Axe Posted June 6, 2007 Share Posted June 6, 2007 I had made the decision the R1200RT needed some company in the garage and was looking for something with a little more pep and fun for quick back road sessions. I got looking at the Ducati ST-4 and had recently test ridden one. Now there is one sitting next to the R. All I can say is these things could be dangerous in the wrong hands. Very quick twitchy and nimble. Not worth a toot around town but find a twisty back road and this thing comes to life. everytime I get on the thing I get a little laugh at how it is referred to as a Sports Tourer, right if I had to spend more than two hours on this beast I would be deep in the Advil bottle for a week. One thing for sure it requires your full attention all the time when riding it. My only disappointment is you can only use about 20% of its capabilities and remain within site of any traffic laws. Link to comment
leikam Posted June 6, 2007 Share Posted June 6, 2007 I'll spare you the animated parade saying that this post is worthless without pics. Congrats on the new bike. Link to comment
rogera Posted June 6, 2007 Share Posted June 6, 2007 Jerry, Congrats on the new Duc. Ride well my friend. +1 on the pics. Link to comment
RonStewart Posted June 6, 2007 Share Posted June 6, 2007 This thread has been here three whole hours, and still there are no pics? Link to comment
Bill_Walker Posted June 6, 2007 Share Posted June 6, 2007 Congrats on the new ride. Be careful out there. You hit on all the reasons why I traded in my ST4 on a V-Strom. It was great fun in the twisties, but it came with a little devil who rode on my shoulder whispering "Faster! Faster!". And then in the slow, straight parts he kept stabbing my neck with his pitchfork! Link to comment
Axe Posted June 6, 2007 Author Share Posted June 6, 2007 OK OK already, I will try to take some pics and post them, Geesh you guys are tough. Also sorry for posting this in the wrong area, when I posted it yesterday I had just come in from an hour on the thing and was still shaken up a bit. Riding on a narrow two lane, tree lined road came around a blind curve in a semi hot mode and low and behold what is in the road? Buzzards eating on the carcass of a recently hit deer. Oh my! I have always been a believer that riders will either brake or swerve in a panic situation, depending on the kind of riding they do most. All things being equal riders who spend a great deal of time on the slab, the instinct will be to brake while riders who ride mostly twistys will tend to swerve. Although as I look back on the event I now realize I had a margin for braking but my immediate reaction was to swerve. I did and missed the mess by a comfortable margin. Believe me when I say this thing will swerve. Being a good citizen I stopped and moved the darn thing into the woods a bit so the vultures could feed in peace making sure no one else had the same experience. Yep and whoever said it is correct, there is a little devil that resides in this machine that keeps saying "faster faster you chicken, you could have taken that curve much faster than that" Self control is a wonderful thing and so far I have only adventured into the fringes of this motorcycle's capabilities. It is a nice place to visit but I sure don't want to live there. I think there are old riders and bold riders but no old, bold riders if I could borrow and paraphrase from General Yeager. Link to comment
JerryMather Posted June 6, 2007 Share Posted June 6, 2007 Welcome to the club. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have over the years. It's is in fact, a very nice tourer IMO. As a matter of fact..a friend of mine took a Multi Strada up to Torrey a few weeks ago with us and had no problems at all. I traded bikes with a friend of mine the other day so I could try out his ST-4 and he my 996. It was a blast and very comfortable for me, but I ride the 996 for a few hundred miles at a time, easily. Once you get familar with the seating postion, I hope you too can rack up the miles on it with no problems. Link to comment
Lineareagle Posted June 6, 2007 Share Posted June 6, 2007 It was great fun in the twisties, but it came with a little devil who rode on my shoulder whispering "Faster! Faster!". And then in the slow, straight parts he kept stabbing my neck with his pitchfork! Man, wouldn't it be nice to be of an age and physical prowess to not even consider comfort as an issue. Sigh, long gone are those days for me at least. Link to comment
kcscout Posted June 6, 2007 Share Posted June 6, 2007 OK OK already, I will try to take some pics and post them, Geesh you guys are tough. It's been 5 hours. Where are the pics?! Link to comment
beemerboy Posted June 6, 2007 Share Posted June 6, 2007 I find it interesting that many BMW R bike owners end up with a Ducati in the stable. While mine isn't in the class of the ST4 it's still a sweet sporty bike that makes me want to do bad things. That being said I'll join the chorus and ask WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO POST SOME PHOTOS???!!!! Don't you know that we live vicariously through the expenditures of others? Let us join in your pride of ownership (and $$ outlay) and post some moto-porn! Thank you. Link to comment
Tool Posted June 9, 2007 Share Posted June 9, 2007 OK OK already, I will try to take some pics and post them, Geesh you guys are tough. It's been 5 hours. Where are the pics?! Cut the poor guy some slack! RT AND a ST4?? He's too busy riding. Maybe this will take the edge off for a while... Sheesh! Link to comment
flyboy Posted June 11, 2007 Share Posted June 11, 2007 Great bikes. I got a MTS 1000Ds last fall. WOW!!! You can tour on it also. Haven't ridden the BMW's much since I got it. Hope to take it to the UN this year!!!! Link to comment
JerryMather Posted April 20, 2008 Share Posted April 20, 2008 My only disappointment is you can only use about 20% of its capabilities and remain within site of any traffic laws. Didn't the dealer tell ya that The Speed laws are for everyone else ........... and don't apply to DUCATI OWNERS! Link to comment
Marty Hill Posted April 20, 2008 Share Posted April 20, 2008 Denny, That is one cool pic. Link to comment
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