998 or 848

[redliner996]

Ok looking for some advise from people here that have owned one or both of these bikes. Or those that have riden them and can give some strong advise why to buy one over the other. I love the classic look of the 916,996,... but also love the performance and easier maintnance of 848. Bike will be mostly for street riding and one to two track days a season. Thanks in advance for your input.

[apagios]

That's a very tough call, I love them both!

It would help to know what general range are you looking for? If you are looking used 998 (obviously) vs a new 848 or used 848?

If you are looking for a deal a 998 might be cheaper (assuming you avoid the sexy special editions) Though an 848 will certainly be easier to find and likely a tad cheaper to maintain.

You can try and track down an 848 demo, take a test ride if you haven't that will definitely help. But for street riding and only the occasional track day, it's really going to come mainly down to which bike calls to you personally. (Since for street riding you more then likely will never be pushing the limits of the bikes handling)

[rubber duckie]

i would go with 998 based on looks alone. if you intend on keeping the bike then get the 998. 848s are everywhere, in a couple of years it will harder to find a great 998 over a 848.

[c911s]

I own a 998 and ride it both on the track and the street. I also have ridden both a 848 several times on the street and a handful of laps on the track. (I have not had a chance to ride the 848 evo, yet...)

Ergos: Niether are great, but out of the box the 848 gets the nod. I have 27mm triples, cyclecat adjustable bars, acculign adjustable rearsets and my 998 IS more comfortable to ride than a stock 848. That being said, if you can make similar modifications to the 848...

Mirrors: The 998's are bad, the 848's are a joke. They shake and vibrate as if they are going to fall off...

Performance: The 998 has more mid-range torque than the 848. I can comfortably cruise between 3K & 5K rpms on the street on the 998. The 848s I've ridden don't really like to cruise below 6K rpm. On the track, the 998 will run out of top end before the 848. So, if I don't get a good drive off the corner going on to the straight the 848 will slowly walk away from the 998 on the top end. But the 998's torque is advantage in other areas of the track.

Handling: Stock, with suspension properly adjusted. The 848 turns in quicker and will change directions much easier. The 998 feels more stable. I have lighter wheels and 27mm offset triples on my 998 and while I do still have a significant weight disadvantage, I do prefer my modified 998 to a stock 848.

Brakes: Stock 848 gets the nod. Plenty of upgrade opportunities for either bike. I have 4 pad brakes and a modified 999 radial MC that closes the gap to the 848...

Parts and Accessories: Some 998 specific parts are getting harder to find. the parts that are common with the 748, 916 & 996 are still pretty easy to find. You will have an easier time of finding aftermarket parts for the 848.

Range: Because I can cruise at a lower RPM and I think the 998 has a slightly larger tank, I squeeze more miles on the 998 than my buddies can on their 848s before I have to fill up on street rides. Not a huge deal, but they have had a couple of scares on some of our longer rides on unfamiliar roads.

Maintenance: The 848 is going to be a little cheaper, but unless you put a ton of miles on the bike every year, the difference is not significant.

Selection: There is a larger selection of nice 848's available to purchase. But Nice 998s do pop up from time to time.

Conclusion: The 998 is what I think a Ducati should sound and feel like. The 848 still sounds and feels like a Ducati, but it is just closer in feel to the newer Japanese bikes (Some people prefer this). I love both bikes and wouldn't hesitate to ride or own either one of them. If I was in your shoes and I could find the right 998, that is what i would purchase. But, if during my search I came a cross a clean 848 for the right price, then I would happily take it home... PM me if you have an specific questions.

[avaipan2]

i don't get how it's so hard to decide?? the way i see it (and the older enthusiasts are going to jump me for this, but here goes), you've listed 2 options: 848 and "something else". personally i don't like the look of the 916/998 at all, but to each is own, so if you like it that's perfectly fine. other than looks, there shouldn't even be a comparison. the 998 is way outdated. an 848 is a better bike in just about every way. rule of thumb: technology always moves forward. as long as a company's goal is to make something better, it WILL get better. the people that say it'll be harder to find a good 998 soon are absolutely right...but no shit! of course it will because it's older than dirt. it's also pretty hard to find a Ford model T nowadays...does that really mean you should get a Ford model T if you find one as well??? also, 848s are not as common as you'd think...for 2 reasons: 1) it's only been around for about 4 years, and 2) it's still a fairly expensive bike compared to others. Most people would rather get a japanese liter bike instead because it's a bit cheaper and more powerful/faster or whatever reason...and we all know that most americans think bigger is better (this coming from the hypocrite who got an 1198) nevertheless, the point is the 848 is still a fairly rare bike in the world of sport bikes, definitely more than the 998 which has been around for over a decade. it never hurts to ask for other people's opinions, but in the end you should just go ride both and buy whichever one makes you happier

[748girl]

I own a 998S FE so one of the special edition ones. It is truly gorgeous and I love it to pieces. I haven't ridden the 848, but we do have a 1098S in the garage too which I ride from time to time (when I can prise his backside off it). Whilst realising that the 1098 is not what we are talking about I absolutely concur with C911S in that the new bikes do feel a bit Japanese. That said the 1098 is so easy to ride and does everything so well, whilst the 998 is a bit more or a riding experience.

When the 848 came out my Husband asked me if wanted to trade the 998 for an 848. The answer was "No!" I wouldn't trade it for the world.

It would be good if you could have a test ride on both models and then you will know what you want to do.

Good luck with your decision.

[FrostyFire]

Get the 848EVO Corse SE....combo breaker .

[redliner996]

Yes it's a very hard decision. I have owned 2001 748 and 2000 996. I heard that the 998 is a different beast due to the engine and the fact that it does not have some of the issues the previous models did such as rockers, electrical, coolant tanks. If I could find a nice 998 fe red in mint condition that would be my pick. As mentioned they are hard to find. I go back and forth with the 848. Sometimes i think it's Ducati with a new sexy look, but then it does remind me too much of the japanese bikes. I would be looking for a 998 with the special upgrades such as suspension, stabilizer and carbon fiber. The 848 may have to be stock from what I see out there and prices.

[redliner996]

Funny you mentioned it. I was about to ask the question if people felt that the 848 EVO SE was worth it vs buying a stock 848 and using the difference in money to upgrade it yourself. Not talking about color obviously, but suspension and other bits. I'm not a fast enough rider to benefit from the DTC. but maybe it will make me faster.

Originally Posted by FrostyFire

Get the 848EVO Corse SE....combo breaker .

[748girl]

Originally Posted by redliner996

Yes it's a very hard decision. I have owned 2001 748 and 2000 996. I heard that the 998 is a different beast due to the engine and the fact that it does not have some of the issues the previous models did such as rockers, electrical, coolant tanks. If I could find a nice 998 fe red in mint condition that would be my pick. As mentioned they are hard to find. I go back and forth with the 848. Sometimes i think it's Ducati with a new sexy look, but then it does remind me too much of the japanese bikes. I would be looking for a 998 with the special upgrades such as suspension, stabilizer and carbon fiber. The 848 may have to be stock from what I see out there and prices.

The 998 likes to split a coolant tank just as much as the next desmoquattro, despite it being a testastretta. It can be sorted, you could buy one of Komodo_Goods lovely replacements Tired of your stock coolant tank bursting? Check this out
or make your own as my husband did for me. It can also have the odd electrical issue What's going on with my 998 (intermittent starting issue) but that too can be sorted and now is good as gold. Rockers don't seem to be a problem though.

Hope I haven't scared off the OP!