Ducati S2r 1000
Ducati S2R 1000
New for 2006
All the right stuff
MARK HOYER
A YEAR AGO WHEN THE BOSS ASKED IF anybody wanted to go ride the new Monster S2R in Europe, all anybody in the editorial meeting could hear was "Ducati" and "Monaco." That was for the launch of the first S2R, the model that brought together the exotic looks of the superbike-powered S4R's tubular-alloy, single-sided swingarm, five-spoke Marchesini wheels and twin exhaust silencers with the more pedes trian air-cooled 800cc Desmodue powerplant. It seemed to be a bit of a mystery at the time as to why Ducati wouldn't just go all the way with an air-cooled 1000. Was there a lot of extra air-cooled 800cc engine inventory the Italians needed to offload? Somebody make a typo on the design sheet? It turns out the S2R 800 was a sweet bike at a nice price and it sold accordingly. But this larg er version is really the model Monster enthusi asts have been waiting for. Because as cool as the S4R was and the new Testastretta powered S4RS (see Roundup) is
surely going to be, the traditional air-cooled Monster has the cleanest look and its torquey power virtues best suit the street-friendly sporty-bike ethic upon which the Monster was founded. It also helps that you can buy this one for less than $1OK(MSRP is $9995).
If we use the word excel1ent" in the same sentence with the 992cc Dual Spark engine one more time, people are going to think we are on the Ducati payroll. That's just the chance we're going to have to take, because this engine is. . .well, we already said it. Fuel mapping is great, cold startup trouble-free and there are no dips or whips on the trip up to the 84-horsepower peak. Better still is the torque curve, delivering almost 50 foot-pounds by 3000 rpm, with a nice 61 ft.-lb. -peak at 6200 revs. powertrain complai~ is that the final _____ drive gearing is too tall. Last time I spoke with chief testing engineer Andrea Forni he confirmed yet again that all Ducatis are geared for maximum top speed. On one hand, you have to respect them for doing this. It’s like a culturally accepted thing in Italy to go as fast as you possibly can. Why would you do it any other way? The plus side is an almost lazyfeeling 100-mph cruise. The downside is that the engine gets a little pulse-intensive below 75 mph in sixth, but this is easily remedied by downshifting to fifth. There is nothing to do about the tallish first, except to be a little thankful for it because there is so much torque on tap that floating the front wheel on even easy launches is almost a given. If you don’t like it, buy a new rear sprocket.
Even the dedicated earplug enthusiasts among you might skip the foam inserts to fully take in the song this bike sings. The little flyscreen takes some windblast off your chest but doesn’t disturb smooth airflow around your head. Therefore, the delicious sounds of this 90-degree V-Twin fill you helmet, from the even pitter-patter of those bladelike camshaft lobes opening and closing the big valves, to the muted rattle of the dry clutch. The latter is quieter than in the past, thanks to the use of “special” aluminum alloy clutch plates replacing the old steel ones. Clutch pull is still heavier than average, and if you drop your wallet (again) because you didn’t zip up the pocket of your riding suit, well, the combination of a tall first gear and the need to slip the clutch while crawling at low speed on the road’s shoulder to look for your lost gas cards and driver’s license will tire your left hand.
This is not the kind of bike to ride without having your
license at the ready, either, because you will do things that will make certain people ask to see it. The engine is so lively, the riding stance aggressive, yet comfortable, that as pleasant and nice as this bike is to ride at part throttle, you just can’t help but be exuberant.
That being said, rowing through the gears and up to 80 mph takes enough extra time as compared to, say, a GSXR1000, that you actually get a chance to enjoy the open throttle and sounds and sensations a bit more. Its performance is sort of more human in scale.
Well-damped suspension front and rear also encourages aggression. The inverted 43mm Showa fork is fully adjustable, while the Sachs shock features rebound damping and springpreload adjustment. Further, rear ride height is independently adjustable, although getting to the lock nuts is a righteous pain in the ass. Overall, though, this is pretty nice stuff and it contributes a good deal to the cornering stability of this motorcycle. Fork adjustments work over a useful range, which allowed us during testing to make it both uncomfortably stiff and wallowy soft before finding the pleasant compromise.
As with the 800cc version, the fuel tank is plastic. The engineering team sang the virtues of this material: “It is more impact-resistant, doesn’t really dent, won’t ever rust,” etc. That’s all fine, but the tank at 3.7 gallons lost .2 over the former steel tank’s capacity, so instead of getting just over 100 miles of range, you get just under 100 miles before the fuel light comes on. This is a pity, because the seat is comfortable and it would be easy to ride this bike a long way. Wonder if we can adapt some Multistrada hard luggage?
Over the years there have been a thousand changes big and small to the Monster line, and more variations on the basic stripped sportbike theme than types of pasta in one of the excellent restaurants around the Bologna factory. Certainly there is always the matter of taste, but this may be the best all-around Monster ever. It might even be the best all-around Ducati ever. □
