Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128405
1000 been downshifting two gears, I started only dropping one. This allowed me to use the bike's torque and carry more speed through a couple of the track's triCky sections. What a difference it made. With a motor like the 1000 DS, you don't have to work nearly as hard as I was. Just hold that taller gear and let those bike's huge 94mm pistons (With new nitrided-steel rings) do all the work. I just wish it hadn't taken me half the day to remember. The motor also features new connecting rods and a new, more compact crankshaft with redesigned oil passages for improved lubrication and performance. The dual-spark ignition is used to improve combustion while at the same time improving midrange engine performance. The 1000 DS's narrow includedvalve angle allows a very compact combustion chamber, which reduces its volume and improves efficiency. The cams ride on oil-pressurized plain bearings, which reduces their size, saving space, reducing weight and the number of moving parts. The 45mm throttle bodies feature a single PIca Series injector per cylinder. A stepper motor controls the idle control in all conditions, elevations and tempera- Many may not consider a Ducati Monster the ideal track bike, but with careful suspension setup, the bike proved to be more than capable of attacking the track with angst. To be honest, I was really quite surprised with how well the bike performed on the track. Early in the morning, with the factory-stock-suspension settings, the bike wallowed like a drunken water buffalo. The biggest problem was that the spring preload was considerably too soft for the demands of the track. After two sessions, I had Ihe S2R dialed in 10 my liking. I added all but two lines of front preload 10 Ihe fork and set the fork rebound two clicks oul from maximum. Iadded a ton of preload 10 Ihe rear, but left the rebound alone, and these changes made the bike sing around the track. I was really quite surprised how well it worked (as were a few guys on 998s and 999s). What made Ihe S2R Monster so competent on the track was a combination of things. Obviously, the fully adjustable quality suspension was the most important element, but the additional ground clearance afforded by the chassis was another. The Motorsports Ranch track's tight "Rattlesnake" esses section and a few other tight, blind, uphill entries were tricky, but the S2R's wide, tapered aluminum handlebars gave me more than enough leverage to put the beast (oops, I mean Monster) where I wanted it. Anolher key factor while riding the bike on the track were the bike's excellent 28 brakes. The twin four-piston Brembo calipers with 320mm rotors up front really get the bike hauled down from speed in a hurry. Not only is the power from the setup excellent, but also the brakes offered plenty of feedback and sensitivity when getting in waaaay too hot when I was trying to hang wilh Nash on his trick 749R. Out back is a twin-piston caliper and 245mm disc. But what about the motor, you ask? Mer all, It's the motor that makes this . Monster such a big deal, as the chassis is very similar to the existing 52R 800. If the Testastretta motors are the showcase units in the Ducati lineup, the 1000 DS is the workhorse. The 1000 DS not only resides In all three of the new SportClassic bikes including the Paul Smart 1000 LE, Sport 1000 and GT 1000, it also resides in Ihe Supersport 1000 DS and Multistrada 1000 DS. It is the epitome of air-cooled, L-twin power. The 1000 DS is a torque monster. The old-school two-valves-per-cylinder (45mm intake and 40mm exhaust with berylliumbronze seats) motor doesn't allow a skyhigh redline, but makes up for it by grunting out of the corners with authority. On the Motorsports Ranch track, it took me a while to adapt to the way the motor likes to be revved - or, in this case, not be revved (as much). Early in the day, I was trying to ride the bike like a Testastretta unit, using more revs and struggling with my shift points. But as the day wore on, I remembered how the DS likes to be treated - mellow and lazy. I started short-shifting it more, and in the corners where I had NOVEMBER 23, 2005 • CYCLE NEWS tures. The throttle response from the fuelinjection system was spot-on. I don't have any complaints aboul the performance or response from the EFI. Another thing that riding Ihe bike properly (instead of wringing its neck) helped was that it eliminated Ihe immense amount of engine braking that was created when I was knocking the gear shifter back two gears for some of the tighter corners. Those huge pistons and the 10: I compression ratio create a lot of chatter at the back wheel when letting out Ihe lever on the hydraulically actuated dry clutch. The sixspeed gearbox has a nice range of ratios even for the racetrack. At racetrack speeds, il was important to crack off the throttle adequately when making a shift and also to make sure that Ihe shift drum could reset before grabbing another gear; otherwise it would hang up a bit. It's no fault of the bike; it just demands Ihat you shift it properly. Speaking of the clutch, Ihe housing and the plates are now made from a special aluminum alloy for improved service life and reduced noise from the dry unit. The exhaust system, as mentioned above, has new high-mount aluminum