+ Click to Enlarge AESTHETICALLY ADORABLE: None of the models in Ducati's range of naked sports motorcycles really deserves to be called a Monster.

April 27, 2005
By Tim Luckhurst

None of the models in Ducati's range of aesthetically adorable, naked sports motorcycles really deserves to be called a Monster. The appellation came about because designer Miguel Galluzzi had omitted to devise a name for the machine he was crafting.

Pressed to provide one, he turned his thoughts to the small rubber action toys called "Monster" being marketed at kiosks throughout Italy. His children were hassling him to buy them almost as persistently as Ducati were pestering him to christen his project. So papa called the bike Monster.

If the new 800cc air-cooled S2R is to be thought of in these terms, the only monster it is appropriate to compare it to is James P "Sulley" Sullivan, the big, grinning cuddly blue fellow in the movie Monsters Inc.

This Monster is gentle enough to appeal to a rider contemplating their first proper sports bike. But twist the throttle just a bit aggressively and you can hear Ducati's racing heritage roaring through the vertically paired twin silencers.

The sensation does not stop at the trademark twin-cylinder roar. The Desmodue 800ie engine that powers this Monster is one of Ducati's most flexible and fluid power units.

The result is a bike that provides plenty of thrills, without the nerve-jangling excess associated with too many of its modern rivals.

If you want a pure performance Monster, pick Ducati's water-cooled, hyper-sports S4R. The air-cooled S2R is meant to be less intimidating and it fulfils the promise.

The first striking feature is its sparse, pared-down modernity. The absence of a radiator permits the most striking, streamlined café-racer look Ducati has yet achieved. It screams fun.

This is a motorcycle for summer days on winding country roads, high-speed dashes along coastal motorways and gunning boisterously around town.

Ground clearance has been increased to permit dramatic lean angles when cornering, and the characteristic Sachs mono-shock rear suspension transmits a feeling of planted security.

This is a good motorcycle on which to learn how to ride fast. It can always lean further than you imagined possible and the brakes are equal to the engine.

Ducati has combined state-of-the-art technology with a compassionate nature that invites experimentation while tolerating error. The S2R offers an excellent introduction to superbike performance for riders stepping up from something smaller.

It fills a valuable niche, not as vicious as bigger Monsters but capable of delivering scintillating performance.

Streamlined riding position

As soon as I took hold of the broad, tapered, lightweight Magura handlebars, this Ducati begged me to play hard. The riding position is as streamlined as the bike itself, with legs tucked snug against the fuel tank by the narrow-set footpegs.

But while this sets the rider up to take advantage of the S2R's handling, it does not make for an uncomfortable ride. You sit upright and unstressed, not folded into a racing crouch.

The clutch is Ducati's APTC "power torque" version, providing a lightness and dependability of power transfer that helps to make the six-speed gearbox as fast and precise as the best Japanese technology.

Power is delivered gradually all the way to peak revs but with a civilised fluidity that partially disguises the S2R's potential. It is not as fast as 1,000cc sports bikes, but its handling is so balanced that a good rider can keep pace with them in the bends.

It's perfect for the jeans-and-T-shirt bike studs who lurk in Tuscan villages with the sole objective of pursuing visiting motorcyclists and passing them at speed on corners.

Beautifully sculpted

This is a beautifully sculpted motorcycle that manages to appear aggressive without shedding its charm. It rewards adventurous riding and is robust enough to be aggressively thrashed.

Monsters are useless as touring motorcycles and too exposed for extended motorway riding. They are meant to be enjoyed: for pure recreation, during a quick commute to work, or as eye-catching urban transportation.

The Monster S2R is an impressive addition to an iconic range. This is a grin-inducing bike with the coolest of looks and the performance to reward even the most aggressive track-day ace.

I relished the Tangerine Red version with black stripes, but the S2R looks sexy in all six colour schemes. There are faster motorcycles, but few that are as technologically advanced or as pretty.

The S2R is a funny sort of monster, more a sophisticated toy for motorcyclists that rewards without intimidating and earns lustful glances from friends. But that's a hard idea to convey in a single word.

Ducati Monster S2R specifications.