Ducati Monster Forum

Hey guys, long time admirer first time (soon) owner.  I'm in the pursuit of a Monster, probably 02 - 09, but I'm seriously torn between the S2R & S4R.

Purchase price (generally) isn't the determining factor, nor would be the HP, components, etc.  I'm old enough, and had enough "sport" bikes, that I'm truly trying to reconnect more with the "experience" and enjoy the "personality" that the Italian Monsters offer.  .

I know I can maintain the 2 valve myself, but not so sure about the 4 valve.  Not being able to do it would be a deal killer; I'm really not into having others do the maintenance on my bikes and especially when it amounts to the kind of money that's typically charged by the Duck dealers.

I'm also a bit curious about the durability of the S4R's.  I know the 2 valve engines have been around forever and are pretty bullet proof if maintained, but I'm not as familiar with shortyer history of the 4 valves.  Thoughts or experiences on this?

I fully realize this is entirely a subjective question with no right or wrong answer.  With that said, I am respectively requesting opinions and  input that the members here can offer.   [bow_down]

Thanks for the help.

the S4R  [evil]
No problems with mine, including the rockers.  I'm no mechanic so mine goes to the shop for work but I sure do know how to over tighten and bolt shit up. 

Seriously, if you've coming off a water cooled engine then the S4R will be similar but with more generous torque IMO.  The 2v are great too but I can't stay away from the power on tap the S4 has and I have both 2 and 4v

Welcome to the forum.
I tend to lean to the air cooled motors.  The 2V's are simpler, better looking (subjective), cheaper initially, cheaper to maintain and cheaper to insure.  If you are looking at the S2R1000 you probably won't be disappointed in the power or power delivery.  Really, go out and see if you can ride each of them, see which one speaks to you with the look and the ride.  At this point you really can't go wrong.

I appreciate the thoughts guys.

I had read a bit about the rockers on the 4 valve and it seems to be a hit-or-miss kind of thing.  Is this something that typically shows up right away when the bike is new(er), or could I potentially have to worry about this still showing up on a bike with 5,000 to 10,000 mile?  Was it contained to certain years?  Is this something that Ducati is or was taking care of (warranty/recall)?

I have to admit that the simplicity of the 2-valve is a draw, but the extra raw HP that you get with the 4 valve is difficult to turn your back on.

As I said in my original post - a subjective question.  That's why I appreciate your opinions!

Something else that I thoght of after my initial post - what is the significance of the red key and the code card?  Do I have to have these for a reason?  Can they be ordered through the dealer?

Much thanks.

i'm comparing my xp on a 2v m796 vs a 4v sfs... not the same as the s2r/s4r but def 2v vs 4v

the 2v engine has more character, but the 4v is smoother and the power is pretty awesome.  that being said... there is something about that lumpy 2v idle, sound, and power characteristics that i like a lot still.  if you're looking for a bike simply for the duc experience... i would say it's hard to pass up on a nice 2v monster.  dont get me wrong, the 4v growl is still pretty amazing, but there really is something about the 2v that's hard to quantify.  i would suggest you testing out both to understand.

and the red key/code card is what you'll need if you ever need to make a spare key.  without it you'll need to replace the whole ignition system e.g. expensive.  if the seller does not have those on hand you can easily drop 2k off the price as that's around what it will cost to replace the ignition.

You can have the bike re-flashed to rid yourself of the red key issue but I would drop the offer price, if the bike has none, by another $500-$800 US dollars.  There's a company in Portland, OR, called SOS Diagnostics that will get you a red key if you choose but you have to send in the instrument cluster.

My 2 cents..........
Forget all the S4's power. The '05 Yamaha Fz-1 I had before my Ducs would eat it for lunch for lots less money with , basically, zero maintenance.

What you get with a Monster is charachter. Nothing else looks like it. Nothing else sounds like it. Nothing else rides like it.

I love my red on red S2r1000. I think it's the best looking production bike I've ever seen. Snakey pipes. Snakey swingarm. Huge motor. The red hunchback tank. No clutter. The whole package gives me a woodie eveytime I see it.

Remember that KISS rule (keep it simple, stupid!).
Get a 2 valve.

Since you stated you don't care about the power too much and you want to do your own maintenance, I would suggest a S2R. 

 [thumbsup]

And this from a guy who had a Ferracci-tuned 851 for four years. The 2-valve is fairly smooth though from 5K - 8K. The 4-valve is definitely "sneaky" and more turbine-like.  ;)

I rode both, back to back (08 s2r 1000 and a 07' s4r)... bought the s4.    Looking back, I can't say for certain I'd do it again.  I ended up selling the 999 I had at the time as the s4r was nearly as fast, but more comfy.  Had I bought a 2V, I would have had 2 distinctly different bikes, and maybe have kept them both ;)

Thanks for all the help and opinions guys.  That's exactly the kind of response I was hoping for.  I need and want peoples experiences, highs and lows, let downs, second thoughts, etc.  I have to say it seems like Sofadrive has past experiences similar to mine.  I'm coming off a long string of inline 4 performance bikes starting in the early-mid 80's and ending with my last bike, a 2000 Hayabusa with some tasteful modifications. Fast enough to make you nose drain out your as*, but totally lacking any "personality".  As fast as the bike was, I realized that I'd gotten away from what I love about riding.  The bike was heavy, slow steering, and it took more than an hour to carefully remove the bodywork just to perform simple maintenance  [bang]

Anyway, I've "seen the light" and that light is coming from Italy.

Gotta say from what I've heard that I'm leaning toward the 2 valve. 

BTW, thanks for the info on the keys.  I never would have guess it was that big of a deal.  How far back do this procedure go?  I knew a guy who had a mid-late 90's SS and I don't recall him ever mentioning a red key or anything like that.


Hats off to you guys for helping the newbie.  Hopefully I can become involved in the near future and return the favor.

The red key set up was short-lived, I can't tell you the exact years but I'm pretty sure it covers all S*R's

OK, I think I'm ready to take the plunge on the Monster of my dreams.  I've weighed all the opinions and advice (a sincere thank you to the forum members who offered), re-read all the literature, tests, and pretty much anything with the "Ducati" name on it. 

I've waffled all the way from maybe trying a Triumph Speed Triple to a mid-late 90's Monster, through the S2R and S4R, gave some thought to the SS, back to the older monster, then finally went in the corner and curled up into a fetal position.  I've settled on a Ducati long ago, but other than that, this is quite probably the most difficult motorcycle decision I've ever made.  Always before there was that one "gotta have" bike.  This time, I like em all!

After coming very, very close to purchasing an extremely well kept and tastefully modified late-90's Monster with low miles (10K), I swung full circle and am ready to close the deal on an 09 S4R.  BTW, if anyone is in the market for a Beautiful, well kept 97 monster with low miles, check Craigs list in the L.A. area.

The constant between the two bikes is that I spoke with both owners and feel very, very confident that they took care of the bikes, maintained them properly, and generally were not squid-like in the riding.

That said, I am asking for a bit more advice and direction in regards to 09 S4R.  What issues or problems (potential or otherwise) should I look for as I inspect the bike?  I know the S2R's had the issue with the plastic tanks expanding - did that also occur on the S4R's?  What should I expect for keys - a red one, black one and then the code card?  Was there an issue with the cams on these bikes?  The owner was very forthright abut a starting problem with some 09's an that his experienced it twice before changing out the pipes and ECU

I'll be traveling a pretty fair distance (1200mi) to pick the bike up, so I really need to have a good list of questions answered and pretty sure I'm getting it before i make the journey.

As before, thanks in advance for everyone's help and input.

My guess is that you are looking at an 08', and that case it would be a tri-color? 08' was the last year of the S*R, and the only options where S2R 1K or the limited edition S4R tri-color. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Either way Congrats on the soon to be.

Sorry, my mistake in "assuming" the S*R designation carried through past 08; the bike is an 09 1100 Monster. I guess Ducati went full circle from the "Monster" moniker, to the S*R designation then settling back on Monster? 

Thanks for the congrats.  It's pretty much a done-deal, but I'm assembling some additional questions to pepper the poor unsuspecting soul with again tomorrow, before I commit 100% to buying it and making the trek out to pick it up. 

The monster 1100 is awesome dude.  Basically a new and improved S2R.  I think you will really like it.

since it's a m1100, here's the answers to the questions i believe you'rs asking...

yes, it has a plastic tank but it isnt as big of an issue as with the previous monsters as the new monsters (696/796/1100) use plastic tanks skins on top of the plastic tank.  so when if/when it expands it wont ruin the paint.  but it can still expand and make it hard to remove the tank... not much you can do about that unless you plan on caswell'ing the tank.

you should get 2 keys and a code card.  you should also check to see if the owner has the little plastic shroud you'll need if you ever want to remove the bikini fairing.

i cant think of any major engine issues you should be aware of before picking up the bike, the new monsters have been pretty reliable iirc.

I have to say that reading your earlier posts it occurred to me that what would really work for you would be an M1100 of some kind - latest and arguably best of the aircooled 2V motors with allegedly a bit more breathing up top than the 1000s and a quicker steering chassis.

However, you need to be aware you are not getting an S4 engine in this. Ducati went away from the S*R designation partly because after I think 08 there was no need for the * as the four-valve motor was dropped from the Monster line-up altogether, the Streetfighter taking its place.

Only thing I'd suggest you consider, if you haven't bought the bike already, is whether you want the "std" version M1100 or the "s" version, which comes with an Ohlins front fork.

The "s" also has an Ohlins shock, although it is a relatively low-spec example. 

Shhhh, dont say this too loud but...

When the S4R was out magazines reported "If you really ride your bike" the S4R chassis is not up to the motor. That said I do think S4R's are cool and would own one if the right deal came along.

Assuming S2R 1000, it is hard to go wrong with it.  Most find it is a glorious street package and very well balanced in power, chassis, manintence, looks and perfomance.  To be objective note: I own a S2R 1000 and am bias.

My advice is S2R 1000 and save the 4 valve for when you get a Superbike  :)

Case

(http://www.superbikeplanet.com/image/ducati/s4rs/coe1.jpg)


Well, these guys didn't seem to have a problem and it does look like they "really" rode it.  ;)

S4Rs "Wolf in Sheep's Clothing" launch piece from SuperbikePlanet here (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2006/Apr/060417b.htm).

I don't think it is so much the chassis not being "up to" the motor, more that the turn-in is a little bit lazy, or cruisey, compared with similarly high powered modern sports bikes.

For me, that is part of the charm.

You are probably right that the aircooled motor makes more sense in that chassis: it would offer plenty of power for the speeds where naked bikes work best.

The S4R* I see as a hot-rodded version: pretty silly, costly to run. Hard to justify - except to yourself, when you're riding it: then it's easy.

Well, I think I can wrap this up and officially join the club.  Much thanks to everyone for their help and input - you can trust that it was all taken into consideration and each comment had due influence on my decision.  Long story, but I ended up with a really nice Black 05 S4R. 

I did some serious soul-searching over the S2R vs S4R and it all came down to the maintenance.  After much internet searching I'm confident that I can maintain this Italian mistress on my own. 

I brought it home last night (really, really late) and took it for the first ride this morning.  Initial impressions - Wow, is that clutch loud, but I like the "mechanicality" of it (my own word).  Surprisingly light, almost like a big dirt bike.  Love the rumble (stock exhaust for now  :-[).  Really big, smile producing torque.  Immediate love - I'm feeling confident that I made a good decision.

I came off the bike and immediately phoned my brother (also a lifetime in line 4 Japanese bike guy) and told him I now can attest to the allure of Ducati.

e in the market for a nice full Arrow setup, but until the funding for that comes along I'm going to look into opening up the stock exhaust in some way.
The bike has a few tasteful mods: Very well done tail chop (looks factory), bar end mirrors, misc. carbon fiber bits, open clutch cover, etc. My immediate concern is to do something with that abortion that Ducati calls an exhaust.  I'll b

it does crawl under your skin.  [thumbsup]  congrats on the purchase.  love her and never cheat.

now, pics please.  ;D