Ducati St4s

Ducati ST4s

Italy’s best sport-tourer?

what's new for '02

DUCATI HAS NEVER BEEN KNOWN for its sport-tourers. The Paso series certainly had potential, but the original 750 and later 906 and 907i.e., were overpriced and never came with hard luggage. Despite uninspired styling, the current saddlebag-equipped ST2 and ST4 are closer to the mark. Maybe all they need is a little extra oomph...

Enter the ST4s. Essentially a hotrodded version of the 916cc ST4, the liquid-cooled, dohc V-Twin has the same displacement as Ducati’s 996 sportbikes, but with milder cams, additional flywheel mass and slightly lower compression. Ducati claims an astounding 117 horsepower at 8750 rpm, 5 more than the standard-issue 996 sportbike (!) and 12 more than the ST4. Peak torque is a reported 74 foot-pounds at 7000 rpm (with 61 ft.-lbs. available at just 4000 rpm), up 7 ft.-lb. from the 996 and 10 from the ST4.

Those numbers surprised even the ST4s’s engineers, who give credit to the latest Weber-Marelli fuel-injection, which features 50mm throttle bodies and a hotted-up ECU equipped with an “immobilizer” anti-theft function. The sport-tourer’s less-convoluted exhaust plumbing may help, too.

According to Chief Engineer Andrea Fomi, the goal was to produce “a very smooth, torquey and flexible engine that was capable of pulling from down low with no shuddering. Peak power was not the primary issue. In fact, everyone in our department would have been happy with the same 105bhp rating of the 916cc ST4.”

Not much has changed in the chassis, save for titanium-nitride coating on the Showa fork, and fitment of an Ohlins shock and five-spoke Brembo wheels. The latter are said to weigh 2 pounds less than the three-spoke hoops found on the ST2 and ST4. Claimed dry weight is 467 pounds.

My first contact with the new bike came at a secluded test track near Milan, Italy. Ergonomics remain sporty yet comfortable-perfect for seeking out your favorite esses, or droning down the autostrada. The engine pulls from as low as 2500 rpm, and throttle-to-the-stop acceleration is downright impressive. This should come as no surprise, as final gearing is slightly shorter than that of the 996. Top speed is said to be 162 mph, a whopping 13 mph faster than CWs last ST4.

Factor in the ST platform’s superbly sure-footed handling, and you’ve got a remarkable evolution of an already excellent concept. And further proof that more power can indeed be a good thing. -Bruno de Prato