Ducati 749s

In the dark days of the early to mid-90s that saw Ducati on the edge of financial disaster and scanning the bottom of the pit for a soft place to land, there were some dismal attempts at range expansion.

For example, the 900SS was a well-liked bike so Ducati made a cheaper, smaller version. The barrels were sleeved down to 750cc and a few bits were taken off, and it worked. So they made a 600SS too. Then they went a step too far and made a 400SS. New engine? Nope, just a sleeve-down. Okay, it was aimed at the Japanese market where 400cc was a big class due to learner laws, but even so, it was a desperate move.

So why the history lesson? To underline just how far Ducati has come. Rescued by the Texas Pacific Group, which recognised the value of a brand name, it was able to spend hard cash on development.

The real fruits of that came with the unveiling of the 999. It proved Ducati has returned to such health that it is able to move on from the 916 family look and break fresh ground yet again.

And in creating the 749 Ducati hasn't merely had the engine room turn out a few sleeves. The 749S (and base-model 749) runs its own 90mm x 58.8mm bore and stroke, compared to the 999's 100mm x 63.5mm. So yes, the 749 is a Testastretta, but not simply a sleeved-down 999 Testastretta.

And in case you were wondering, the engine spec of the $19,995 749 and $21,995 749S is identical.

SAME FACE
The 749 models lift the chassis and bodywork from the 999. The looks, too, are identical. Whether you like it or not - and it seems to polarise opinions - there's no denying the 749 is distinctive. The yellow paint works well for me, combining with the black details to make one of nature's classic warning colour schemes.

And it's a warning other riders would be well advised to take note of. As you'd expect from a new engine with a claimed 103ps on tap, this is no slouch. Despite a claimed 199kg - seemingly 38kg over the claimed figure for the ZX-6R - the 749S leaps off the lights as a Supersport class bike should.

Seemingly? While the Japanese manufacturers claim weight figures that are totally dry, Ducati includes coolant, battery acid and all lubricants, but not fuel.

There's six percent more power and torque compared to the old 748, and at lower peak revs too, so Ducati has certainly done its homework with the new Testastretta powerplant. If you want a full tech rundown on the 749's changes, then refer to Sir Al's world launch write-up in Vol 52 No 14. As for how that translates to Aussie roads, read on...

WASTING TIME
Sitting in gear in city traffic with the clutch pulled in didn't make the 749S happy, with the engine warning light coming on several times, only to go out when the clutch was engaged and the wheels were turning.

Finding neutral wasn't as tough as some V-twins I've tested recently, which was just as well as it allowed me to savour the unique sound of a dry multi-plate clutch.

In town, you're frankly wasting not only your time, but also the bike's. If most of my riding was commuting through busy city traffic, there's no way I'd consider the Duke. It'll do it, but then a Gold Wing could probably get round a motocross track if you really wanted to.

At low speeds the seat is hard, the mirrors are useless and I felt like I was doing a handstand, there was so much weight on my wrists. Ducati didn't build the 749S for this, and few people - other than the most committed poseur - would buy one to only cruise the local cafe strip. Mind you, the 749S is more comfortable in this environment than the superseded 748.

GET OUT OF TOWN
What the 749S needs is open roads, and plenty of them. As the speed rises, the whole package comes together much better, most notably the suspension.

In town, it feels firm, as Ducatis traditionally have done, but away from traffic it starts to make more sense. Rough roads are dispensed with far more comfortably than the 748 that came before it, the suspension seeming to combine the firm, sporty ride of that model with a new compliance, just like the 999. It's not tourer-soft, but it's lost that sharp-edged rattle that often went with narrow-focus Italian sportsbikes.

Suspension is one area where the 749S varies from its $2000 cheaper 749 sister. The S gets a Showa rear shock instead of a Sachs/Boge unit, and the S's Showa forks are titanium nitrided, although otherwise identical.

No complaints in that department, with both Sam and myself taking some afternoon strops into the hills. In fact, the AMCN testbike even undertook a 200km gallop from Penrith to Singleton along the suspension-jarring Putty Road, with not a slapper to be found.

Unfortunately the 160km run from Port Stephens to Sydney along the Newcastle Freeway wasn't quite as 'enjoyable', although AMCN's 187cm-tall Ed was still able to uncoil himself from the 749S's perch and saunter off to the bingo hall for his night's entertainment without too much discomfort.

GREATER VARIETY
The S can cater for a greater variety of body shapes courtesy of its five-way adjustable footrests, gear and brake levers. While on the subject of adjustments, the S scores an adjustable steering-head angle (23.5¡ to 24.5¡) - the base 749 is fixed at 24.5¡.

The monoposto S also gets an adjustable seat/tank unit - 40mm adjustment for and aft.

The seat - barely more than Neil Hodgson gets on his factory 999 racebike - also comes into its own when you're getting more of a shift on.I found it a simple matter to slide across the seat and get into position for a corner. This is where the 749 is in its element. On a twisty road I could sling it from corner to corner, just pointing it where I wanted with bodyweight and rolling the throttle on and off.

And that's where it can score over its bigger brother. There's enough poke in the 999 to make you behave more cautiously with the right-hand grip. Turn too hard and you'll get yourself into trouble. The 749 gives you that ultimately satisfying feeling of being able to wring the bike's neck.

There's not so much power to play with in the smaller Testastretta, and that means more riders can use more of it, more of the time. The 749 revs willingly and feels far more modern than the 748 - and a lot smoother. The old bike's engine needed revving like a four-cylinder 600cc machine to really go, but sounded rough doing it. The new one doesn't.

If you want to ride the torque from 6000 revs, it'll let you, and reward you with faster travel than you expected too. You won't want top gear around town, though - open the throttle from below 5000rpm at legal speeds and the bike reacts with uncomfortable judders.

Also, to see anything in the mirrors, you'll need to be in a racing crouch. I felt a right goose all tucked in at 60kmh, just to see if it was okay to change lanes.

TRACK TIME
In fact, I'd go so far as to say that with the 749S, I'd book up a lot of track time at the same moment I handed over the cheque if I was to buy it. There's no doubt about it, this is a racetrack refugee.

Tipping into corners, hard on the brakes, the 749S feels planted and well balanced. There's excellent feedback from both ends - it keeps you informed in a way few bikes can match, and the chassis can handle more than most can throw at it. Oh, and the new Testastretta engine sounds like it wants more, however hard you ride it.

Running on Pirelli Evo Corsa tyres, the 749S is unlikely to run out of grip on the road. More likely, the rider is going to find his/her limit first.

There's no doubt the $21,990 749S is an intoxicating package in the right circumstances, but that also means it's compromised everywhere else. Giving the other half a lift across town was such an unappealing thought I actually looked for excuses not to do it. Nothing to do with her - everything to do with facing rush-hour traffic, two-up on such a narrow-focus machine.

If you need your bike to be more of an all-rounder then those 600cc Supersport 'rivals' look appealing. And they're around $7000 cheaper. But buy a 749S, treat it to the roads (tracks?) it deserves and you'll love it. The 749S is in a way few rivals can better.