? Let alone the injectors. My opinion walk away.
From your description, it sounds like it’s not stood well. Perished rubber, corroded fittings etc. usually points to damp.. From experience, even well presented bikes that have been stood for a decade can suffer from corrosion inside the tank, killing fuel pumps, rotting the rubber pipes and corrosion along the bottom edges where the upper and lower halves of the tank are seam welded. Cooling system corrosion is another one to look for. Rads failing from the inside out, water pumps, rust build up in the cooling jackets and pipes….worst case corroded head gaskets. You’ll be able to see most of the external issues and judge how much work will be needed. The Desmoquattro motors have an inherent issue with failing plating of the cam followers or rockers. These are expensive to rectify as are cam shafts if the wear caused by failed rockers has gone to far… Mechanically, parts availability is pretty good. The issues tend to come with bodywork and chassis parts. Most will be available used in varying conditions, but it can take time to get the right parts. Depends on what sort of build quality you want to end up with, and of course what it’d be worth when finished. You might be lucky and find a scruffy bike with none of the above issues, but the costs involved if you get a bad un would probably kill the project. Do as much checking and inspecting as you can..
Having dealt with an 851 that had stood for over 10 years I agree with all that Nelly says. At least there was no ethanol in fuel 10 years ago though.
now you've supplied more information, it does sound quite dire - pictures would help also. Sounds like the worst scenario and a total rebuild is probably the safest approach.
