Ducati Monster Forum

I'm getting ready to sell my 08 695 and get an 07/08 S4RS.  I do love the new Streetfighter much more, but I want to do a half step in between the two bikes (from a financial standpoint).  I'm in no rush and the the big monster does make me kind of feel like a little spoiled kid.
Can you guys give me some insight as I start the hunt for a nice S4RS?  Pros and cons of the bike, issues, things to look at when I check out bikes.  What's the service like for the 4 valve monsters, is it very complicated or easier compared to the Streetfighter valve service?
Also, how do you 4 valve monster guys like your bikes compared to a 2 valve monster?
Are there any major differences in the S4RS from 2007 to 2008?



If anyone has a tip on a nice black S4RS (or maybe a gray/red S4RT) for sale in the southeastern US, that would be great.

I'd appreciate any input, I'll post my 695 in the monsters for sale section later this week.
 [beer]

I moved from an S2R up to an S4R and seriously considered the Streetfighter but the price and more importantly insurance killed the deal for me (I had 4 insured bikes for the same price as one quoted Streetfighter)  [bang].  The 6k service was only about $300 more than a 2 valve so I think it was reasonable but the 12k service is coming up in a month or two and I'm sure the expense will be significant BUT I wont trade back.  The rockers are what I hear have been the problem but the service will confirm - I have the 996 engine.  The rush I get from flogging this thing is worth it.  Now, the Streetfighter surely had more punch but my nuts were crushed in the process >:(.  Be sure to pick up a Sargeant seat, makes the bike comfy and room to move around.

Good luck and happy hunting. Here's something to get you started http://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/mcy/1857115667.html (http://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/mcy/1857115667.html) or
http://raleigh.craigslist.org/mcy/1805933246.html (http://raleigh.craigslist.org/mcy/1805933246.html)

I have an '07 S4Rs and absolutely love it.  By far, the nicest bike I have ever ridden.

I have not had any issues with mine.

That being said, if I had it to do over again, I might have gone for an S2R 1000, and upgrade suspension & brakes.

The amount of time I spend between 1/2 & full throttle is minimal (but when I do...   ;D)

The primary reason I would prefer 2v in hindsight is that is is a simpler bike, easier on maintenance/pocketbook

No diff between 2007-2008 bikes

I have an 07 S4RS and love it, but need to sell it due to financial issues.

The only problems I've had are with the tank.  I had it replaced under warrantee due to swelling.

The bike is great.  If you get one you'll love it.

If you want to check mine out, go to...

http://nordogsfxdxpix.blogspot.com/ (http://nordogsfxdxpix.blogspot.com/)

I figured the SF would have the nut crushing effect.
 
I'm really excited about this trade up.  
In 07/08 were the only S4RS colors black/black, red/red, white/red and tricolore?

Yeah.  The tricolore was only in 2008.  Not sure if there were any other color choices in 2008.  The Ducati website showed the other three color choices, but I never saw any of those in the States.

I have a 07 S4R (T) in the titanium color scheme.  I've been considering a multi 1200S or the new 848 EVO, but I love the S4R so I might just hold off and keep what I have.  The only difference between 07 and 08 was the availability of the tricolore.  I think the only difference between the S4R and S4RS was upgraded suspension and brakes.?.  They are selling for about the same price from what I've seen, so it's just a matter of finding a well-maintained bike and grabbing it quickly.  Good luck with your decision and let us know what you buy!

Heck yea, I'll let you guys know!  NorDog, your bike is really nice...but you are in LA, so shipping is a bit pricey.
 
I was pumped to find and join this forum when I got my 695 and I'm still pumped to be a part of it when I get my S4RS.

I think the S4Rs is perfect for me.  Just the right mix of classic and modern ingredients.  It is the most fun bike I've ever had.  Mine ran a little lean when I first got it but the DP ecu cured that right up.  I have had a blast modifying/customizing it with lots of guidance from the board members here.  This is my first Monster - first Ducati - so I can't compare to the 2 valve bikes.

The S4RS is one of the best bikes ever sold to the public (IMHO).  I put 15K miles on a 04 S4R and have 34K miles on my S4RS.  If I have somewhere to go and don't have to carry a bunch of stuff I take the bike.  Going to work, grocery shopping, trip to the post office  or a stupid fast run up the mountain - it's my fave means of covariance.   

With the Termi kit it makes almost the same power as a stock Street Fighter.  Very light and flickable.

Can't say enough good about the bike.  Just love it.

Drop the gearing to a 14 tooth front sprocket - makes a hell of a difference.  The full Termi kit really, really transforms the bike.  A smooth, deft throttle hand is greatly rewarded and the bike is VERY docile around town.

LA

Or you could wait and see if Ducati comes out with the Streetfighter 848...  That would be my next bike for sure!

I rode a '07 S4Rs until Nov.'09 when I totalled it .

I had a full Termi Exhaust , DP ECU, Open Air box and 14 T front Sprocket .

Believe me that bike could fly !

It was so much fun , I had a hard time deciding whether to ride the S4Rs or my '08 1098 R which is a rocket ! !

The S4Rs had Ohlins Suspension and w, an Ohlins Steering Damper was a champ at corner carving.

If you get a S4Rs set up right you won't want a Streetfighter.

The insurance was reasonable I thought.

Never had any problems other than the Tach quit on me but under warranty I got a whole new Dash.

I miss that S4Rs.

Having a 1098 R, a BMW K 1300 GT, and BMW S 1000 R R helps me forget.

Dolph        :)

Love my red S4Rs too  [moto] Sargent seat, full Termignoni, suspention set up for my beefy frame, few cosmetic changes, pure awesome! It stole all the looks at the Italian fest few weeks ago from 1098, 999 and so forth parked next to it.   Only problems in 3 years, tank swelling and a bad starter replaced under warranty.   Still running on the stock clutch with 20,000 miles.  I do OK at the track too with it  [moto]

from everything i have read about S4RS. get one with a termi/ecu already installed or SOME kind of aftermarket exhaust and ECU. They run really lean from the factory and even great ducati techs have issues at low RPMs with them.

There are 5 S4Rs for sale on the monster for sale page. Some already with full Termignoni  [thumbsup]

I saw the S4RS's for sale on this forum.  I'm trying to be patient and wait for the colors to be right, black/black.  
NorDog's bike is really really really really nice. :o

That is the same thing I want to do...still love my 695 but I am totally with you...
Only upgrade that keeps the style and makes the bike better.
 [thumbsup]

I'm just wanting a better monster.
Black/black is going to be my only color choice.
I've got to head out of town for a week so it should give me some time to hunt around.  I hope to be pulling the trigger when I get home, IF the right bike is found.

Here ya go...black/black with Spark (I think) exhaust.  [thumbsup]

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/mcy/1869208364.html (http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/mcy/1869208364.html)

You'd have to ship it though...or better yet, fly out and road trip it home.  :)

(I don't know the seller...just happened to see it on CL)

I want an S4RS in any color but black.  Maybe we can make a deal?

I wonder what he means by "...engine has been modified to create more low end..."...
I would probably work out shipping if I can't find something in Florida or the South East.

A quick search of the craiglists of nearby cities reveals there are two white/red S4RS's for sale nearby for less than $10k...

Although many people have said I have to chime in too....The S4Rs is a GREAT bike!  Mine doesn't get the miles it deserves but every mile is a blast.  As any Ducati,  it NEEDS an exhuast.  I really like the refined sound of arrows.  With arrows, dp ECU and open airbox this thing pulls hard from midrange up and sounds sooo good doing it.  I bought a new '06 Buell intending to keep it for a long time - like 10 years long.  I sold it a year later and bought the monster with the same intention as the buell didn't do it for me even after modding it to get it closer to "right".  I took a huge hit on buell to get rid of it quick, picked up the monster (catching hell from the woman) the next day.  Going on 3 years later and I can easily say I may always keep this bike.

The black & silver is subtle and menacing at the same time. 
As much fun as it is to ride, I occassionally am guilty of looking into the garage just to sneak a peek at sleeping beauty.  That's when you know you have the right bike.

Get the "s".  The ohlins is leaps and bounds above any other stock setup I've ridden.  And not mentined earlier in the thread that I noticed is the lighter 10 spoke wheels the "s" comes with.  And the brakes are 1 finger sensitive. Some don't like it but it suits my style well.


The

I'm really pumped about the S4RS.  I've been searching...pretty much not finding black ones I would feel comfortable buying.  I would prefer to get the bike from a forum member or a dealer rather than a completely unknown individual seller from a classifieds ad...
I have seen lots of really nice fairly priced tricolore's at the dealerships in FL/GA.
I'm so excited to have this bike. ;D 8) :o [moto] [thumbsup] [beer] [drink] [bacon] [bacon] [bacon] [bacon]
 

Do it, best two years of my riding was with the S4Rs (and the longest moto i've owned). [thumbsup]

I still miss her...

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3615/3371316914_08164a56fc_o.jpg)

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3564/3370494463_e2619aa844_o.jpg)

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3429/3371296722_28a8f5280a_o.jpg)

I miss her for you. :-[
 
I have to be strong, there will be the bike!  All day searching the internet, so far nothing feasible.

IMHO, I wouldn't waste the money on the s4rs, and here is why.  Unless you are the magical weight that ducati sprung the bike for (205 lbs front, 165 lbs rear), you will need to rework the suspension that you just paid out the ass for when you bought the bike.

The S4RS comes with the same wheels that the s4r does.  They are cast, and heavy.

For the money, you can buy the s4r, buy good suspension that is setup for you/your weight and come in under the premium people are asking for the rs.  Unless you've got to have gold forks on the front, I'd look elsewhere....

Hey asado, didn't you swap your S4Rs for a Streetfighter? How's that been for you? It's at the top of the OP's list.

I'm 5'8" and around 150lbs.  I'm guessing that's pretty close the average Italian so maybe it's factory setup? :)

That would be a 370 pound rider with a big gut and a small ass.  Heck, I'm almost there.  A few hundred more donuts and I will have bought the right bike!

 [moto]

Oops.  I can't believe I never realized only the 2R's came with the 5 spokes.  I thought the 4R came with 5 spokes and the 4rS came with 10 spokes.  I apologize for furthering the misconception. :-[

Taft-Thanks for setting the record straight. [thumbsup]

So the bottom line is still the same?  The S4RS is the baddest monster out. [coffee]  I know... ;D

Mine was sprung the opposite rear 210 lbs front 165 I since upgrated the front for my weight new internal kit, and springs. 

Some good, practical points here, and more could be said on the suspension side.

For one, adjusting spring preload on the the stock S4Rs shock is painful even with two Ohlins C-spanners - and that is also after changing the plastic collar on mine to aluminium. That is okay if you only ever want to do it once, but it is nice to be able to adjust for baggage, etc, and as this is quite a long-travel rear suspension design you also have some leeway to adjust ride-height while retaining acceptable sag. So, choosing an S4RT and fitting the DU 333 Ohlins with the remote preload adjuster, as Taftonomous has, upgrades you past the stock S4Rs.

(http://daffyduc.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Bike-bits/DU-333/954137936_gp8hi-S.jpg)

AND you can pick your spring weight when purchasing (tho a bit hard to know what you want without trying).

For two, the stock Ohlins fork seals are notorious for leaking early. Mine lasted about 28,000km/17K miles. New seals weren't expensive but shop labour to replace them was. Hope the new ones last longer.

For three, I've been told you can't buy parts for the Ohlins fork - for example, a single new leg.

OTOH, I'm glad I got the 'S'. The Ohlins fork has a very nice, subtle action stock even if it is sprung a bit soft. It could be the T's Showa can be made just as good, but the Ohlins is already good. And overall, the finish seems nicer on the 'S'.
 

I've been considering upgrading to a new Ohlins shock like you suggest. However, I also am considering trading up to a Multi 1200S with the electronically adjustable units.

Exactly. It has the 999 engine which was unbeatable in the WSBK with Troy Bayliss. Record proves its worthiness.
(http://i942.photobucket.com/albums/ad269/richduc/136.jpg)

Oh boy....nice bike....
I love it, I'm committed, I have a few (actually one) lead on the bike I want.  Two more weeks of searching and then it's time to pull that damn trigger!

I've had my S4RS for two years now and like it okay. It handles well, has good ground clearance, plenty of power throughout the rev range, excellent brakes, lots of character, and good ergonomics. On the down side, the clutch pull is way too heavy, the suspension and geometry is not as stellar as I expected, and the cool shotgun pipes are not quite perfect. If you get one, definitely go for an aftermarket exhaust (preferably a full system), airbox mod and DP ECU. It really makes a huge difference in the power & sound. I had issues with the Termi system I bought from the get go. First, you've got to remove the bottom can to get the wheel off which kinda defeats the purpose of a single sided swingarm. Next, the mid pipe running behind the peg is burning my right boot very badly. When at a brisk pace, I ride through the curves with the balls of my feet on the pegs and can't help but contact the pipe with the rear of my boot sole. I consider this a design flaw on Ducati's part. Plus, the overall build quality of the Termi system was disappointing - sloppy welds with lots of splatter, but they make power.
Not long after I bought the bike, I did a two trackdays over one weekend and found the suspension seriously lacking. Over the weekend, I blew a fork seal and scratched the fender with the radiator when the forks would compress. (I didn't drop the front, forks all the way up) It didn't want to hold a line, especially on the exits - running wide til I ran out of track or let off the gas. I also learned it really needed a steering damper and it was a lot of fun on the track.
Next trackday, I had the ride height adjusted farther than recommended which made the bike dangerously unstable. I almost wrecked repeatedly and blew my first forkseal.
I tookmy suspension to Ohlins and had the schock checked and rebuilt and talked to them at length about my handling woes. Wound up buying a kit developed for the 1098 S consisting of various springs and better pistons and valves. Installed and set correctly, the bike handles much better now, but I had to spend a lot of money to get here, Pisses me off to have to spend so much to get Ohlins to act right.

(http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk145/smoothS4RS/DSC_0961.jpg)
Since, this pic was taken, I've added an Akrapovich Evo system and a NCR clutch cover. Overall, Ireally do like the bike, but I don't "love" it. I've hardly been able to ride this year, so I've been considering selling it. however, when I do ride or even look at it, I have second thoughts.

Hah! I found this out too - the hard way. Spent alot of money with Ohlins to get the bike handling better (they'll take all you're willing to spend!). Still, I haven't got front end confidence with this bike that I've had with others. At this point, I chalk it up to handlebars instead of clipons and a more "relaxed" geometry that doesn't work as well with aggresive profile front tires.


To the OP,  I'm not trying to steer you away from the S4RS. I was just surprised with the tweaking it took to get it to handle correctly and you should be aware of this if you plan to ride hard or take it to the track. Still, it's a great bike and I think I may have asked too much of it considering it's intended purpose and ergos.

They made a black on red S4RS?!?!?!?!? ??? :o :o :o

I never looked back after buying my S4RS. Awesome handling, and turns heads wherever I go. If I can teach you one thing about these bikes is get the service history before you sign the papers! And make sure its not due for any maintenence!

(https://lh5.ggpht.com/_j9_bS1NavEU/S_nuomG5JdI/AAAAAAAADew/fmNVHOLaNS8/s1024/DSC_0530.jpg)

No but they should have.  That looks really nice.

two words............steering damper!  My bike changed dramatically when I installed mine, too bad I waited because I thought it was too expensive.  Also, if you get an exhaust remember you can swap the S2R "under-seat" exhaust and mount to the S4R (this is what I did).  I got a Marving mid-pipe and the bike now looks great.

No, It's actually a red model with the black/silver stripe bodywork. The dealership switched tanks and fairings between a red and black one for a "special" customer. I bought the other. Never saw the red body on black framed monster.

I love that custom black on red scheme!
So just as an update of my quest to find THE bike:
I've been hunting the internet for about 3 weeks now.  I have called almost every single dealership in the SE USA.  I have been keeping an eye on the FS section on the forums.
I have found many white and tricolore models so far, but not many black ones (and at this point I am sure I want a black one, not a red one).  This week I will be going full throttle on my search, it's my last week of vacation!
So the search continues...no bike yet.
Let me know if you guys know of anything, PLEASE! [beer]

Hey...

Sounds like your mind is made up, but here are my thoughts.  I've had my 07 S4rs (black/silver) for about 6 months, and have put about 2500 miles on her so far.

Pros:  Phenomenal power, very linear with a top end rush that is so strong it's almost more than I can deal with.  I seriously have trouble taking it to its max because it's hard to hold on and change gears at full throttle.  Great brakes...excellent power and modulation.  Beautiful style (as you know.)  Relatively smooth engine (little buzzing).  Handles well, but I'm not a great rider in the curves...pretty cautious.  Feels long legged in terms of gearing, which I like.  I went to the 14t front as many people recommended, rode it for 1K, switched back to a 15 and love it.  Good mileage (I average 45 mpg but have a relatively light throttle hand.) Cruises effortlessly at 90 with tons of power in reserve.  People love it.  Moms wave, daughters wave, sons give thumbs up, men look dissatisfied with their lives.    

Cons:  Water cooled issues (huge radiator takes away from the looks, hoses and such aren't tucked away well, more complex in terms of maintenance, etc.)  Not very comfortable for me in terms of ergonomics.  STILL trying to dial in the cockpit three handlebars and bar risers later (I'm 6'1").  The seat is absolutely horrible...uncomfortable, slides you forward, etc.  Fairing flops around as if mounted with jello (Ducrider supports easily fix this).  Clutch pull was harder than I preferred (fixed it with a aftermarket slave).  Having a hard time getting the suspension dialed in to what I like, and I'm supposedly the ideal weight (160 lbs).  This may just be my inexperience at suspension, but even took it to a suspension clinic and it didn't help much.  Ride over choppy surfaces feels very choppy, even if I try to soften it up.  Without a tail chop it looks a little silly on the back end, IMO.  Paint is easily scratched, in my experience.  Getting tank scratches and not sure how.  Emissions canister looks hideous and is right in the open, ruining the lines.  (Easily removed, but annoying.)  Eats up tires if you have a heavy throttle hand.  
 
Main concern for me is that I'd like more midrange and less top end.  Having said that, it's probably an issue of it having so much top end rather than lacking midrange.  The roll-on power is very strong, so it's probably a reflection of the amazing top end that minimized the feel of the strong midrange.   It's possible that I would have been better suited for a air-cooled version...maybe its just more bike than I need.  

But I still love it, and have dialed out most of the issues that bug me.  It is badass.

Joel

I've really had a tough time putting together the upgrade.  I've only found about 2 options and both require working out quite a few logistics.
I love the feedback about this bike. [beer] [thumbsup]

Can I help?

 ;D

What, you mean with that dream bike you have?  Why would I ever want THAT THING!? :)