another S4RS article

[ptooey]

Both disses and compliments the bike.

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/News/newsresults/mcn/2008/November/3-9/nov0508-PB100-3-ducati-s4rs/?R=EPI-103988

The 100 bikes to ride before you die, brought to you by the guys at MCN's sister title, Performance Bikes.

The  missing link between 916 and 1098...

It’s easy to think of this bike as being the preserve of London luvvies. While the rest of us live in the sideways clamping of the credit crunch, the rich buy fast and slightly pretentious motorcycles.

This bike stands against everything we stand for. This is a needless, cynical upgrade of a bike that didn’t need upgrading. Putting sportsbike engine, sportsbike suspension, brakes and wheels on a 15-year-old naked doesn’t make it a sportsbike.

In fact, it makes it little more than folly.

Fat Öhlins forks, Marchesinis, and world-stopping Brembo brakes are the fodder of label watchers when they aren’t on a sportsbike. It’s all trying too hard. Radiators, oil coolers and exhausts hang from the chassis like dangleberries on a bullock.

Tricolour paintjob smacks of desperation. When PB tested the bike at the Nürburgring, it wasn’t even very fast. Form before function – I should hate this bike.
But I can’t. Ducati have made more powerful, more usable engines, but they haven’t made an engine as evocative as the 998cc Testastretta motor. Opening the throttle reminds you of a time when Ducatis were naturally beautiful and World Superbikes actually mattered – this bike is the missing link between modern-day Ducatis and the 916 family that ruled the world.

It makes an average bike intoxicating. Wind on the throttle and the bike changes as it hits 7000rpm. It’s the sound. It shakes the bike to the core, the revs rise faster, the bars wobbling, bike rhythmically weaving, writhing beneath you. And it’s so familiar – accidental acoustic engineering at its best.

This is the perfect engine for medium-fast road riding and sunny days. Not too much power, but enough for you to respect. Enough torque to float wheels over crests, and ruck tarmac out of bends, front wheel light, arms braced. There’s no jacket and jeans cliché here; with a claimed 130bhp this is a serious motorcycle. It’s way, way faster than the original 916 and demands full leathers and respect.

Properly adjustable, the suspension is set for the road as standard – and is the better for it. At fast, but not excessive, speeds there’s a quality to the ride that’s rare in a mass-produced Japanese bike.

Ride one on the right road, on the kind of day when you can forgive a bike its wrongs and ignore its baggage, and the S4RS comes close to being perfect. Pretty, flawed, fast and slightly affected – this is a reminder of how Ducatis used to be.

[Spider]

nice! know where I can get the other 99?

I completely agree about Ducati's, not the best, nor the fastest, but it's the flaws and the character that wind their way into your heart and soul.

[dragonworld.]

nice! know where I can get the other 99?

I completely agree about Ducati's, not the best, nor the fastest, but it's the flaws and the character that wind their way into your heart and soul.

Absolootleee. I hear ya Spider. [moto]

I actually like riding our old 750 probably more than the DS!!

Its very much got its quirks and is very much "old school " riding like it used to be without all the refinements and mod cons that vehicles have nowadays. You hear and feel what the bike is doing more than the modern types.

Hey R. You shopping already?? 

[Spider]

nope, no shopping here....still have hope in my heart. When that dies....then I'll face reality...till that point she's still somewhere getting polished and the bloke is changing the oil (which needed to be done). I haven't even started to fill in the claim form....i think the term is....

DENIAL

[Dockstrada]

nope, no shopping here....still have hope in my heart. When that dies....then I'll face reality...till that point she's still somewhere getting polished and the bloke is changing the oil (which needed to be done). I haven't even started to fill in the claim form....i think the term is....

DENIAL

Street Fighter !!!!!!!  [moto]

[Spider]

sell me your S4RS and you buy one!

My penis works well and I don't need that macho, over-compensation cr@p 

(my boyfriend is the butch one)



(post number 998....what a frickin machine, one day I'll ride one!)

[DosVerde]

(post number 998....what a frickin machine, one day I'll ride one!)

What are you going to be riding in another 100 posts?  hint hint

Hey I think I know someone with a 998, maybe your dream will come true one day.............. [moto]


Back on topic, thats a pretty good write-up, being flawed is not always a problem, it highlights the good points and gives character.

A beautiful girl with mole on her cheek makes her stand out, remove the mole and she's just another beautiful girl.

[Dockstrada]

sell me your S4RS and you buy one!

My penis works well and I don't need that macho, over-compensation cr@p 

(my boyfriend is the butch one)



(post number 998....what a frickin machine, one day I'll ride one!)

I think Matty can confirm I am deeply in love with my S4RS 
Cant see my self letting her go any time soon

[Big T]

I think Matty can confirm I am deeply in love with my S4RS 
Cant see my self letting her go any time soon

Ditto...... Nothing more to say really...     [moto]

Besides there is no virgin made Saddle Box seat for the 1100 or Street Fighter.... I like my virgins.... 

[Jukie]

you still have some virgins left i n that seat Trev 

[ptooey]

took a demo 1098 out for a spin today. fark me..

was wondering, for those s4r owners who've maybe ridden a 1098, what's your take on similarities with these 2 engines, given the engines are same/similar(?) family and all?
i thought the DS engines on my previous MTS and current HM were good, but sweet geezus!

pity bout the riding stance though. why do sports bikers like sitting like that?

i'm bout ready to dream about my next bike as a s4r or streetfighter...

[Spider]

well done JC, pop over tomorrow late afternoon and give me a run down will ya?

obviously the person who handed you the keys didn't ask "ever crashed a Ducati?" 

where did you take her, and did you have a staff member tag along to make sure you weren't an idiot?

[ptooey]

well done JC, pop over tomorrow late afternoon and give me a run down will ya?

obviously the person who handed you the keys didn't ask "ever crashed a Ducati?" 

where did you take her, and did you have a staff member tag along to make sure you weren't an idiot?

Can do Spider, on the popping round since you're feeling all lonely and standing at your parking spot in a puddle of tears.

If you had nothing to do, my mate was telling me about the Festival of Italian Motorcycles (http://www.foim.asn.au/) at Exhibition Building/IMAX between 10am-2pm tomorrow.
Will be there from bout noon.

Nah the guys at Metro can see I'm a mature bloke... They let me take the 1098 out, after all i been a good customer, selling and buying bikes thru em 

Speaking of which I was telling em to keep a lookout for a nice black monster with plenty o carbon bits, but they already knew. Sounds like you been busy already passing the word out at all the major bike shops. Any news so far?

[Betty]

"accidental acoustic engineering"

Really?

I would have thought it stopped being an accident a looong time ago ... now the sound would be purposely engineered?

[Spider]

completely agree Betty, there is no such thing as the bike accidentally sounding that way....every aspect would have been researched and refined.

JC, they know YOUR history and they let you take a 1098 for a spin? I want whatever these boys are popping! 

I'd go to the show but I have a beauty of my own that is coming over so I need not look any further for visual stimulus!

(and no news - although yesterday a box full of nice blingy bits arrived - bit frickin sad  )