1993 Ducati 750SS questions

[Rough Edge racing]

 93 Ducati 750 SS for sale near me for $3100....8000 original miles and looks very clean and all original......Is there any reason I should not buy this bike because of reliability issues? I am capable of doing valve adjustments and timing belts.....Thanks

[huub]

93 Ducati 750 SS for sale near me for $3100....8000 original miles and looks very clean and all original......Is there any reason I should not buy this bike because of reliability issues? I am capable of doing valve adjustments and timing belts.....Thanks

not sure about the price tag, but reliabilty on these is excellent.
expect the regulator to fail eventually ,the belt idlers should be checked regularly but nothing much else.

[steven c]

 Not sure if it is this year but check for cracks on the frame around the neck.

[dguzzi]

Wires for the ignition pickups are inside the engine and will suffer (missing and weak spark) easy to fix but still a pain.

[Dukedesmo]

The old Ducati air-cooled engines are pretty reliable, maintenance is a tad more complex than Guzzis due to belts & valve shims but easy enough to do yourself, only really an issue if you need to pay someone to do it.

As with any older Italian bikes the electrics can be temporamental but if given the right care will be fine.

As mentioned above some of the SS models/years did suffer from cracks in the frame where it meets the headstock, in the day Ducati would replace the frame but a low mileage bike may not have had the problem? However I'm not sure if all models/years were affected? and it can be repaired by welding but then you need to strip down & repaint if you want it to be perfect.

Carbs main jets/needles can wear because of the carb slide being pulled back due to the suction, causing rough fuelling (more a problem on the 900) but they are easy enough to overhaul (or fit FCRs!) and belt tensioner pulleys can get stiif/seize but as long as you check them at every belt change should be OK until the next. 

Otherwise it's a great handling bike and whilst it's not got the power of the 900 the SS engine punches above it's weight making it a fun bike for riding in the twisties.

[Rough Edge racing]

 I assume the mentioned parts that could fail are readily available?

[Dukedesmo]

I assume the mentioned parts that could fail are readily available?

As far as I know yes, the SS was relatively unchanged for many years and they sold a lot of them. The same engines were also fitted to Monsters and all the capacities; 400, 600, 750 & 900 along with several other Ducati models have many common parts.

A decent Ducati SS model is likely to hold it's value quite well and so could be seen as a good 'investment'.    

[Mark Harpell]

I have a Paso 907ie...but have always loved the SS bikes.....

[Rough Edge racing]

 I also found a great deal on a low mileage 98 900SS....I'm skinny 6 foot but 69 years old...After trying out the bike the riding position is too compact....The bars are Ducati clips and the foot pegs are high...I can fabricate brackets for conventional bars and re position the foot pegs........I'm reluctant to modify an SS model and might be better for me to find a Monster...

[jpv7]

If you can, go for a 900SS from that era.  I had a '97 900SP that I sold in 2007 for a Monster..., i still regret that.  Of all the bikes I've owned, it was my favorite.  Rode it hard and fast.  Handled beautifully in the tight stuff, and I could keep up with most bikes. It was a small bike.  I'm 5'-7", 150 lbs and it fit me perfectly.

Regulators were fine, but the connectors Ducati used were crap.  Replaced them when the bike was new and I never had any electical problems.  Original battery lasted me almost 10 years (on tender when not ridden).  40K miles when I sold it.

Carbs not great..on the '97 version it was emulsion tubes that were soft.  I figured that out after I put FCR41 flat slides on it. Wow.  Faster with better fuel economy.  But still ok with stock carbs and jet kit.  Mine had Showa suspension. Orig seat was crap, Sargent replacement was perfect.  I toured on it also.  As mentioned, some earlier examples had cracked frames at the headstock, but by '96 these issues were sorted.

Wish I had kept it...I still find myself looking for them online $3-4K can get you a decent enough example. '95s are nice too.  That would be my cut-off year if I was looking.
Cheers

[rocker59]

I also found a great deal on a low mileage 98 900SS....I'm skinny 6 foot but 69 years old...After trying out the bike the riding position is too compact....The bars are Ducati clips and the foot pegs are high...I can fabricate brackets for conventional bars and re position the foot pegs........I'm reluctant to modify an SS model and might be better for me to find a Monster...

You may find the seat-peg distance on the Monster a little tighter than on the early Supersports, though the bars are obviously higher.

All Ducatis of that era are pretty compact.

[rocker59]

the '97 version.  I put FCR41 flat slides on it. Wow.  Faster with better fuel economy. 
 

Yep.  Keihin FCRs really wake them up.

Did the same for my Sport 1100, too...

[Perazzimx14]

Yep.  Keihin FCRs really wake them up.

Did the same for my Sport 1100, too...

I have an FCR on one of my DR650's and its a dramatic difference between it and my other DR with the stock BST40. At about $500 per carb it should make a difference. I'd love to have a pair for my 900ss but I can get into enough trouble with the stock vacuum carbs.

[motoguzzibill]

Some of the nineties model 750's had gas tank issues, cracking and leaking, but I can't recall exactly what years. Hard to find a replacement because it was a common problem. Do some serious homework regarding this before you buy. The cracking frames did occur on the 900ss, which can be fixed but requires a stripdown. Not sure if it was an issue for the 750. My 96' 900SS SP was cracked but fixed and fine now. I really like my 900 as it handles so well, almost effortless compared to my Thruxton and V-11 Sport. The inline twins are hard to beat for balance and smoothness.

Only 750 I'd really consider would be a desmoquattro. But any Ducati is nice.
Bill

[jpv7]

My '97 900ss/sp when it was up for sale, after I put it back to almost stock config.  There weren't too many of these in factory yellow.  I'm an idiot. 

[rocker59]

My '97 900ss/sp when it was up for sale, after I put it back to almost stock config.  There weren't too many of these in factory yellow.  I'm an idiot.

That right there is one of the rarest Supersports made.  1997 was the low production year.  They made more 1998 "Final Editions".

[jpv7]

Yup.  I seem to remember that around 200-250 came to the US.  The '97 and '98 had the air intake in the side fairing for rear cylinder cooling.  It was basically a well sorted 1992 Superlight (although not as valuable), with passenger accomodations.