Long story cut short... Bought my dream bike when I was 22, a 748SP. Ran out of money to keep it on the road quickly, this was around 2004/5. It's been in my Dad's garage ever since, him constantly pestering me to do something with it. Well I'm nearly 37 now and I'm glad I didn't, given that they bottomed out around £2k and now values are rising steadily. Anyway... Circumstances have changed, hadn't ridden in 12 years but recently just bought myself a super cheap 99 VFR800 to get back on the road. Bug has bitten me again. So now I'm thinking about getting my 748SP back on the road, and what might be involved. I'm happy enough doing some of the work myself, but anything engine related I'd rather leave to the professionals. Which has brought me to this thought... I'd always considered the 853 conversion would give me the ultimate bike, I didn't want a 916 cos I didn't like the lazy power delivery, but the 748 is a bit lacking in the mid range. Everyone says that fitting 94mm pistons and barrels really brings the 748 alive, and as mine is an SP with lairier cams, 50mm Termi's, Pankl H section steel rods, Ohlins shock, Cast iron floating brakes etc. Then it's the ideal bike to upgrade in the first place. I've heard typically the 853 conversion brings gains of around 15bhp but crucially, that's right through the rev range not just at the top end. So what's involved? The position I'm in, I know the bike needs a good chunk of money spending on it to get it back on the road. I estimate £1500 conservatively with full belt service, new tyres, new fork springs, labour etc. even doing some of the work myself. So given it needs a major overhaul, I'm thinking why not go the whole hog and turn it into the bike I always wanted...? An 853SP! If anyone could shed any light on the conversion for me, what's involved, how reliable etc. I'd be very grateful. I understand Sigma Performance used to be the boys for this conversion, but they are no longer in the Ducati tuning game. I'm only 45mins from JHP so easy enough to take a trip up there, 90mins from Baines Racing (bike came from here originally) at Silverstone so that's another option. I have a local specialist who can do normal work for me too (including belt services) but he's got no experience of building an 853 engine though, much less the facility to map it on a rolling road. So... Should I do it? Will I be ruining an otherwise original and (increasingly) valuable bike? Should I just get it back on the road standard, then sell it, and buy something newer with the power already there (848, GSXR750 etc.) from the factory? Or is it really, as everyone said, the best bike that Ducati never built and it turns a great bike into an absolute peach? Appreciate any help on this matter. Budget is a long way from unlimited, I can find the £1500 or so to put the bike back on the road fairly soon, but if it's worth adding the 853 conversion to it, then I'll find the money as required. But I cannot afford to go in thinking it'll cost £2k then that doubles if that makes sense?
If it were me i'd not be messing with a 748SP. 853 conversion is a little "old hat" these days, most are putting 1098/1198/Multi engines in. If you REALLY want to and the bike is a keeper, why not wait till another user 853 engine comes up? Or get a 2nd hand engine and do the work on that and put the SP engine to one side? IIRC @cookster did it a few years back and ended up breaking the bike and selling the 853 engine.
The SP like the SPS is a pretty rare bike and therefore is likely to rise in price, or at least remain stable, if left 100% standard. No one seems genuinely interested in non stock sp\SPS's even if they do sometimes have "sensible" modifications. If you really want to do it and don't mind what the potential resale value might be down the line then go ahead, but the cost won't be cheap. This probably one of the cheaper ways of upgrading to 853, big bore kit https://www.speedycom.co.uk/shop/home.php?cat=640 Other options being a different engine, I built a track bike using a 748R engine in a 748S frame and then had it set up by CJS. Within 1/2 bhp of a genuine 748R and perfect for road and track. Cost worked out at about £3500 which for a complete bike was pretty good, purchased a rolling chasis and a low mileage complete 748R engine. Although I didn't sell them, I could have got more money back by selling the injectors, airbox, 748R loom etc.
A number of forum members have built an 853, myself included and IMO yes it is the bike Ducati should have made. My current incarnation is based on a 748RS and produces 133 rwhp. EVR still do a kit for the 748 but it's not quite straight forward. The high compression kit comes with a 20mm gudgeon pin which suits the 748R Pankel rod so you would need to confirm what the 748sp has before choosing the right kit. HP/torque increase will also be limited by your airbox, throttle bodies and exhaust. With the exhaust, bigger is not neccessarily better. You will also need to budget for a custom map to get the best out of it. Happy to share my experience if you pm me. Andy
@themissinglink hi mate ive had 2 853 engines built now i in my opinion though they are good i dont thnk its worth doing unless your going to track it like Andy!! its cost me roughly £3500 per engine plus mapping so thats another £400 plus exhausts ect ect can be very expensive , iwould definatly fit a bigger engine like a 996, and its a bit disheartening to get overtaken by bog standard r6's and gsxr 600's making more power. i can run though all the details of my build if you want to pm me too or look at me featured threads 853 track bike. if i was going to build another 748 bike i would keep it standard but get it blue printed and lightened and make it run as smooth as possible, ti rods are a good up grade to cope with the higher rpm if your going to track it, or standard rods for road use. dont get me wrong the 853 is a cracking engine but as mentioned is quite old hat now, as is bloody expensive for what you actually get. My 748/853r was at 129bhp and my track 748bp/853 was at 119.8 bhp. any questions please ask.
This is my sons 748 race bike built by CJS for £2500 at the time. It makes 115bhp at the back wheel, which was the maximmmum allowed in the race series he was running it in. In fact it made more horsepower than some of the poorer 853 conversions. It started life as a stock 748 and had 748R heads and pistons added with SPS cams. http://www.projects.cjsracing.co.uk/ported748sps.htm
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ducati-74...346418?hash=item2836848572:g:iLkAAOSwH09ZNEnX Noticed this the other day. I have an 853 for road use only and love it, noticeably more power than the 748 and it just keeps pulling to the rev limiter, very reliable but as mentioned by others it is a bit old hat, it was great in it's day but newer bikes will leave you standing. Steve
I think the point is, those that ride an 853 conversion do love it and for me, it's the perfect road bike, sensible power and sublime handling. Andy
I have the 853 engine that Cookster had built. If you want a 748 with more power but all the same characteristics of the 748 engine, its the way to go but the costs do add up. Its being taken to Silverstone next week for the Ducati trackday and that was my main reason for wanting to fit an engine with more power. I know it will still be well down on power compared to 899s etc but its what i wanted. JHP fitted the engine for me and i know the mechanic who did it was very impressed with the power, torque and way the engine ran but it does have some very nice parts fitted.
