2004 Ducati 749R
Extremely rare high specification limited production Ducati
VIN ZDMH501AF4B008009
Engine number; ZDMH501AFB8009
After an absence of three years, Ducati Corse re-entered the World Supersport Championship for the 2004 season. It was a tentative entry, with only Lorenzo Lanzi riding the factory 749R. The short-stroke 749R was the most advanced production bike yet offered by Ducati, and for racing the power was increased to 140 horsepower at 13,000 rpm. The bike was extremely fast, with Lanzi timed at 292 km/h at Monza, and he finished fifth in the 2004 World Supersport Championship. David Muscat also won the French Supersport Championship on a 749R, and Michael Laverty finished second in the British Supersport series on a similar machine.
Based on Pierre Terblanche’s 2003 999, the 749R was Ducati’s most exciting 2004 model. A real racer for the street, it was the most technically advanced production bike ever offered by Ducati up to that time. Powering the 749R was a new short-stroke version of the Testastretta motor. The 94x54mm motor displaced 749.5cc, and with a 12.7:1 compression ratio produced 118 horsepower at 10,250 rpm. The pressure die-cast crankcases were deeper sump, the pistons forged Asso, with unmachined cylinder head ports to allow modification for racing. As the top-end assembly was identical to other 749s, the shorter stroke required longer titanium Pankl con-rods (128.5mm). These also had the advantage of limiting piston lateral thrust against the cylinder. The camshafts were higher lift (13mm intake and 11.5mm exhaust), with extremely steep ramps, and valves 39.5 and 32mm. The 749R was the first production Ducati with titanium valves (by Del West) as standard equipment, and because titanium has high surface abrasion, the valve seats and valve guides were Berilbronz.
While the included valve angle was unchanged at 27°, the closing valve stem adjuster set-up was the same as on the factory Superbike engines, with two titanium cotters instead of the usual half-rings. The desmodromic rocker arm acted on the adjuster to close the valve, its thickness determining the clearance. The valve stems were also narrower (6mm) than on other Testastrettas. The crankshaft was also designed for racing, with smaller flywheels, the cross-section tapered and grooved to reduce internal friction. To minimise timing belt failure due to excessive heat build up, a cooling duct was installed on the rear carbon-fibre belt cover. The clutch was a slipper clutch type, the pressure plate with cylindrical clutch springs and a composite drum with inclined surfaces activated during back torque. The valve covers were magnesium.
Unlike the regular gear teeth on the 749 and 749S, a phonic wheel was machined on the outer rim of the camshaft drive gear, coupled to a magnetic induction sensor, to generate the rpm signal and phase for the engine management. This provided a clearer electronic signal at higher rpm. For racing, another sensor was installed for rpm, coupled to the flywheel with four teeth at 90° intervals. The single Magneti Marelli IWPR2 injector per cylinder, mounted above the throttle inside the 54mm throttle body, was not the single-hole injector found on other Testastrettas, but a 12-hole racing type. The ECU was an IAW 5AM.
The chassis included a new aluminium swingarm, similar to the 999 F03 World Superbike racer. The pivot area was cast aluminium, while the arms were box sectioned, the left side featuring lower reinforcement. It also incorporated Superbike type chain adjustment sliders instead of a conventional cam mechanism. Also new was the rear suspension linkage, with FLAT progression, including a different spring and shorter stroke (from 71 to 56mm) for the Öhlins shock absorber. The rocker arm was positioned above the shock absorber with a revised push-rod mount. As on the 999R, the 43mm Öhlins front fork allowed for radial Brembo brake calipers, and the forged aluminium wheels featured five “Y” spokes with 10 anchor points on the inside of the rim. For racing, the fork offset could also be altered via a pin. There were two settings, 30 and 36mm, but this feature was disabled for street use. As it was such a high specification model Ducati only produced around 1000 749Rs, as required for FIM homologation for 2004 and 2005.
This bike has full ADR compliance and odometer displaying 21,612 km, no books.
To view high resolution images of the motorcycles, please follow the below Dropbox link
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/n5bcjb2nuoc16t4y3k5hs/h?dl=0&rlkey=exyqlbxilyvv4n3ue8jmppkbx
This motorcycle is sold unregistered.
