Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128372
Duc:ati 749R MOTOR KEY FEATURES: • Short-stroke 749,5cc Testastretta motor • Titanium connecting rods • Dry slipper clutch • Larger titanium valves • Lighter crankshaft Make no mistake: The motor in the 749R is very different from the units in the 749 and 7495. The first indication is the fact that the bore and stroke dimensions are completely different. The 749R features a 94 x 54mm bore and stroke (compared to 90 x 58.8mm on the 749 and 7495). The short-stroke design is tuned for more top-end horsepower. Other differences include a lighter crankshaft, titanium connecting rods and a higher compression ratio (12.7:1 instead of 11.7:1 on the other two 749s). There are a lot more differences, but we don't have space to go into all of them. The bottom line is that this motor is bred for racing, and its performance proved it, burning the fastest lap of the day at the track (a 1:26.20). On the track, the 749R is a blast, with more than enough power to almost highside editor Paul Carruthers while exiting a tight corner when he got ham-fisted. This bike grabs revs far quicker than any Ducati we've ever ridden, yet the spread of power is broad enough to pull at least two different gears leaving any corner. This is also what makes it an awesome motor on the street. If pure riding enjoyment is what you're after, and that enjoyment comes purely from performance and ignores things such as long-term comfort, then this is the bike for you. That's not to say that there aren't a few problems with the 749R. Our biggest complaints both have to do with shifting on the bike. First off, put a freakin' redline on the tachometer; we're all sick of guessing at which point in the solid-white tachometer field the annoyingly harsh rev limiter is going to kick in. We also noted that when upshifting at wide-open throttle, it didn't want to cooperate if the throttle wasn't cracked off significantly. These are just two issues to get used to when coming off of another bike, but they should have been addressed years ago. CHASSIS/HANDLING KEY FEATURES: • Fully adjustable Ohlins fork • Fully adjustable Ohlins shock • Ohlins steering damper • Adjustable offset triple clamp • Adjustable rake/trail headstock last year we used the standard 749 Dark in this comparison, and the number-one thing holding it back was the bike's weight and long wheelbase, which kept it from handling as well as the others. The Showa suspension on that bike was good, but not good enough to overcome its shortcomings. This year, we decided to run the 749R and see if Ducati's finest is good enough to hang with Japan's best. Hang with them it did. As a matter of fact, it kicked the others' butts on the racetrack (as it should for $221<). Sure the 749R has an awesome motor, but it's the impeccable that Ohlins suspension allowed the bike to turn the fastest lap time of the day not that the superstable chassis hurt it a bit either. Midcorner and on the brakes, the 749R is by far the best bike in the test. "When it came to the track, one bike stood above the rest, and that bike for me was the Ducati 749R," tester Thomas Montano said. "It's the best-running twin I have ever ridden. The throttle response plus the magnificent suspension and brakes were the bomb." All of our testers agreed that the bike was a bit difficult to snap into the tighter turns, but once planted, it was absolutely rock solid, especially in the fast turns. The suspension feels supple everywhere, yet it offers plenty of damping. The fork is an Ohlins 43mm upside-down unit, which now features a top-out spring. The rear shock is also an Ohlins unit that is specific to this bike, and it utilizes a different linkage than the other 749 models. As for the brakes, the four-pad, four-piston Brembo radial-mounted units are the best in this comparison. Not only do they have excellent feel, but their power is amazing. Combine that with the longer, more stable chassis and the slipper clutch, and getting through the Streets' fast chicane quickly is a lot easier. Another key to helping this bike handle better than the standard models are the V-shaped spoke Marchesini rims, which are unique to the 749R and lighter than the units on the "standard" and "5" versions. One thing that this 749 and every model before it suffers from is how difficult it is to trail in on the brakes. The bike is nearly impossible to turn while doing so. Associated with this is the fact that if you get off of them too abruptly, the bike almost falls over in the corner. Learning to get the braking finished early is key. On our street ride, many testers complained about the 749R's uncomfortable ergonomics. But the motor and suspension are so good that most testers sucked up the sore wrists and butt to get another ride on it. "I thought about picking the Ducati as my street favorite, but my sense got the better of me," Montano said. "The heat from the exhaust would be a bit much on hot summer days. The seat is just a bit on the hard side for the long freeway hauls. But other than that, it was great." CYCLE NEWS • APRIL 6,2005 17