Ducati ST4 Test

**Winston001** · 11th December 2007, 12:04

Before I begin, a bit of background. I'm a neophyte when it comes to big modern bikes. I've been on bikes on and off for years but only started riding again recently when my children began their teenage years.

I've had the BMW R80RT for 14 years but never travelled a lot on it. It is a comfortable gentleman's bike, solid and dependable, yet lacking the acceleration needed for hills and headwinds.

I had a strop on a Bol D'Or 750 for 100km last year and was very impressed. At the Burt Munro Rally I took my mate's Bandit 1200 for a run and scared the excrement out of myself. Only got to full throttle for a couple of seconds before deciding that mortality had it's benefits but I did find a delightful playground above 6000 revs - albeit in the lower gears.

But what I secretly yearned for was a Ducati........

**Winston001** · 11th December 2007, 12:25

Which brings us to today. Rogers Yamaha in Invercargill - a good reliable shop - had 3 Japanese imported Ducati ST4s which I'd decided were the model for me. Actually they only had 2 because they'd sold the ST4S by the time I arrived.

I took a red ST4 out for over an hour and gently fanged it on some back roads. I'd forgotten that tractors and stock lorries like back roads too but all the more fun.

This turned into a wonderful experience.The wind noise was stronger than expected but then again so was the indicated speed. Popping earplugs in everything settled into a comfortable thrum. In fact the throaty roar of the carbon-fibre exhausts was more muted than I expected. Vibration was greater than the RT but nothing to really notice.

This bike had a touring fairing which worked well, with the airstream coming in a chest level. I had been curious about the riding position because the touring bars are short and well forward compared with most touring bikes. Happily they worked well and at 100k there was no pressure on my wrists. Or maybe that was 140k, I can't quite remember. Anyway the riding position is sports style but works.

After about 20 minutes the bike became comfortable. Gear changes were easy and the throttle responsive. This is a light bike compared to the Bandit and felt a lot more manageable. Handling was what you'd expect - point it somewhere and that is where it went. Look ahead around a bend and that is where it steered without wobbles or shifting on the uneven road.

The road I'd chosen was not a great surface which in hindsight was a good choice because it gave the stability of the ST a good test. The bike was like a rock.

**vifferman** · 11th December 2007, 12:36

I think you should buy it, Mister.

**Winston001** · 11th December 2007, 13:38

After a test run down the Tiwai road (just to clear the injectors.......) I moved to SH1. The turning circle of this bike is surprisingly wide or the RT is tighter than I realised but it took most of the road width to turn around.

Out on the main road the ride was noticeably smoother and less bumpy. I can now say that I proceeded around the longest curve in the Southern Hemisphere in an astonishingly short time. This bike in my inexperienced estimation is very fast. It is tall geared as well and often it wasn't obvious that 5th and 6th gears weren't being used. Gear changes didn't make a noticeable difference in the exhaust note and if I bought it, I'd have to learn to use the rev counter as an indication of the gear.

Torque was what you'd expect of an Italian Vtwin - plenty of it but sluggish in high gear below 4000 revs. However the gear changing is so effortless that chopping down one or even two gears felt the most natural response. By contrast on the RT I'd normally just roll-on but having said that, the groundspeed is usually more sedate. I felt that at road-legal speeds the ST rolls on very well from the tests I did. Indeed it is responsive and powerful which is exactly what I'm looking for.

**Winston001** · 11th December 2007, 14:00

Conclusion - I couldn't stop grinning when I got off it. A light narrow bike, with a lovely slightly muted roar, it fulfills most of the things I look for in a machine. And I'll happily admitt to being seduced by the Ducati name and history.

Negatives - having ridden a fully faired bike for so long it takes some getting used to the wind noise and buffeting behind a small fairing. The riding position worked for the hour I was out on the road but a long-distance trip might be a different experience. It didn't look easy to put on replacement bars set back a little and higher.

So I'll chew it over. $12,000 doesn't grow on trees, especially for a toy.................but hey - we all need toys too!

**jrandom** · 11th December 2007, 14:02

Originally Posted by Winston001

Torque was what you'd expect of an Italian Vtwin - plenty of it but sluggish in high gear below 4000 revs.

That's exactly what I found with the 1000DS Multistrada.

Same engine, innit?

**vifferman** · 11th December 2007, 14:13

Originally Posted by Winston001

Torque was what you'd expect of an Italian Vtwin - plenty of it but sluggish in high gear below 4000 revs.

How many modern bikes would have significant torque below 4k? HDs, and what else? It's a characteristic of modern short-stroke engines that they don't have much, innit? :spudwhat:

**Duc** · 11th December 2007, 14:14

It is easy to do a sprocket change to make it a little less "long legged". 14T on the front helps a lot.

**jrandom** · 11th December 2007, 14:15

Originally Posted by vifferman

How many modern bikes would have significant torque below 4k?

Hmm, that particular Ducati engine really is very unhappy below 4000rpm. Particularly for a 1000cc V-twin.

**Hitcher** · 11th December 2007, 14:26

Originally Posted by vifferman

How many modern bikes would have significant torque below 4k? HDs, and what else?

An incomplete list follows for the purposes of illustrating a point:

Bandit 1200 and 1250
FJR1300
ST1300
ZRX1200R
CB1300
CB900
ZZR1200
Etc

**vifferman** · 11th December 2007, 14:28

Originally Posted by Duc

It is easy to do a sprocket change to make it a little less "long legged". 14T on the front helps a lot.

That's a very small sprocket!

The VTR1000 was similarly 'long-legged', turning over at a mere 2600rpm at 100km/h.

**jim.cox** · 11th December 2007, 14:41

Originally Posted by jrandom

That's exactly what I found with the 1000DS Multistrada.

Same engine, innit?

No

The Mouldy Strudel uses the two valve engine from the 900ss

The ST4's comes from the 916 range

**ducatijim** · 11th December 2007, 16:40

Originally Posted by jim.cox

No

The Mouldy Strudel uses the two valve engine from the 900ss

The ST4's comes from the 916 range

Close, very close;

1000Ds is an advancement on the 900ss,ie, 99?cc, 2 valve, SOHC motor.

ST4 is indeed a 916cc, but 4 valve DOHC, quite a differant beast altogeather!!

**jrandom** · 11th December 2007, 16:42

Originally Posted by ducatijim

ST4 is indeed a 916cc, but 4 valve DOHC, quite q differant beast altogeather!!

Ah.

Yes, Winston001's comments didn't entirely gel with my experience of the 1000DS engine. They make more sense knowing that the ST4 is powered by a more refined lump.