2005 Ducati Monster S2R Dark Motorcycle reviews

I've had my Dark for about a year now and it's been good fun. On the positives, the bike gets a lot of attention while cruising especially downtown with the renown Ducati rumble (you have to 86 the cat to get it though) or when it's parked. You definitely get a Wow factor from people when owning a Ducati, more so than any other manufacturer. Ducati dealerships often have open houses when new models come out. This is a great opportunity to demo all of their models. How many manufacturers let you demo their entire line at one sitting? There are tons of aftermarket parts to customize. The motor is very un intimidating with good pull, solid shifting. Plenty fast enough for this type of bike. I've had it up to 120 with some room to spare. This is a great bike to start on or transition to. The downers are the suspension has limited to no adjustability, small fuel tank gives you limited range. In town riding the low fuel light comes on around 75 miles. Hwy mileage is better but your range is around 120 miles. Maintenance is going to cost you so be prepared. I was quoted $500-$700 for a 6k service between two different Ducati dealers. Keep in mind Ducati recommends this type of service every 6k miles. Bottom Line: While there are faster and more powerful bikes with less maintenance considerations this Duc makes the right sounds, has the look, has enough torque and hp to get the job done. If you want to stand out from a sea of rice-burners and Harleys you can't go wrong. Show less

I had the bike since April no problems so far. Very fun to ride and peppy. A head turner expecially after upgrading he exhaust. The stock system is too quiet. Show less

It was scary buying this bike because I couldn't test drive it. Well now I can say it was worth every penny. If I ever buy another new bike it will be a Ducati. Go ahead, by the time you get passed your break in you will be part of the machine. Show less

haven't put a lot of time in the saddle, rain won't quit! The riding I have put in tells me I made the right decision. I spent at least 3 months looking at every bike in this size class. Nothing really came close to what this bike had to offer. Performance is rock solid though it is still breaking in and hasn't revved too high. Handles like it is on rails. The only drawback is that the engine prefers the medium rpm range and tends to chug if you let the rpm's get low. Let's face it, you can't beat the style...cool points galore! Show less