Winter is still snowing. There are a couple of months left until warmer days and thoughts about a motorcycle come more and more often. To brighten up this time, to consolidate pleasant summer moments in my memory and to fill the lack of information on my monster, I decided to write an article based on the results of seasonal operation.
I purchased it at the end of February 2012. That winter, the choice of monsters in Moscow was limited to only a couple of decent specimens. It’s not like this year, when resellers responded to the growing interest in Ducati and brought a dozen interesting examples. In general, choosing and buying a motorcycle is a different story, especially considering that this is my first bike.
April was ending, the whole city was already buzzing, the especially dexterous guys even managed to go on a long-distance ride, and I was still waiting. Driving training had come to its logical end, and it was time to pick up the motorcycle from the service center, but it didn’t work out - the defense was still moving...
With May came the holidays, and with them came my jacket. I was already mentally prepared for my first ride on the monster. Having collected all the equipment and a support group, in the person of my father and a friend, we went to the workshop.
On the spot, in the workshop, among the other dukas, my yellow one looked very calm and did not inspire any fear. But the whole idyll collapsed as soon as the monster was fed with gasoline, equipped with a charged battery and started. On the second turn of the starter, the engine began to purr and the clutch began to knock. From these sounds a slight trembling began to take hold of me.
While I was figuring out how to properly fasten the motorcycle boots, the master rode along the block, checking the operation of the bike. Fighting with the clasp, I listened to the roaring sounds coming from the street... yes, this definitely does not sound like my training scabies. Once in the saddle, the difference became more obvious: a more aggressive riding position, leaning slightly forward, but still comfortable - the knees took a comfortable position, although they usually do not fit into the recesses on the tank or rest against the plastic.
The time had come to set off, the motorcycle growled menacingly at the slightest turn of the handle, and the jitters intensified. I turn on the first one, trying to catch the work of the clutch, a rather tight handle with good feedback allowed me to feel the moment of grip, the sound of the knocking discs changes and I stall... second attempt, I stall again. This is where the first “feature” of the Ducati comes up - the high-torque water-cooled engine from the legendary 916 superbike does not want to go at speeds below 3000, you have to tighten it up and play with the clutch. But all this can be cured by tuning the clutch cylinder and installing a slightly larger rear sprocket.
For a beginner, especially if he studied in Japanese, it will be a little difficult at first. If you are greedy with gas, the motorcycle pushes and tries to stall.
Having figured out the speed and clutch, I begin to ride along the street of the block. I was lucky, it was already evening and there was no movement, only a group of boys at the tinted basin switched their attention from the beer to the newcomer’s attempts to depict a U-turn on steady gas. The motorcycle turned out to be nimble, as they wrote in the reviews - you can turn around on a narrow two-lane road in one go, and this is in addition to good handling at speed.
Even though I figured out the controls and more or less felt the throttle, the jitters almost turned into fear, my head was spinning: “this is not a Jap, they didn’t prepare for this in motorcycle school!” Seeing my condition, the support group makes a strong-willed decision - I have to go. And now we are already on the Moscow Ring Road: I am driving in front, the support group is behind me in a car. To my displeasure, the traffic on the Moscow Ring Road is very busy, someone is constantly overtaking, someone is cutting, even though I keep the speed at 100-120. The motorcycle rides very smoothly, the L-shaped engine vibrates pleasantly, the clutch stops knocking at speed, so you can only hear it when stopping or at low speed.
There is always a reserve of power, you just need to crank it up more and get ready for a noticeable kick. The monster's gears, compared to the Japanese, are a little short; when driving aggressively, you have to actively work with your foot, simultaneously training your hand on a tight clutch. Even I, a fairly strong guy, did not quickly get used to this situation, and for the first month my hand constantly ached. A special feature of the box, in addition to the length of the gears, is its certain demands for confident shifting. For a newbie like me, it wasn't difficult to accidentally miss a gear or not catch neutral on the first try.
Half the way has been passed, I’m starting to feel the motorcycle, it no longer resembles the intractable bug that it appeared at the beginning. I notice a light in the mirrors - it’s my father honking at the distant ones, which means I’m driving faster than the agreed upon 100-120 km/h. Although the monster has no protection from the wind, except for a small fairing above the headlight, the ride is comfortable. The wind hits the middle of the chest, giving the sensation for which we love naked shoes. If you move back a little and bend down towards the tank, you can go all out. It was in this position that I laid the arrow and the wind only noticeably pressed on the top of the helmet, forcing me to press it closer to the tank.
The 70th kilometer of the Moscow Ring Road was approaching, the flow began to pile up, and a couple of times I had to brake quite sharply. The Brembo brakes immediately showed their good side, quickly stopping the motorcycle from any speed. Today, and later in the summer, they have saved us more than once in dangerous situations, allowing us to effectively brake on the verge of blocking, feeling that very “just a little more and a breakdown.” After replacing the brake fluid, minor complaints about the brakes finally disappeared.
It's already half past 2, so we stop to rest. I share my enthusiastic impressions with the support group, my father does not listen and asks not to go faster than 120. There is an interchange ahead with an exit to Leninsky Prospekt. We are entering the city. It’s already dark, the low beam spot illuminates a small section of the road, in principle it’s enough, but if you’re driving along the highway, it’s worth turning on the high beam. It’s not very interesting to drive a monster on the highway, and it’s not particularly suited for long-distance driving. Although there are people who rode monsters from Moscow to Europe and back. The tank is 16.5 liters, at 3.5 the light starts blinking. With an average consumption of 6 liters in the city, you can fill up at 12 liters and not worry.
Turning onto Kosygin the thought flashed, “Shouldn’t we go up the mountain?” Easily throwing away the bad thought, I turned towards the garage. There was less than a kilometer to go home. And only when I rolled the monster into the garage did I realize that my dream had come true.
Instead of an epilogue.
pros
- traction and power distribution throughout the entire rev range
- handling, easy during aggressive driving
- adjustable suspension
- Brembo brakes
- lightweight wheels and carbon body kit
- trouble-free and friendly with proper maintenance and driving
- exterior
- S4 is affordable, often cheaper than Japanese classmates
Minuses
- specifics of maintenance Special skills are required: replacing timing belts, adjusting the desmodrome. Replace belts every 2 years, on average 10-12 thousand city mileage. The clutch lasts 5-20+ thousand, depending on driving style. In some situations, the clutch basket itself must be replaced. Consumables are usually in stock, but anything serious takes 2-4 weeks from Europe.
- when it rains it splashes a little from the wheels
- not convenient with a passenger, maybe it’s individual
Features
- desmodrome
- dry clutch with a tight handle (tightness can be treated), giving a characteristic “bucket of bolts” sound and a firm grip both during acceleration and during engine braking
- pleasant vibrations and specific operation of the L-shaped engine
- Italian
Summary.
I'm completely satisfied with the S4, it has everything I need from a motorcycle.
Yes, the service is a little more expensive than the Japanese and there are minor shortcomings, but these are rather complaints about age and they can be easily eliminated. The motorcycle is very “masculine”. I had a chance to drive the 696 a little and compare monsters of different generations. The difference was in everything except the great pleasure of driving.
MODERN CLASSICS: A GUIDE TO THE DUCATI MONSTER AS ONE OF THE BEST WORKS OF MOTOR ART
Its designer, Miguel Galuzzi, said it best about the bike's design philosophy: “Really, all you need on a motorcycle is a seat, a tank, a motor, two wheels and a handlebar,” when Ducati unveiled a new prototype that was destined to become an icon . At the presentation in Cologne, the Monster 900 created a real sensation.
1993: Ducati Monster M900
The Ducati Monster provoked with its appearance the birth of a whole cohort of imitators - neoclassical motorcycles. However, imitation is the highest form of flattery. The motorcycle was completely devoid of fairings and other decorations, presenting its frame and bare engine to the eyes of ordinary people. The name of the “naked” motorcycle class was born on its own, thanks to the appearance of this “monster” in the early 1990s.
The appearance of this model is a kind of return of the concern to its roots, the launch of a road motorcycle, more or less similar to the early Ducati models, such as Marianna, Elite and Scrambler.
“Monstrously” beautiful is a mix of exquisite Ducati components: the previously race-tested 851/888 models and the 900 cc air-oil-cooled engine of the Supersport family.
In terms of its character, the motorcycle fully corresponded to its name: powerful, daring and at the same time perfectly controllable. However, for most motorcyclists, his temper was still frightening, then in 1995, Ducati launched the 600 model on the market. Outwardly, it was no different from the more powerful one, but the engine was much more rider-friendly.
Moreover, to develop the Japanese market, along with powerful versions, models with a 400 cc engine with a power of 53 hp were produced. With. (this is the cubic capacity that inexperienced motorcyclists are allowed to start with in Japan).
2001: Monster S4
However, the most interesting modifications began to appear in the early 2000s. So in 2001, the Monster S4 model appeared, which was equipped with a liquid-cooled Desmoquattro engine from the Ducati 916 sportsbike. The buyer received a motorcycle without fairings, with a classic round headlight, serious brakes, suspension and an engine from a racing superbike.
Following the S4 in 2004, an even more monstrous Monster appeared - S4R. This time the old chassis, with some modifications, was equipped with a 996 cc injection engine. cm and a power of 115 horsepower, still borrowed from the superbike. However, a radical difference from its predecessor was the cantilever mounting of the rear wheel - a solution directly taken from motorsports.
2004: Monster S4R
The “swan song” in the glorious history of the family of monsters from Italy was the release of the S4RS model. This time: 130 horsepower, the usual rear wheel console and Marchesini spoked wheels.
2005: Monster S4RS
Of course, the model line was represented by a much larger number of engines; at different times, models with a volume of 620, 695, 750, 800 cubic meters were produced - all in identical bodies.
2008: Ducati Monster 696
Today in the showrooms of official dealers you can buy a second generation Monster, developed from scratch, it has few similarities with the original, although this is another story and a topic for a separate material
It’s safe to say that any first-generation Monster is the quintessence of the sensations you expect from a road motorcycle. And you get from it exactly what you asked for: incomparable sensations in high-speed corners, a classic headlight and the temperament of a southern beauty - all this for quite reasonable, and in the case of very old copies, small money.
The market is quite saturated with offers for the sale of “Monsters”; this is a really good chance to find a real Italian legend. Prices for the youngest models with a 400 cc engine start from 150 thousand rubles, the older versions with the thunderous Testastretta engine (998) will cost no less than 500 thousand rubles.
Igor Kudryashov – OWNER OF DUCATI MONSTER:
“I still can’t decide whether to leave my “Monster” in stock condition or not - there seems to be absolutely no point in ruining the finished beauty with tuning. And the main thing here is the driving sensation, honest and direct, as if during the chase from “Bullitt”.
When choosing a “Monster”, the main thing is to clearly know one thing - I want a “Ducati”, and everything else is trifles. It is best to take 800 or 900 cubes if you have not had much experience before. And having skated yours, you can always try your luck and ride the S4RS rocket, which will give a light to a lot of people - just have time to cope with its temper.
Nevertheless, you should avoid copies that have seen Miguel Galuzzi’s adolescence and be sure to bring a good mechanic you know to listen to the motorcycle, so as not to buy a “Hiroshima” with the sauce of the sound of a desmodrome. And after the purchase, don’t skimp on the service; fortunately, there are enough services to serve Italians.”
“Really all you need on a motorcycle is a seat, a tank, a motor, two wheels and a handlebar.”
Based on materials from furfur
Motorcycle Ducati Monster S4 2001 review
The description of the Ducati Monster S4 2001 motorcycle is in the queue for publication of the article. Announcement: Today, for almost every new motorcycle that comes into being, marketers strive to carve out their own niche. This one is a road sport, this one is a recreational enduro. But what class should we include a motorcycle that has a little bit of everything? A good bike should have a reliable engine, comfortable ergonomics and simple controls...
The Ducati Monster S4 is a very rare motorcycle in Russia equipped with a fairly powerful 101 hp engine. Despite the fact that good models of motorcycles have a very respectable price, and the season for their use is relatively short, the motorcycle market is developing rapidly. And if you believe the words of dealers, then some models of recently released motorcycles are selling like hot cakes at the beginning of the season, and the models brought to Russia are clearly not enough to fully satisfy consumer demand.
A motorcycle has long ceased to be an alternative to a car, and the times when this equipment was bought only because there was not enough money for a full-fledged car are forgotten. Nowadays, two-wheelers can be called technological marvels in many cases, and their cost can be compared with that of prestigious cars.
Many people have started buying motorcycles for hobby purposes as riding or even collecting them has become a good pastime for many people. Many motorcycles, for example the Ducati Monster S4, whose technical characteristics make it possible to call the model a prestigious brand, are in demand among both beginners and experienced motorcyclists.
Currently, it is impossible to purchase a new Ducati Monster S4 motorcycle from the 2001 model year, since their production stopped 15 years ago. At the same time, the Ducati Monster S4 has excellent technical characteristics, so many people strive to purchase, if not a new, then at least a used version.
Motorcycles with an engine capacity of 916 cc. see, appeared as a result of long work of inventors who sought to create a model that was not inferior in characteristics to other versions of the motorcycle. In some cases, these models are not only not inferior, but also ahead of other motorcycles, as they have minimal fuel consumption and other excellent parameters.
Motorcycles with an engine capacity of more than 400 kb. cm, which includes the Ducati Monster S4 - this category of motorcycles simply cannot claim the title of “motorcycle for a beginner.” On the contrary, this is already a serious technique that requires certain control of motorcycle equipment with a smaller engine capacity. Yes, she attracts more attention, she is the most beautiful, fast, interesting and there is a huge selection of models. But as power increases, the weight of the motorcycle inevitably increases. In this class you are unlikely to find motorcycles lighter than 180 kg, unless they are the latest motorcycle models.
Go to the entire range of Ducati motorcycles, on this page you can find Ducati Monster S4 motorcycles from other years of production and information about them
