Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
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vides room for the twin silencers of the all-new Eur02-friendly exhaust system to be double-stacked on the right side. This both helps said aesthetics with a hint of U.S. flat-track purposefulness - accentuated in one of the five different color combinations on offer by the ultra-American neo-Viper metallic-blue livery with offset white stripe - and also permits a theoretical maximum lean angle of 48 degrees from vertical with suspension at both ends compressed to 66 percent of its stroke, says Malagoli. Well, make that still definitely theoretical after a day's ride into Bimota country south of Rimini, along the wonderful biking roads in the hinterland hills of the Adriatic Coast, which provide such a thorough test of any sportbike's real-world performance. One full 3.9-gallon tank of gas later, it was evident that a) the S4R is a mighty muscular maxi-Monster, but b) Ducati had scored a bit of a goal by equipping its press bikes with Michelin Pilot tires, which obstinately refused to heat up properly even on a 68-degree late-spring day, resulting in a series of slides and a constant loose feeling at the rear of the bike throughout the time I was riding it on everyday roads. Even a 18.6-mile blast along the Ancona Autostrada, during which I confirmed that the Monster is rock-steady at speeds up to the 158 mph at 9200 rpm, which is its practical maximum (it's 9.3 mph faster on top end than the S4, says Malagoli, aided by slightly longer overall gearing), barely warmed the rear tire up to optimum temperature a fact which is fraught with consequence for the kind of customer who expects to be able to hop ·onto his Naked streetrod, thumb the starter and pop a power wheelie to impress his mates before heading homeward or to the next cafe/pub along his favorite piece of Racer Road. Ducati's 996 sportbike riders know they have to let the tires warm up before they start going for it, but the Monster mafia ain't so cautious - which makes the assurance by Ducati CEO Federico Minoli that all production S4Rs will come shod with Pirelli rubber that's much grippier, much sooner, very welcome. Just make sure your bike comes thus equipped. Looking at the S4R as it sits glinting menacingly in the Adriatic sunshine tells you this is a bike with unmistakable presence and purpose though given that the Multistrada and 999 have shown that Ducati possesses real design influence and fluid thinking, it's a shame to see the S4R covered in assorted loose cables and wires, tacky little brackets, and other disjointed fixtures. Compare this with the clean appearance of the new Multistrada, and the mega-Monster looks a little messy - it seems to have simply evolved rather than been properly designed down to the last minor detail. Still, the detachable passenger seat cowl lends a very swoopy line to the bike, and this is included in the Euro 12,000 ($ 13,582) selling price in Italy - a minimal increase on the S4's Euro 11,950 ($13,525) sticker price, which seems to be a very good value with all the carbon fiber hardware on the S4R. The front mudguard, side panels, cambelt covers and radiator guards are all carbon, and the extensive range of accessories in the dedicated S4R Ducati Performance aftermarket catalogue includes further black options. One of these is a replacement for the stock headlamp fairing, which unbelievably is the same flimsy wind deflector that so many of us complained about finding on the S4 because, unsupported by any struts, it wobbles and waves around in the wind all the time you're riding the bike and is both distracting and annoying. Given that, according to Malagoli, Ducati started working on the S4R back in September, 2001, it had lots of time to listen to its customers about this - or at least pay attention to magazine tests. Take a demerit point, signori. The wellshaped, good-looking mirrors work okay but also vibrate slightly, so the image in them is always blurred at any speed. The S4R's seat height is the same as the :34's at 32.12 inches, but you need to stand on tiptoe to sling a leg The Ducati S4R is as much a racebike as a streetbike. cue I e n e _ S • JULY 30,2003 29