+ Click to Enlarge NOW WITH EXTRA STOMP: The ST4s has the more powerful 996cc motor. Pictures: DAVE ABRAHAMS

June 6, 2003
By Dave Abrahams

Ducati's ST4 has ranked among the world's great all-rounders ever since its introduction in 1999. It can hold its own at track days, take two people cross-country in comfort and style yet never complain about the daily grind to work and back.

Now the ST4s has extended this extraordinary competence with an extra helping of real stomp in the shape of the big-bore, 996cc version of the original 916 motor, the most successful four-stroke racing motor of modern times.

This version of the legendary L-twin has been tuned for 87kW at a (relatively) low 8750rpm; the motor will spin to more than 10 without hurting itself but there's little point as the power drops away after 9000prm.

Maximum torque is an even more impressive 98Nm at 7000rpm, most of which is freely available once the power thudding stops at about four. All you hear is the lazy drone so characteristic of the marque as the ST gathers velocity at a prodigious rate.

Treat it with respect; more than once I had to hit the brakes unexpectedly because I was going much faster than I thought, so effortless is the power delivery.

Above 7000rpm, however, a musical but insistent and brassy blare hits you from under the tank, the bike begins to vibrate strongly and you are suddenly reminded of this motor's racing pedigree.

The final 2000 revs of the powerband is intense, harsh and more than a little intimidating as this big (212kg) street bike takes off like a lightweight track special.

The ST4s went to its top speed of 239km/h at 8100rpm (a little disappointing, but still comparable with the best in its class) in just 1400m, which is astonishing for a bike of this size and weight. This argues that the bike's mid-range is better than its top end; the test bike was fitted with very mellow-sounding carbon fibre tailpipes and was set up for running at altitude.

I suspect it was running lean at high revs and that another 20km/h is available for the price of a little tuning.

Even as it stands, however, it stomps all over the only two other bikes in its class, Honda's VFR800 and the Triumph Sprint ST. It'll leave them for dead out of corners and out-drag them both at the lights with contemptuous ease.

What's even more impressive is that it's rock steady at terminal velocity, not a hint of head-shaking – and it doesn't even have a steering damper!

The ST4s has the familiar 916-style dry clutch with its characteristic rattle, typically sudden take-up and limited tolerance of abuse. As long as it keeps its cool it behaves in a perfectly civilised manner, hooking up firmly and predictably, but a dozen full-bore launches in the search for big numbers soon had it juddering and squeaking.

Nevertheless, it refused to slip and regained its manners as soon as it cooled off.

The six-speed gearbox is also typical of the big, water-cooled Ducatis – absolutely magnificent. There is an urban legend that all 748/916/996 cog sets are lapped in by hand before assembly. I don't know if it's true, but I can believe it.

These bikes have the best gear-changes I have tried.

The ST4s was no exception; its gear-shift is light, slick and reassuringly positive, with a surprisingly short lever throw for a litre-class machine. If you miss a shift it's your fault, China; I didn't.

Seamless changes in both directions are effortless, especially as there is virtually no lash or snatch in the driveline despite the long swing-arm. Other makers please note: it can be done.

The chassis is the same as the 916-powered ST4, only more so. The 43mm Showa upside-downies are now TiN-coated as well as fully tuneable and the Sachs rear shock gives way to a class-leading Ohlins unit adjustable for everything except the colour of your girlfriend's undies.

The brakes are also as the earlier spec (why mess with success?), big four-pot Brembo Goldlines on 320mm stainless-steel rotors. They're also available with ABS as an optional extra, a first for Ducati. Well, optional for the rest of the world; although the test bike didn't have it, Cape Town Ducati dealer Ashley Baud tells me that from the next batch all ST4s's in South Africa will have it.

The podded instrument panel with its four modules has also been retained; I like the idea of having two old-fashioned analogue dials for revs and velocity with an LCD screen for the rest, but I still don't like having the display dominated by the clumsy bar-coded fuel gauge that takes up half the screen and often distracts the eye.

The body panels are neat and firmly mounted, although still rather flimsy in places, particularly the filler sections on either side of the steering head and the fairing lower, but the centre section is a firm as a rock, lending not a little to the bike's stability at top speed.

The test unit was finished in Anthracite Grey metallic, which is difficult to photograph but looks stunning in strong sunlight.

The stepped double seat is wide and flat, with plenty of room for moving around on a long trip. It's not as well padded as those of other bikes in its class but it's a lot better than the plastic planks issued with most sports bikes. This is definitely the most comfortable offering from Ducati, verified over the course of several long rides.

The ST4s and I quickly reached an understanding out on the twists and sweeps of my favourite test routes. I did my best and the bike made me look good. The steering is not as precise or as intuitive as that of race replicas (what is?), not quite as quick to turn in.

The whole plot is markedly more stable, unaffected by crosswinds or bumps in the wrong places on long and sweeping curves.

For an older rider (like me) the ST4s's slightly lazier handling is very reassuring and its rock-like stability lends confidence. The brakes give you all the feedback you need to ride the front tyre to within a centimetre of locking up and the suspension tells you about every bump in the road without transferring them to the chassis.

The bike is easier to ride than the 916, ground clearance with the pipes in the higher of the two available mounting positions is practically limitless and, unless your name is Fogarty or Bayliss, it's not very much slower from point to point.

It's definitely the sportiest of the three all-rounders, with superb high-speed road manners, a surprisingly generous spread of power with authoritative real-world grunt out of corners and superlative chassis dynamics.

Build quality is as good as Triumph but not up to the standard set by the Honda – but to my surprise the Ducati copes better than the VFR800 with the urban gridlock thanks to its smoothly progressive power delivery.

It also delivers the best fuel consumption of the group by a clear margin, despite having the biggest and most powerful motor, with 6.78 litres/100km during the time I rode it – which included the performance testing.

Which of the three is best for you is a personal decision. The sheer muscular competence of the ST4s makes it an even more difficult decision.

Thanks to Ashley Baud at Ducati Cape Town for the test bike. The ST4s costs R128 000 (including ABS).

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Specifications

Motor: Liquid-cooled four-stroke 90-degree L-twin.
Capacity: 996cc
Bore x stroke: 98 x 66mm.
Valvegear: DOHC with four desmodromic valves per cylinder.
Compression ratio: 11.5:1.
Power: 86kW at 8750rpm.
Torque: 98Nm at 7000rpm.
Induction: Marelli electronic fuel injection, with two 50mm throttle bodies.
Ignition: Electronic.
Starting: Electric.
Clutch: Hydraulically actuated, dry multiplate.
Transmission: Six-speed gearbox with chain final drive.
Suspension: 43mm Showa TiN-coated inverted cartridge forks adjustable for preload, compression and rebound damping at front, progressive linkage with Ohlins monoshock adjustable for preload, compression and rebound damping at rear.
Brakes: 320mm semi-floating discs with Brembo four-pot opposed piston callipers at front, 245mm disc with Brembo opposed piston calliper at rear.
Tyres: Front: 120/70-ZR17 tubeless. Rear: 180/55-ZR17 tubeless.
Wheelbase: 1430m.
Seat height: 820mm.
Dry weight: 212kg.
Fuel capacity: 21 litres.
Price: R128 000.

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