Ducati ST-4s

Whaddya reckon of this: Local bike shop has a 2001 Ducati ST4-S. 10,000
km, $16,000. It's tempting. A mate who owned a 996 Strada reckons that
it'd be OK, but cost of maintenance would be high. And they're not that
reliable.

 

In aus.motorcycles on Wed, 28 Jul 2004 03:57:51 +1000

Dunno about not reliable, although the quality of a Ducati is often
directly the result of the mechanic who works on them. Good
spanner-twirler, reliable bike, average bod, poor bike. Find out who
worked on it, then go to the local Duke club and ask around.

Phil's apparently improved dramatically once he got a better front tyre,
when I rode it, it was amazing when pushed but horrid when pootling.
The right tyre made it good when pootling he says.

Tallish, expensive to maintain, very much the sport side of sport
tourer. If that sounds like you, go for it.

Zebee

 

Hi Martin,

I tested a ST4s some time back - sounds very similar to the one you mention
but back then (Jul-03) the asking price was about $22K. You'll be up for a
bit if you get the thing serviced as per the recommendations and agreeing
with Zebee, you'll have to find a good mechanic. I'm told the boys up at
Vee Twins (Coffs Harbour) are excellent - great excuse for a regular spin up
Thunderbolt's and the Waterfall Way...

For me, it was a bit too much to outlay for a 2nd hand bike (though less $$
in your case), running costs would have been a little high (we do around
20k/yr) and the XX was on offer back then for around $19k including the full
Givi panniers/topbox setup. I'm delighted with my choice but certainly my
ears miss that beautiful Ducati sound. Perhaps a 748/749 'toy' as well...

Our ST2 was perfectly reliable for the 15,000 kms we did on it. Not even a
glitch, though the $1K per service was tough to swallow. I could only
imagine what that would translate to on the ST4s model. Maybe someone here
can offer more specific numbers.

Good luck,
Dave ZZR600 => ST2 (stolen) => '03 XX

 

ah so its not necessarily the bikes themselves that suck but that the cost
of maintenance precludes them to the wealthy - who of course suck


now i get it !

big_harold

 

Now a trip to Coffs for a service would really add to the costs factor for Martin! They'd wanna be
bloody good for that.

 

I dont know why you guys who bitch about maintenance so much, dont just
invest in the even Genuine Workshop Manuals and do it yourself.Not like its
rocket_science

As for the *special_tools* and tricky bits just join the DOClub as they have
them on hand

Enjoy the savings and the bike

CDIHL

 

In aus.motorcycles on Wed, 28 Jul 2004 14:29:06 +1000

Except when it is.

If you re careful, and you know what it should look and feel like, then
it's quite doable.

Having seen what professional mechanics can do to 4valves, never mind
8valves, I'd say you wouldn't want to do the job unless you were sure
you had clue, and you had been shown what to do and what not to do,
rather than tried to learn it from a fairly useless book.

The manuals available aren't particularly step-by-step and there are
enough traps to make it necessary to get some help the first time.

Zebee

 

Zebee Johnstone said....

Dunno if there is a local duke club around here. Still, I'll be checking
it out.

The thing feels as comfortable or more so, just sitting on it, getting
a feel for handlebar, footpeg etc. positions.

But then, I've got my eye on a Honda Blackbird, a ZZR12 and a ZX-12. But
I also like the sound of a V twin. And it's different to anything that
I've ever owned.

 

Dave Ello said....

Could be. I s'pose that I'd get Moto One in Melbourne to service it for
me. But then, Glenn Middlemiss and his lads are pretty handy with a
spanner (that's where the bike is - on sale by consignment, owner O/S).

That's a point too. I think new BBirds are going for a similar price.
Haven't checked, though. About the only thing that puts me off the
Blackbird is the linked braking system. I wish Honda did it the BMW way,
where the front brake lever operated both brakes but the rear lever
operated only the rear brake. It's savage on my ancient CBR1000. I can
only assume that Honda has improved it since then.

A mate at work has an ST2. He reckons it isn't the best bike that he's
owned, and wouldn't mind an ST4. Another mate has owned both and he
reckons that they're both OK, but the ST4 having more mumbo.

 

Hence the suggestion to join the D/O/C

CDIHL

 

Mates often aren't.

 

**** off,


Channel country on Friday. I have parts to collect at the **** in the road. We can get some coffee at Banjo's

 

Watch out for broken frames near the engine mounts.

Boxer

 

no rocket science req

not all that hard, just different to jap bikes and i never neeeded any
'special' tools

thats why god invented the internet

yep the internet is full of help and the mailing lists give more help than
is required
with pictures

 

Anyone riding weekend? I've really gotta try and get out of bed before
3.30 pm

Cheers

Kevin Gleeson
Imagine It
West Hobart
Tasmania Australia
www.imagine-it.com.au

 

I go this new old bike I wanna take out for a slow ride. I'm leaving Sunday open for a cruise

 

Well if the weather ain't total crap and you go for a ride, turn up
here and thump on the door. Thump on Jase's door on the way up here
just for the hell of it too

Cheers

Who is Limbot? Mate of Coneys?

Kevin Gleeson
Imagine It
West Hobart
Tasmania Australia
www.imagine-it.com.au

 

Limpo is off touring the world isn't he?

 

Bobby'd if I know?

Kevin Gleeson
Imagine It
West Hobart
Tasmania Australia
www.imagine-it.com.au

 

On 28/7/04 11:41 AM, in article

No. no. no,! It's the cost of the mechanic to make the bike not suck. It
must be true, Zebee said it!

Hammo