Ducati ST2/ST3/ST4 thoughts

[d3vi@nt]

Awesome. Thanks for all the feedback guys/gals.  Much appreciated   

ST2 is sounding better, though I'd kinda like to get something newer than '04 when they quit making them.  That said, there's a '98 in my neck o'the woods with 17k miles for less than $3k. Awful tempting at that price, though I don't know anything about the service history and the posted pics are low-res.

[DucHead]

Hayabusa. Lots of goodies out there and really no service besides gas, air in the tires, oil change, tires and insurance. And it gets along with my Ducatis in the garage! What's not to like? Happiness is never having to downshift to pass cars on a 2 lane road!

+1  That'll be my next sport-tourer.  Pashnit.com has lots of touring stuff for 'em.

[ducpainter]

the ST2 is the only 2v and therefore less maintenance. it's also a bored 900 motor which is the most bullet proof IMO of the Ducati motors. lots of tq and decent power. the 944 is that much more.

the ST2 has a few issues that i've heard of. the lights weren't all that powerful and the seat wasn't all that comfortable, but most bikes that's true of the stock seat.

if you were to go completely stock, i've heard the st3 with the upgraded seat (the one with the wierd hump in the passenger seat front to stop them diving on you) is the best model out of the box. but like others said, maintenance can get you on that unique motor.

not sure I would ever want a 4v ducati tourer unless they put in the new 11 deg motor in a new sport tourer

ST 2 is actually a 966

[Raux]

every spec sheet i've ever seen:
st2 944cc
st3 992cc
st4 916cc
st4s 996cc

[ducpainter]

every spec sheet i've ever seen:
st2 944cc
st3 992cc
st4 916cc
st4s 996cc

Pretty sure...

Maybe the ST motor has a different stroke and if you use the ST pistons in a 900 you get a 966.

I'll check.

I could be wrong.

[Raux]

Pretty sure...

Maybe the ST motor has a different stroke and if you use the ST pistons in a 900 you get a 966.

I'll check.

I could be wrong.

hey, if I prove a Founder wrong, do I get some free DMF stuff?

[triangleforge]

I own & love the '98 ST2 in my garage, and the ST line has to be one of the best values out there - because they fall in the gap between the "sport tourer" market and the Ducati market, used ones in great condition go for shockingly little money. Mine is comfortable (I bought it with a Sargent seat, so don't know anything about the stocker) one up or two up, handles like a Ducati, has lots of suspension adjustment available, and more than plenty of motor for life on the street.

If I had it all to do over again, however, I'd avoid the 1998 model - the electrical system is single phase and a bit of an orphan (they went to three phase the following year). Burned stators, fried regulators, batteries killed by chronic undercharging, toasted (undersized) wiring and connectors... I've fixed 'em all on this bike, and I know I'm not the only '98 owner to go through that. And even with everything operating as it should, there's not a whole lot of spare capacity to run things like heated clothing or add-on electronics -- all things that would be very nice to have on a sport tourer.

[KnightofNi]

I looked at the ST2, ST3, and Triumph Sprint ST.

I like the way the ducs handled, disliked the looks of the ST2 and a few other issues I found out about them.
Then I saw the triumph and liked everything about it except for how far the bags stick out. the headlight is powerful, you jsut need to adjust the height due to the cut off at the top edge. it makes good torque, and is nice and smooth at high speeds thanks to the 3 cyl engine though you can hear a lot of counterbalancers spinnign around in there. aside from the headlight cut off i have felt no need to mod the bike. i run heated gear in the winter and have yet to kill the battery from it.

I love the triumph. i ride with a few that ride the st2 and we all keep up with each other in the twisties aside from those who lack the skill or more likely the desire to keep up. We have all put a knee down while riding the bikes. it's been on the track and holds it's own against the actual sport bikes in turns (straights i get walked by the larger disp bikes)

to replace crash parts it can be just as hard and expensive for the triumph.
valve jobs can be jsut as expensive due to the location and the amt of time it takes to get to the valves.

[d3vi@nt]

Triangleforge - thanks for the input. I may steer clear of the '98 I saw for sale and look for something slightly newer.

King Tut - what other issues did you find with the ST2's?  Just curious. The deep blue Sprint really has my attention, but I haven't really delved into the Triumph world (yet).  Is your Triumph a Sprint, or other?

Hyabusa?  I'm not sure.... for some reason, the Japanese bikes just don't make my unit twitch. I think I'm still leaning towards the Ducati/Triumph/BMW thing. For better or worse...

[ducpainter]

hey, if I prove a Founder wrong, do I get some free DMF stuff?

no...

I'm wrong as often as not.

...and this is one of those times.

[KnightofNi]

Triangleforge - thanks for the input. I may steer clear of the '98 I saw for sale and look for something slightly newer.

King Tut - what other issues did you find with the ST2's?  Just curious. The deep blue Sprint really has my attention, but I haven't really delved into the Triumph world (yet).  Is your Triumph a Sprint, or other?

Hyabusa?  I'm not sure.... for some reason, the Japanese bikes just don't make my unit twitch. I think I'm still leaning towards the Ducati/Triumph/BMW thing. For better or worse...

on the st2, it was the headlight, and the seat mostly. I also didn't want to have to do valves as often as that motor needs them. Plus i think it's massively ugly. lol.
I know there were a few other things, but it's been a few years since i went through this.
Yes my triumph is a sprint. a sprint ST in fact. With a metal tank! I liked the caspian blue, but wound up getting a silver/grey one. then i painted it matte black...it's the way of my bikes. lol

[triangleforge]

I was looking at Sprints at the same time as I was shopping for the ST2, and had the right one come along when I was in the market I'd have bought it. VFRs are another model line you might want to add to your shopping list as well. If money were no object and I wanted a bike that could point to the far coast (and back) and make the trip a hoot and a half, it'd be the new Multistrada or the Kawasaki Concours 14; I rode a friend's Kwak 14 the other day and it's an amazing machine.

I'll echo Tut's complaint about the headlight (which is also an issue on the pre-2004 ST4 iterations - the ST3 & post 2004 ST4s with the "V" shaped light unit are much better), though it's semi-fixable with upgraded bulbs and completely fixable with the Ducati Designs headlight unit replacement. The latter isn't cheap but (I'm told) worth every penny. As for valves, it's like any desmo I've ever encountered - most of the adjustments take place in the first service. I've checked mine twice at 6,000 mile intervals and they're comfortably within spec.

As for the looks, that's of course in the eye of the beholder; I quite like the lines of the ST, but I'm gradually cutting mine to make it more naked, with the mid-90s 900SS/CR as inspiration-- both because I like the look of an L-twin motor and because of my other complaint about the early STs -- the stock fairings are a total PITA to deal with. Desmo Times sells a Dzus fastener mod that makes them somewhat more tolerable, but they're still kind of fussy.

[Raux]

As for the looks, that's of course in the eye of the beholder; I quite like the lines of the ST, but I'm gradually cutting mine to make it more naked, with the mid-90s 900SS/CR as inspiration-- both because I like the look of an L-twin motor and because of my other complaint about the early STs -- the stock fairings are a total PITA to deal with. Desmo Times sells a Dzus fastener mod that makes them somewhat more tolerable, but they're still kind of fussy.

I'd like to see that. I had thought about that when I was decided whether to rebuild the Monster or find an ST to buy.
There are several people in Europe doing this.

[KnightofNi]

I was looking at Sprints at the same time as I was shopping for the ST2, and had the right one come along when I was in the market I'd have bought it. VFRs are another model line you might want to add to your shopping list as well. If money were no object and I wanted a bike that could point to the far coast (and back) and make the trip a hoot and a half, it'd be the new Multistrada or the Kawasaki Concours 14; I rode a friend's Kwak 14 the other day and it's an amazing machine.

I'll echo Tut's complaint about the headlight (which is also an issue on the pre-2004 ST4 iterations - the ST3 & post 2004 ST4s with the "V" shaped light unit are much better), though it's semi-fixable with upgraded bulbs and completely fixable with the Ducati Designs headlight unit replacement. The latter isn't cheap but (I'm told) worth every penny. As for valves, it's like any desmo I've ever encountered - most of the adjustments take place in the first service. I've checked mine twice at 6,000 mile intervals and they're comfortably within spec.

I have heard that you can actually remove the piece of metal that serves as the cut off for the headlight and that makes it much better. A couple of the guys that i ride with have got the ducati designs headlight route and they seemed to love it. kinda miss having a duc, but i like having a bike that I don't need to really mod out of the box.

also interested in the stripped down version of the st2.

[Bun-bun]

My new bike came in today!!!!
As stated previously, it's an '02 ST4s.

Haven't had much chance for a thorough evaluation yet, just a short hop down the street so far, I'll post further when I have a chance to put some miles on it.
Impressions so far:
     The headlight is just as useless as everyone has said in previous posts, that's definitely going to get an upgrade real soon double time quick like.
     The windshield could be better, it seems to deflect the wind right into my face. This is really just a quick first impression, though, we'll see what it does on the highway.
     Other than the windshield, I like the fairing, it gives good wind protection, and doesn't get in the way at rest.
     The engine is a beast! I'm coming from a M620, so it's not really a surprise, but I've ridden my buddies BMW R1200, and a couple of other liter bikes, and this has them beat hollow. Love the sound, love the low end grunt, and the way it just keeps pulling.
     Body position is not that much different from the Monster, a bit more upright, but not markedly so. I'll be experimenting with this for a while, I'm sure.
Ok, more later after I've put in some seat time.
Jeff