Contrary to what everyone thinks, Ducati's well at least mine wasn't a maintenance whore! Yes I did have the head gasket leak on it, took it in and had it back in a couple of days free of charge. And yes there is more maintenance checks on it then most bikes but that's all they are, maintenance checks. I had more problems and battles with my CCT on my f4i's then I did with anything on the 748. Honda still refuses to acknowledge the fact that there is an issue with their CCT's.
I loved my 748, loved to hear that dry clutch and the v-twin rumble. How many times I was asked if there was something wrong with my clutch, well let's just say I lost count! Just like I lost count how many times people would tell me that I had a headlight out on my F4i. Don't expect much power from the 748 in a straight line, cause that's one thing it doesn't have when comparing it to other 600's. But expect to take them from the start or coming out of a corner with the torque you get from the v-twin. Cornering a 748 was something else too, that damn bike loved to corner and made it effortless too. Between the 748 and the F4i, I could corner a lot easier with the 748, not to say the F4i can't do it, I'm just talking about effort.
But, and yes there's always a but, if I had dropped my 748, you better believe I would have cried! I've dropped my F4i and been upset but hell finding parts and paying for it on the F4i is a lot simpler then the 748. Plus the F4i is half the price of the 748 so take that into consideration. Also, reselling the 748 isn't that easy as it is with any other 600 out there. The Ducati's have a stigma attached to them that they are maintenance whores. Also, Ducati owners are a very small group at least in my area they are. Riders in my area usually prefer the Japanese makes and don't really care for the Italian bikes.