Ducati ST4s reviews

Do your homework folks……. A 2012 1000 Vstrom with 51000 miles ! FOR $6,000 ????? 3500 would be fair, 4000 would be top dollar. What a shame. Now these are great bikes and if it were an ABS model we would be closer to 6k. Really not sure when they corrected the clutch basket chatter on the DL1000, but that issue alone would make me lean towards the DL650. Suzuki wouldn’t even fess up to the clutch problems and make it right. The 650 is solid, 50-60mpg low maintenance. Just a little buzzy above 80mph. Show less

Out of all the bikes I have owned (20+), this one tops the list. I have abused it and it never seems to stop ticking. It has taken me far and close from my home. Every time it leaves, it brings me back with a smile. Even riding to and from work I can find something it will astonish me with (a wheelie or two). Maintenance has been very low on it to date. Just several pairs of tires, pads and many oil changes. This bike scores an A+ on my favorite bike list. Show less

I purchased this bike used because the price was right and the condition was perfect. I was in the market for a bike to take short trips on and commute to work. I choose the Duck over BMW because I could stand flat-footed and it felt more sporty. After putting 4000 miles on it I can say this bike is rock solid reliable, fast, handles great and is comfortable to ride for 100's of miles a day. It is a fantastic machine. Try one and you will be sold on Ducati forever. Show less

I've written several of these follow up e-mails to people contemplating the same thing. Let me tell you how I came to this bike. I previously rode a 2000 VFR800FI. Rode to work every day, rode to Daytona, rode about 2 dozen track days. Very reliable, hey it's a Honda afterall. Did it still break? Sure, but it never stranded me. Next bike had to do the same BUT I wanted character as well. See, the Honda did everything right and was smooth to a point of being "too smooth." It wasn't a looker and it wasn't scary fast. Next bike turned out to be a ST4S. I wouldn't have bought this a first bike or as a specialized bike but for what I use it for it's great. See, I do the same things as my last bike. First as an every day bike:<br /> I have a top matching case on mine. My laptop, jacket fit. I plug my heated jacket, gloves into the outlet on the side. The blinking light on the dash has prevented theft. I have enough bungee points with the pannier bag mounts to carry extra stuff behind me. Second as a tourer:<br /> The bags work. They detatch easily and mount back on. The passenger seat is big and my wife enjoys it better than the VFR. My 2003 didn't have the bigger fairing found on the 2004 and later but the wind deflection is adequate. You rarely use top gear unless you change the sprocket.(more on that later). You have to have a procedure for starting though. The battery on these bikes is barely enough amps to keep kicking it over. In other words, when you turn on the ignition you must preset the idle and begin. The lights are a big draw on the battery and you sometimes think you're going to run out of juice before the cold engine starts. But, you get used it. The bike stranded me once because I left the parking light on(key position) and ran it dead. I jumped it from a car but the battery was toasted. New battery $189. I've ridden this bike to Blue Ridge, Ocean City twice, Charleston SC, and Daytona last year with zero problems. Third as occasional track day bike:<br /> I rode NESBA and Superbike school this past summer. My last bike I put a Ohlins suspension on that is the prime reason I bought this bike. You can't surprise or max out this suspension. Dial it in the middle for regular riding. Dial one turn up for 2-up. Dial it all the way and back a half for the track and smile all day. The brakes are the best, period. The 996 motor. What a rush. The bike goes fast and doesn't get upset easily. It's a hoot. Problems with the bike were all covered under warranty include: <ol> <li> Battery replaced <li>Turn signal switch <li>Clutch (impossible to get into neutral from a stop) finally replaced by dealer <li>Loose fairing screws all over. The rubber well nuts and vibration cause them to work out. Conclusion. If you've never owned a Ducati you always fear what maintenance and reliability will cost you. After 600/3000/6000/10000 mile service I've had 2 shims replaced, belts. Service is about 600 average per service with the first two under warranty. I still don't think owning a Ducati is more expensive than others of equal performance. My Ducati gives me more smiles per mile and gets more looks than my buddies BMW, Honda 919, and Aprilia. If you're tossed between the ST3 and ST4s then I'd ask how hard you ride. The ST3 would do 95% of what I want in a bike but I'd add the Ohlins because to me the ride is worth it. The ST4s has that last 5% for me to plunk down the extra money for. You've had a Ducati so you already know what many people don't, that suspension and frame must work together to give you confidence. On top of that, you have a motor that stands out like a Ferrarri in an ocean of Harleys. Show less

After almost two years of ownership I must say this is the best bike I've ever owned (by far). The confidence inspiring handling and awesome powerband put other sportbikes to shame while it's all day comfort will have you smiling at the end of a long and sporting day. For gobbling up the miles and making smiles appear there is no better tool. Show less

Still running in but what a dream! Amazingly high (? too high?) 6th gesr gives relaxed cruising but elsewhere the performance (even running in) is electric. Got a Corbin seat which at first I hated as I slipped all over the place. A few pence worth of non-slip kitchen material fixed that! This looks good, feels good and is bloody good. Show less

My yellow ST4s has the Duc Corse CF pipes and intake kit, and simply exceeds all of my original expectations for power, speed, handling, ride, and braking, and other than the digital clock never remaining powered (resets when those big amps are drawn for some colds starts), has been perfect in function. The comfort is not at really ST levels in my opinion, but I commute 132 miles/day in the SF Bay area and it works. My other bikes have been 750 and up GSXRs, FZRs, VFRs, CBRs, all big bikes and this Duc really is the nicest, most balanced but capable one of the bunch.I am approaching 40 years old, and that has something to do with the choice, but this thing is really a sleeper 'ST' sub-11 second rocket and it feels it. Show less

Ya'll don't wanna want to know how little I paid for mine. Being stationed in Italy is awesome. I've been riding since '78 and from the first time I saw the Paso in a magazine, I knew that one day I'd own a Duc. It wasn't 'til my F2 was stolen about a bit more than a-year-and-half ago that I finally said "Tim, it's time". It took nearly a year to get the yellow ST4S in, but it was worth the wait. In my time here in Europe, I've owned 3 bikes, '87 Hurricane, '91 F2 (still got it, it was recovered after 2 days, undamaged :) ), and now my Duc. I put 12K miles on the hurricane in the states and 70K miles here in Europe. I've put nearly 30K miles on the F2 and 6K on the Duc in the 8 months I've had it. Comfort, comfort, comfort. What a sweet ride. I was so used to the riding positions of the the Honda's, which wasn't that bad, that I didn't know what real comfort was. The stock seat doesn't cut it. If you haven't had the opportunity to try a Sargent's, find someone that has one and give it a whirl. Ducati is now selling the Sargent seat in their catalogs here in Europe (500 or so Euro). Power--well, like some I've heard mention, it seemed to lack in the low end but was still a strong machine. So, I got the Teraminione (forget how to spell it) kit. It came with 1 front and 2 rear sprockets (1 down in front, 1 down and 1 up in rear), K&#038;N air filter, race chip, and carbon fiber slip-ons. I've not changed the sprockets yet but what a boost none-the-less. It's louder by far but what a beautiful thump. I also picked up the rear bag and the Bagster tank bra/bag set (yellow of course). Just be glad that the stateside dealers put your luggage together for you because putting on the racks is a major pain. Three of the guys that I know with this bike, had different fit problems than myself. It's strange how something so standard would fit so differently on 4 of the same model bikes. Another item I don't care for is the battery. Doesn't instill much confidence listening to it crank the engine over. I had to leave it sit for a month, in the cold of course, and when I got back to start it up, battery went to weak to fast. Jump start--easy if you've got the plug-in accessories which happens to be on of the few things I didn't purchase. Getting to the battery can be a hassle too. You can get to it without removing all the fairings, but just barely. I actually removed mine with just the lower right fairing removed. It's really tight but can be done. It has to come out to replace the chip. Since I was in there, I went ahead and hardwired some leads for easy jumping. don't know how long the battery is going to last. The most recent thing I've ordered for it is the European light switch which will give me the capability of turning off the headlight for those hard starting days. If you've got the chance to get 'em better do it quick because Italy just went to the headlights on for motorcycles all the time law. I said I wouldn't tell you how much I paid, and I won't, but I will tell you that with all the extras I've put on it, I still paid less the Stateside MSRP. Even with the small annoyances, this is by far the best bike I've owned or ridden. I've got nothing but beautiful curvy mountain roads, one minute from my front door, anyone care to join me. This Ducati is incredible. Show less

I was thinking about a K1200RS but tested the new ST4s and changed my mind. I have Beemer for cruising with the wife and the 4s is for one-up sport touring. Great power, great sound and real soul. This is BY FAR the most fun you can have on two wheels. Couple of upgrades make it even better: 1) get the Sargent seat 2) put on the Stayintune polished pipes 3) change the front drive sprocket to 14 teeth vs stock 15 (too tall) and 4) and Hot Grips elctric grips if you tour in the winter. This bike is fantastic! Show less

I am about to buy a ST4S-ABS, and recently tested the ST4S. The sports position hurt my hands/wrists within 10mins. It was not as comfortable as my BMWR1100R. However, it has gallons of power - license losing power. Riders used to cruisers/BMW's will need time to adjust. The bike loves the curves - it is a real natural on mountain roads. i look forward to the ABS version. Show less