Considering purchase of 848. Help!

1478 Views 11 Replies 10 Participants Last post by jwm2k3, Oct 1, 2015

baconz22

Discussion Starter · Sep 11, 2015

Hey guys! after 5 years off, I'm getting back on 2 wheels. Rode a 600RR and a 1977 Ironhead. Always been a fan of the Ducati, but I'm getting a TON of different information. Looking at a few options, but most fall within the following parameters: 2008-2011, less than 10k miles, not heavily modded, California only (hear its a pain or impossible to buy from another state).
I've been hearing Ducs are a money pit, then heard the newer (2010+) bikes are better, heard they have transmission issues, some love them, some hate them... :ahhh:
I'm seriously considering just going with an R6 at this point. Any input would be much appreciated!
If I do end up going the 848 route, anything to watch for? I know there is a recommended service at 7,500 miles.

If there's a sticky thread for this, let me know and I'll save you the typing time.

Thanks in advance!

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1 - 12 of 12 Posts

jwm2k3

· #2 · Sep 11, 2015

Test ride one. Start there. They feel completely different than an R6

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rick

· #3 · Sep 15, 2015

I've been riding Japanese sport bikes my whole life and the 848 is my first Ducati. I love it more and more each day. I was changing tires this weekend and even the axle design still has me sighing with happiness.

The traction control and quick-shifter is nice on the 848 Corse SE and the 2013 has the aluminum tank. Plus the pretty. I think it's all worth the extra few bucks FWIW.

Negatives? The riding position took a little bit to get used to but feels natural now. Alot of local Ducati dealers like to charge highly unreasonable rates for service but, there's plenty of private shops that charge far more budget friendly. Or you can do it all yourself - it's not more difficult than any other bike.

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34566

· #4 · Sep 15, 2015 (Edited)

o.0

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Stevester954

· #5 · Sep 15, 2015

Selling mine if you are interested.

2013 Ducati 848 3k Miles Modified Better Than New

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redsail

· #6 · Sep 16, 2015 (Edited)

I've had an Evo and now the SE Corse. Go with the Course, its a no-brainer. Instructor at a recent track day who was on an R1 wanted to buy it off me.

let me clarify: the corse is a never ending source of pleasure, it feels like clockwork, precise, stable. Every detail about the bike is a joy and the aesthetics are the best of any modern bike IMO. Brakes are stunning, traction control works perfectly, quick shifter, alu tank with huge 18 litre capacity, ohlins rear shock, torque, and the difficult to describe greater than the sum of its parts vibe. Get one, get it set up for your weight and style you'll never look back.

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jxfjames

· #7 · Sep 16, 2015

Varies by bike I guess, but if I had to choose again I'd opt out of my corse. I've always had yamaha in quite a few different models. Honestly just had to do too much to make it my bike. Now running into clutch issues very early in a bikes life (under 10k miles) I could have three bikes for what is in it

in the end it is up to your preference.. No one told me what to expect. If you do get one make the first stop to set suspension for you!

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mcriswell

· #8 · Sep 19, 2015 (Edited)

I like many people on here have always owned Japanese bikes but now will NEVER go back. The styling of the Japanese bikes are so fugly and truly they look all the same and cheap compared. I keep my bikes for a long time and when I would see a 916 or 998 I dug the styling - timeless. I also think almost every component is nicer than my friends RR (shocks, brakes, rims...). His bike just looks cheap to me.
I haven't had a single issue with my 848 and I am at 5K miles? That couldn't be said of my new CBR.
I just did a bunch of work on my bike: Akros, remove exup servo and cables, new spring on shock and it was the easiest bike to work on!
One other thing to consider is the difference in the cost of insurance. I was thinking gsxr 750 and priced it compared to the 848 before I bought. The gsxr was double the insurance every month!
The ride is so different so make sure you check them out but the power and the torque are amazing. I can't go back.
Also good luck finding a Japanese bike under 10k that wasn't owned and rallied by some kid. It's like hoping to find a pampered used WRX - everyone drives them hard.

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rick

· #9 · Sep 22, 2015

mcriswell said:
I like many people on here have always owned Japanese bikes but now will NEVER go back. The styling of the Japanese bikes are so fugly and truly they look all the same and cheap compared. ...

I hear that! I'm back to moto-commuting (~80 miles a day) and have been browsing for something with longer and easier maintenance intervals that I don't care about packing miles onto. Unfortunately, all the Japanese options do look so cheap/boring in comparison. I've been seriously considering a second 848 Corse SE.

mcriswell said:
One other thing to consider is the difference in the cost of insurance. I was thinking gsxr 750 and priced it compared to the 848 before I bought. The gsxr was double the insurance every month!

Yeah, I was pleasantly surprised how cheap the Duc was to insure. My agent said that they go by the numbers and people don't crash 'em as much so, they're cheaper to insure. ...he also mentioned that I wasn't getting younger which helped too

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Tokyolow81

· #10 · Sep 30, 2015

FYI, if you're looking out of state, registration is not difficult at all. The most important piece to follow is the >7500 mile rule. I found a smoking deal on a '08 848 in Colorado with 7800 miles on it. I registered it the next day after I got back to Cali. All you need to do is take off the fairings so the DMV rep can see the VIN and engine numbers, and loosen the fuel tank to see the emissions sticker which is hiding underneath.
I was actually looking for a track bike--R6 specifically. The caveat was I wanted a bike already pieced together with the important and pricey parts (exhaust & suspension) because I knew I was going to do that anyways. But, I found the deal on the 848 and it already had every mod and pricey aftermarket component on it (Termi/Ohlins/Sato) that I would buy regardless. So, I made the 20 hour road trip out and brought it home, no issues.
Good luck with whatever you get.

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mshelby23

· #11 · Oct 1, 2015

It's a great bike but major services aren't cheap. I'm not sure in miles but it's every 12000 kilometers and my 12k service was $2000

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jwm2k3

· #12 · Oct 1, 2015

I used to ride all the usual suspects in the Japanese sport bike line up, GSXR, CBR, etc.

I don't commute on my bike, I ride for pleasure.

I ride what moves my soul, not what some magazine jockey says is better than something else....

Nothing else really compares to the feel I get with my Ducati's. Nothing else makes me have that stupid smile inside my helmet....

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