My new S4RS...kind of a let down

[toudg]

A S4rs is not a 0-55mph ... ahahaha.  "If opening her up in second at 35mph is what gets you excited, the Honda 600 would be a much more entertaining choice."  It's a joke right (I own a S4rs and my track bike is a jap 600) ?

[Ironhorse]

Thanks Dan, that was a really interesting write up.  I too looked at the specs, and this bike should kick the CBR every which way, from hell to high water, but when ride it, the feeling is, it's so unbelievably far away.  (Side bar- Apologies to everyone, as my initial post was overly melodramatic, i just wanted to vent my fustrations.)  Oh, luv the Brutale, one of the guys in the group rides one.  It is an awesome beast.  Btw...how are the dynamic mirrors? Are you able to see well behind you?  I was considering getting those, but ended up with the reverse retro.  Good thing i didn't write up what i think of those mirrors, otherwise people will call me a troll once again.  But seriously, i was really close to ditching this bike for a 1100 Monster or Hyper. 

Ducpainter, i live on an island in Asia.  There aren't too many options here.

Grifo... Hahaha... Thanks Grifo for the vid, did someone crash at around the 2:30 mark?

Moronic... I live on an island, heck my backyard is a mountain.  There aren't too many routes to ride.  I ride the same route every weekend.  Most of my riding is in the twisties, and there are only 2 or 3 short straightaways where i can really open up the engine to around 120-130mph then i gotta jam on the brakes back to 30.  Highway riding is crap cos of all the speed cameras everywhere.  So basically what i want from this bike is the "sling shot effect" from 0-55 or 30-55mph. And from the reviews i've read, and the 0-60 numbers, which they've posted, this bike should very well do it, stock.

Gosh i really hope this bike can be fixed.

[needtorque]

The thing is, they are not 0-55mph bikes. Probably especially stock. The crankshaft is pretty heavy and the motor likes to pull in the taller gears. And even then, they don't feel as fast as an I-4.

Sorry have to disagree here. 0-60 times and 0-100 times should be vastly superior to any jap 600

If opening her up in second at 35mph is what gets you excited, the Honda 600 would be a much more entertaining choice.

Again, no way, a 35 mph hit to WOT in 2nd on an S4Rs is going to give you a far bigger "ohh shit" moment than the jap 600s

Stock, the S4Rs starts to feel sweet on the high side of 55mph, in third gear and taller. Roll her on from 55mph in fourth gear at the apex of a turn and feel the torque pulse you up past 100. Then report back. If you still don't like her, she's not for you.

A roll on at the apex of a turn from 55 in 4th?  Have you ever even ridden a Ducati?  Let alone a monster?  Even with a 14t front sprocket and a LARGE rear a 55 mph roll on through a turn should be in 3rd not 4th.

[Moronic]

Wow, seem to have got a few feathers flying here.

Let me clarify. I am not trying to argue that the S4Rs stock necessarily will be slower 35-55mph in second gear than a Jap 600. My point is simply that this sort of use does not show off the stock bike very well, IMO.

Similarly, sure the bike would come off a 55mph apex quicker in third gear, but it will pull fourth, and if the turn opens up on exit then gives room to stretch her legs in fourth that is a great way to get a sense of how that engine does what peaky little 600cc fours don't do.  

Most of my riding is in the twisties, and there are only 2 or 3 short straightaways where i can really open up the engine to around 120-130mph then i gotta jam on the brakes back to 30.  Highway riding is crap cos of all the speed cameras everywhere.  So basically what i want from this bike is the "sling shot effect" from 0-55 or 30-55mph. And from the reviews i've read, and the 0-60 numbers, which they've posted, this bike should very well do it, stock.

And I will stand by my observation: I don't think the stock S4Rs does this particularly well. Sure, it's okay, but this is not the sort of riding, IMO, where the bike will feel dramatically more entertaining than a good 600cc inline four.

Just to clarify again: I am not claiming that a stock S4Rs necessarily will be slow, or will feel slow, through a set of 35-55mph turns, and nor am I claiming that necessarily, it will be slower through said turns than a good 600. Well set up and well ridden, I am sure it could be just as good, possibly better.

But the OP's point is that it doesn't feel dramatically better to him. That doesn't surprise me. Why would it? The S4Rs will be heavier, and slower to turn in (esp with stock rear ride-height). Stock, it only has about 10 more rwhp.

It will have a broader power spread, with much more mid-range grunt. Raise the rear, short-shift and concentrate on maximising apex speeds and an S4Rs will be wonderful even on those roads.

But that isn't how the OP has been using his.

So, it does not surprise me that he hasn't been impressed, and I am not convinced his bike has a mechanical problem (although it may have!).

[MadDuck]

While in 2nd gear, doing 35 i twist the throttle, the revs climb quickly to 10000, but the speedo is still well below 55 before having to shift into 3rd.  What is up with that?  

It all comes back to that statement. This is not about spark plugs. Bad spark plugs would not allow the engine to rev quickly to 10,000 rpm ( which is pretty much the top, and then some, of this engine's limits ). Bad plugs would miss and pop and just be plain out doggy trying to rev.  Nor is it anything to do with any sort or perceived restrictive exhaust, which would also be slow to rev. I also seriously doubt that there is anything wrong with the tachometer at this mileage.

Think about it........ 10K in second gear is equivalent to at least 80 mph plus even with the 14 tooth counter sprocket no matter how long it takes to get there.  He says 10K rpm quickly and not even 55 mph.  That is clutch slip pure and simple. Nothing else adds up and, when you think about it for even just a little bit, it is the only thing that matches the problem as reported. Plus, given the power of the engine and an unknown previous life, a worn clutch is the most believable and the easiest to repair of all the offered solutions.

All of the other talk about where this engine likes to rev and how it likes to rev is also weak.  No matter how this engine could be tuned even in it's stock off the showroom floor it made some grown men weak in the knees and others think they found the perfect bike.  I've seen more than one "new to Ducati" riders buy one of those bikes and be scared shitless of it.

Any discussion of how it turns, or brakes, or handles is also beside the point.  He's simply talking about it not going when he twists the throttle. Get the power / acceleration problem handled first and then move on to any other points of discussion if there are any.

Trust me.

[Ddan]

If you are in second gear, engine spinning at 10,000RPM and only going 55MPH there are only two possible causes:
  Slipping connection between engine and rear wheel (clutch or drive line part)
  Tach is way off and you are turning about half the RPM.

It all comes back to that statement. This is not about spark plugs. Bad spark plugs would not allow the engine to rev quickly to 10,000 rpm ( which is pretty much the top, and then some, of this engine's limits ). Bad plugs would miss and pop and just be plain out doggy trying to rev.  Nor is it anything to do with any sort or perceived restrictive exhaust, which would also be slow to rev. I also seriously doubt that there is anything wrong with the tachometer at this mileage.

Think about it........ 10K in second gear is equivalent to at least 80 mph plus even with the 14 tooth counter sprocket no matter how long it takes to get there.  He says 10K rpm quickly and not even 55 mph.  That is clutch slip pure and simple. Nothing else adds up and, when you think about it for even just a little bit, it is the only thing that matches the problem as reported. Plus, given the power of the engine and an unknown previous life, a worn clutch is the most believable and the easiest to repair of all the offered solutions.

All of the other talk about where this engine likes to rev and how it likes to rev is also weak.  No matter how this engine could be tuned even in it's stock off the showroom floor it made some grown men weak in the knees and others think they found the perfect bike.  I've seen more than one "new to Ducati" riders buy one of those bikes and be scared shitless of it.

Any discussion of how it turns, or brakes, or handles is also beside the point.  He's simply talking about it not going when he twists the throttle. Get the power / acceleration problem handled first and then move on to any other points of discussion if there are any.

Trust me.

+3

[jaxduc]

+6
Didn't DucatiGirl have this same problem a few months ago?
paging DucatiGirl... someone find the link!
This guy (assuming he really has this bike and he really is having this problem) will sh** a brick when he (his dealer) fixes the problem and discovers the true difference between his japanese 600 and his S4

[Slide Panda]

+6
Didn't DucatiGirl have this same problem a few months ago?
paging DucatiGirl... someone find the link!
This guy (assuming he really has this bike and he really is having this problem) will sh** a brick when he (his dealer) fixes the problem and discovers the true difference between his japanese 600 and his S4

Apples and oranges - her bike is a 2v carb'd bike. His is a 4v water cooled, injected bike.

And it's and S4Rs - different than an S4

[ducpainter]

Apples and oranges - her bike is a 2v carb'd bike. His is a 4v water cooled, injected bike.

And it's and S4Rs - different than an S4

True...

but a slipping clutch exhibits the same symptoms regardless.

[Slide Panda]

True...

but a slipping clutch exhibits the same symptoms regardless.

Right - but she had fuel issues and if I recall a bum coil too.

[ducpainter]

Right - but she had fuel issues and if I recall a bum coil too.

I believe she was chasing a unicorn with all those other issues.

Nothing 'fixed' the bike until she replaced the clutch.

[Slide Panda]

Ah, I lost track of it.

I hate unicorns.

[jaxduc]

True...
but a slipping clutch exhibits the same symptoms regardless.

[duccarlos]

I hate unicorns.

You are dead to me.

[$Lindz$]

In to say that whacking on the throttle in 1st, 2nd or 3rd on my S4RS at ANY speed will do 1 thing: Point the front wheel to the f***ing sky. Especially "stock" with low rear suspension and bars. I raised the rear all the way up and installed clip-ons and the thing still lofts a wheel well into the 100s.