Hi Done the usual Forum and Google Ducati 1198 searches and not really found what I am looking for it seems to be a bike you must ride as some time in your life but either totally unreliable to never had a problem you either get a good or a bad bike but have a suspect gearbox So, this may seem like a very dumb post but looking for some real-world owners advise I have a 749 and it ticks just about every box, good handling, affordable, reliable, quick enough to keep up equally important my licence safe but still having fun on the road through the twisties rather than all-out top speed etc. , all the reasons why a 749 rather than a 999. ( I already had an Aprilia Mille which is more touring / town than sports nowadays ) But !! I've been looking at the 1198 but don't know what they are like from a long term owners perspective, reliability, running costs, handling all the usual stuff and if possible the difference owning and riding both bikes. Yes I understand the power is massively different and its another ball-game in comparison I want one as a keeper as it the " last of the analogue Ducati's" without all the expensive and complicated electronics and like a lot of you guys I will keep on top of most of the maintenance myself as for me its an enjoyable part of owning a Ducati & I'm fairly decent with the spanners. Yet to book a test ride but sitting on one its seems comfortable enough with a decent riding position and not extreme for my 5'10 medium build frame A test ride will give me an indication but it takes a while owning a bike to get to know it. Can't really justify another bike. So something has to go as I have 2 main road bikes and a YZF project & a tinker bike with loads of spares, but don't want to move on anything I currently have but have no space LOL Its never going to be cheap but my main concern is reliability and horrendous running and dealer repair costs Just want to be sure as my gut feeling it to have a massive clear out of the sentimental bikes and parts I have and built up over the years to make way for the 1198 and keep the 749 and Mille Cheers Eddie
I loved my 1198 though it did cost me a fortune towards the end. They take alot of setting up to get the handling right and changing the foot pegs is a must. But the thing that really annoyed me was the tiny fuel tank,15 litres id get between 65 -75 miles from a full tank of petrol. I found mine very comfy after I made a softer seat for it. Plus a good remap helps sort the fuelling and drop a tooth on the front gear.
They suffer from weak gearboxes, they don't like qs. A stronger box from BSD is a good option. New main bearings while you're in there.
I've been casually looking a 1198 for months. TBH it's not a priority, as I'm moving house this year, and the £8-10k might come in handy. But, it seems there's not actually that many nice 1198's for sale with a good tank/gearbox/history. They also seem to be the trades darling at the moment, and are consequently advertised for salty prices.
Pauly In a similar position been Casually looking for a while and prices are on the increase Not sure if its the good weather or becoming dealer and review driven Ducati Cudos hike I can wait for the winter to buy and or see how the market price pans out All thanks for the reply's as Forrest Gump would say "life is like a box of chocolate, you never know what you are going to get " he must have been talking about Ducati's, hoping I'll pick a Wednesday bike
