Ducati S2R 1000 Monster : The Definition of Fun
I’m mere miles away from some of the densest population centers that the city of Los Angeles has to offer and yet I’m not even conscious of it. Twisting around the back half of the Mulholland Highway it’s remarkable how a great ride can completely alter your outlook on life. Bring a smile to your face. Not because it permanently changes you, but rather because it forces you to focus on a unique moment in time. A unique story that’s all your own. Corners and straights that merely existed somehow coalesce into one fluid and marvelous adventure that’s yours and yours alone.
Coming through the corners I find myself thinking that there’s an amazing sense of simplicity and it’s marvelous. It’s also a concept I thought I’d outgrown. Not because I wanted to but because I had to. The real world is inevitably filled with complications. Work. Family. Car payments. You name it. Nothing feels simple anymore. Life, it seems, has forced me to grow up. It forces all of us to grow up. Yet this wildly wicked amusement park ride reminds me of a time when the world was just simple and fun.
How fantastic is that?
I can’t help but thinking that on some level and at some point we all wish we could go back in time to a simpler part of our lives. For some that could be childhood or perhaps their teenage years. For others it might even be when they were young adults making their way in the world. Yet regardless of which particular chunk of time we’re talking about there’s a commonality - a bond perhaps - where we all search for a way to remind ourselves of what it was like to live a carefree existence. A world filled with unequivocal passion and enjoyment.
This bike does that… And more…
Coming out of the next corner I twist the throttle back and hurl ahead on a short downhill straight, which leads me directly to the doorstep of a whip-your-head-around left hand switchback. I suspect that most people think corners like this only exist in the Alps but thankfully they’re wrong. They live and breathe among us too. Instinctively my right hand begins to brake as I slide over in the saddle and with an amazing sense of confidence for having never ridden this bike before I nail the smoothest downshift I’ve felt in quite awhile. Seconds later it becomes clear that I’m not the only one who enjoys leaning over. The bike digs it too. It’s solidly planted. Confidently planted. My heart is pounding and I pin my helmet to my shoulder and look through the turn. With no oncoming traffic headed my way I swing the bike into the turn with a simple push. And it just falls… As if this is where it was built to play.
A moment later I’m overcome with that wicked sensation that seems directly proportional to lean angle and I feel that sportbike kind of rush. That need to tilt it just a bit more. So somewhere before the apex I tighten my line. With remarkably little pressure, I push on the inside hand grip and countersteer my way into dragging a knee. Not a tap mind you, but a full-fledged pre-apex-through-exit puck on the ground grind. The kind of planted puck that’s leaving shards of plastic across the road and slapping a gigantic grin on my face. Because it’s fun. A ridiculously addictive and almost primeval kind of fun that just happens to be called the Ducati Monster S2R 1000.
It’s also an inquisitive ride. Every mile makes you wonder about the lineage. You find yourself soaking up a youthful ambience from the experience. Focusing on how the bike makes you ‘feel’. The rush it provides. The way it moves. No part of the journey feels contrived. There’s no cosmetically engineered experience here. It’s much more vivid. Almost as if you can sense exactly what designer Miguel Galluzzi was thinking when he first penned the bike in the early nineties. There might be a rough and tumble profile to this motorcycle, but at its core it’s a living breathing emotional creature that just wants to play.
When the first Monster premiered at The Cologne Motor Show in 1992 it got rave reviews and in many ways ushered in the ‘naked bike’ craze. Yet to be fair this new Monster really isn’t a naked motorcycle at all, it’s just missing a few pieces that you don’t need anyway. At least that’s what I’ve come to realize after riding it all weekend.
Five minutes after firing the bike up for the first time I knew that the S2R 1000 was going to be unlike any Ducati I’d ever ridden. First of all there’s no throttle advance. They’ve done away with that and replaced it with an electric fuel injection system that works remarkably well. Thankfully it appears that the days of straddling a Duc and wondering what you have to do to coax it into turning over have come to an unceremonious close.
The next thing you notice when riding this bike for the first time is that the mirrors actually work. To be honest I didn’t think that was possible on an Italian motorcycle. I didn’t think they cared about anything that wasn’t directly related to racing. Yet over the weekend I found myself actually being able to see behind me. When you’re up in the canyons this obviously doesn’t matter all that much, but on a city street having functional mirrors is remarkably handy.
Of course let’s be honest you don’t ride a Ducati for functional mirrors. You ride it for the pure stab-you-in-the-heart passion it elicits. That unique character and excitement that only seems to come from Italy. Perhaps no part of this bike exudes this sense of unique Italian character like the air cooled 2 value Desmodromic L Twin Engine. Now I’m nowhere near an expert in air cooled Ducati’s but I was pleasantly surprised with how snappy the 2 valver turned out to be. It’s got a tremendous amount of low-end grunt. The kind of torque that makes you very aware that usable power is getting to the ground, not mind-blowing superbike excitement that has the potential to blow your mind or scare you right out of it, but good old fashion usable power that gets you where you want to go with a sense of enjoyment. With a sense of fun.
Like most classic twin engines the S2R 1000 does not rev very high at all. It redlines around 8,500 rpms and that’s perhaps on the generous side. Taking the bike up to the edge is great fun, but hitting the edge is quite an adventure. I found the rev limiter cut off ridiculously harsh. Perhaps jarring would be a better adjective. Years ago if I read a complaint about a rev limiter in a mainstream moto-mag I’d probably shake my head and ask, ‘who hits their rev limiter on the street anyway?’ Today I know better and to be fair on this bike it’s way too easy to do. As I’ve learned getting used to where the power is and how to manage it takes a little bit of time. In comparison most Inline 4’s or even the 4 valve Testastretta Twin found in the 999 are just starting to make their power when the S2R 1000 hits its ceiling. If you’re use to riding any higher revving bike the S2R 1000 will feel quite shocking at first. Almost odd. Discount that sensation. Letting yourself get caught up in it would be a mistake. This bike is too much fun once you get used to it. Once you take a step back and slow yourself down and dare I say, simplify your life.
With a claimed 95 horsepower no one will ever consider the S2R 1000 the most powerful engine on the planet, yet in many ways it’s a wonderful window into another time and place for both the bike and the rider.
Hitting the end of Mulholland I start heading back down Pacific Coast Highway. This of course presents me with a decision because I know I should start heading back at this point. These days there’s always something else waiting at home that needs to get done. However I can’t do it, I can’t stop now. Because part of riding is allowing yourself to fall into non-rational bliss. To make spur of the moment decisions about where to go and how to get there with no logical aspirations. So it’s back to the canyons for more playtime.
Heading up Decker Canyon is an education in shifting. The road is curvy and tight with a touch of technicality. For my money it’s the most challenging Malibu Canyon road to test your skills. In this case to test the bike. I imagine that most people will ultimately consider the S2R 1000 for its engine - within the Monster line it’s one of the most distinguishing factors - yet in some ways the transmission steals the show. It’s the smoothest, most inspiring and confidence building transmission on any Ducati I’ve ever ridden. Flat out. It’s as if you can feel each gear mesh together. Whether you’re downshifting or up-shifting the clicks are fast and solid. The sensation is remarkable and the security it provides makes riding this bike extremely rewarding. Suddenly there’s so much less thought involved and frankly that leaves more time to grin. Add a very heavy and stout clutch pull to the equation and you’ve got the makings of something amazingly special. Every clutch and tranny on any Ducati from this point forward should feel like this bike. It’s that good and on a road like Decker Canyon that matters because you’re using it repeatedly, over and over the whole way up the hill.
While the tranny rocks, the bike does have its faults. All bikes do. In this particular case the half-fairing is a bit lacking in my opinion. I dig the striped paint job and I realize that most Monster owners personalize their bikes to their tastes anyway, but from a purely functional standpoint any fairing that violently shakes at seventy miles an hour is a waste. Not only because I doubt it’s doing anything of value but also because I can’t help thinking that the plastic windshield is destined to come flying back at me. If this were my bike long term I’d just take it off. My other issue with the bike is the analog instrument cluster. Conceptually it’s a nice touch, but frankly it’s hard to read. Perhaps I’ve just gotten used to an LCD world, but I would have preferred a digital speedo. Carving canyons doesn’t leave much time to look down and wonder how far over the speed limit you’re riding.
Working back down South through the canyons, I eventually make my way to the famed Rockstore for a quick bite. Even though it’s been a light canyon day there’s still an assortment of other riders standing around when I pull up. Motorcycle hangouts are like that; they attract a crowd even when there aren’t crowds. Popping off the bike I find myself looking around at the other rides and wonder what stories they tell. In that respect I tend to think that motorcycles are unique. They are built by small collections of people all of whom have an intricate hand in their development. In comparison these days cars are gigantic corporate efforts. They’re products of multiple meetings. Motorcycles on the other hand are two wheeled tales that tell you about the bike designer, the engineer, the assembly line worker and even the actual end-using rider. They are products of passion and also products of definition.
Standing in the parking lot I flashed back to the first time I really paid attention to a Monster was several years ago when I was visiting the Ducati Factory. On that particular trip I remember the head of marketing remarking that at its core, “The Monster is a simple bike… If you gave a child a pen and paper and said draw a motorcycle, this would be the bike they’d draw”. Ever since that visit I’ve been intrigued by the concept behind the bike, but I’m not sure choosing a Monster is all that simple anymore.
Ducati now offers the Monster in more models than ever before. What started out as the ultimate parts bin bike has now become something for everyone it seems. If you’re looking for your first Ducati there’s the 620 line. If you’re more interested in a peppy city commuter there is the S2R Dark with the 800cc engine. Then there’s the S4R line with the 4 valve Desmodromic liquid cooled twin that seems targeted at the muscle car - road racing crowd. Yet amidst all this choice the reality is that the air cooled S2R is the essence of Ducati. This engine is the most modern incarnation and ultimate variant of decades of engineering decisions and racetrack successes. It’s not only filled with passion and character, but also the kind of heritage that often times gets lost in Japanese owners manual translations.
But what does all that mean when you’re stopped at a cycle hangout like The Rockstore amidst all these other bikes and brands? You tend to see the word ‘hooligan’ tossed around in a lot of publications when they do naked bike feature stories, yet I can’t help but wonder how hooligan-ish it is to ride a simple, comfortable, fast, fun-making machine? This isn’t anti-establishment; this is what the essence of a motorcycle is supposed to be.
Of course when you ride a Monster there’s an additional level of attraction. Something that goes beyond racetracks and pedigrees or best of the year bike labels. There’s a feeling that elicits a purely wicked pleasure all its own. Whether you’re working your way across town or up through the canyons, the Monster simply exudes coolness. And it always has. Which begs one to wonder when does cool become classic?
Hitting the road, I head up and over Saddlepeak as my attention turns to thinking about art or at least the appreciation of art, which has always been a very subjective activity. We all like different things for different reasons. Yet the Monster has been liked by a lot of people for a very, very long time. This is the kind of mutual attraction that has the power to take something that is simply a commercial success and transform it into a piece of populist art. There are other brands that bill themselves as ‘Motorcycle Art’, but I would contend that art in a commercial setting is defined not by marketing, but by repeated showroom success. The Monster has done that and now stands poised to reap the benefits of the next great horsepower war.
During the nineties while the sportbike power craze played out there was little attention seemingly paid to pumping up the power in the naked bike market. Obviously that is changing rather fast. Triumph, KTM, Buell, MV Agusta and even BMW (BMW?!?!?) are throwing serious resources at raising the naked bike hp stakes. Even Ducati has jumped in with the recently introduced but yet to ship S4RS Monster built around the Testastretta engine from the 999. Who knows how far these companies will go or who will win. Ultimately though I’m not sure it really matters. I love the sensation that comes from hard acceleration as much as the next guy or gal but I’m not sure that’s what this bike is really about. Big engines and tons of horsepower have never been the sole ingredients for making a great motorcycle. The S2R 1000 works because it’s balanced, it’s comfortable, it’s zippy but not overpowering and at its core it’s just a blast to ride.
By the time I pull into the garage it’s been a long day of riding and as I switch the ignition off I can’t help but think that thirteen years ago when the boys in Bologna we’re putting the finishing touches on the very first Monster they weren’t starting the ‘naked bike’ craze, they were finding fun. The S2R 1000 is just the most modern version of that feeling.
Here are some more picts…
Running the Monster out on the top of Stunt
Hitting the Curves, part 1
Hitting the Curves, part 2
Hitting the Curves, part 3
Canyon Walls
Canyon Walls, part 2
Canyon Walls, part 3
Venice 001
Venice 002
Venice 003
Venice 004
Venice 005
Dreaming Duc 001
Dreaming Duc 002
Dreaming Duc 003
Motion & Speed
(1 votes, average: 4 out of 5)
Loading ...
Great article and photos… best on the net regarding the Monster S2R1000. I have been interested in the bike and your article was the most informative. Good job.
Awesome article.
Very well written and insightful. It’s great to see other people get turned onto the joy of a Monster.
http://www.ducatimonster.org
great article, i bought a s2r 1000 here in holland where i live now. it came out here in november and i’ve changed my speed four, for this monster. everything that u wrote is the exact feeling of driving this bike. the best part of may day its when i take it to go to work and go back. u feel every pulse of this engine, it flyes on the road.
fun and relaxed even on the dutch boring roads, can not wait to take it back to my country and drive it in the portuguese coast. drive safe
pedro ramires
Exellent review, have been thinking very seriously of buying one the only thing that would hold me back would be the future of Ducati itself. Not shure if I should worry about it or not and just take the chance that every thing will work out in the end.
So if the 800cc Monster Dark is a “peppy commuter” bike, would you consider the 1000 to be overpowered for that duty? I’m considering moving up from my SV650 to something with a bit more juice.
I own Cagiva raptor 650. but my next bie must be one Ducati s2r 1000 ‘cos i never seen nicer bike. Driving capabilities of this bike are known very well and i will get it somehow…. great bike of the bikes!!!!
And, as I can see, you are really in love with this bike…..lol
I also own a new s2r1000 (red too). This article describes every feeling I have had of the bike quite well. Great article and great pictures. Great work.
Just took delivery, can hardly wait for the snow to clear here in Michigan. I appreciate the throughness of the review. Thanks.
Took one for a test ride after reading this and bought it two days later. I had given up street riding for almost ten years and am so glad to be back. Thanks for such a great article.
I am in the market for S2R1000 as my first bike. I’ve had my eye on Ducati for quite a while and this bike just feels right. Twisting Asphlat has helped me to make simplify the quest.
I’ll post again when I roll. Best to all-
Hey Alan - Glad the site could be of value to you. Congrats on choosing the S2R. It’s a fantastic motorcycle.
If it’s your first bike I’d strong encourage you to take the MSF training course.
I swapped my 1993 900SS for an S2R1000 3 weeks ago. Took it through the Alps from the Mont Blanc to the Dolomites last week together with 10 other bike enthousiasts. After that ride I can say that what you write about the feeling of driving the S2R1000 is very much comparable to my experience speeding through curve after curve after curve. It really is a fantastic bike and specifically the fuel injection is a real big improvement over the carburators of the older models. Now you can also drive this bike through town at 30 miles/hour without any heavy vibration while the power curve now keeps rising until the max rpm instead of going down after 7000 rpm.
By the way: the red version looks a lot better with black wheels
Amazing article… I actually put the deposit down on a grey/black one before reading this, but now I am even more excited…. Thanks again….
Congrats! The S2R is a wickedly fun bike. You’ll love it.
Great article. Now I know which Ducati to get.
Ecellent, now may I suggest a cool souning exhaust from Zard
http://media.putfile.com/S2R-1000-zard-exhaust
thanks for the great write-up. I’ve been considering this bike for a while, as an upgrade from my 620.
i think now is the time….
The S2R is an absolute hoot to ride - certainly has a lot more kick then the 620 - though to be fair I have to say that the 620’s I’ve ridden are perfectly fun bikes to ride in their own right and often times do some things better than the bigger engines…
I would only offer this thought - instead of the S2R 1000, I’d strongly consider the S4RS… Heck of a bike imho…
Yaba scoobie doooby doooooooooooooooo. I just got my 07 s2r1000, makes my KTM 950 adventure feel tame. Can’t wait to see what is does over 5500 rpm! 160 miles and all is well, actually more comfy than the big O.
excellent article. eloquent prose and fantastic photographs. i’ve had mine since last march and am, quite frankly, rather disappointed. after re-reading your article, i’m beginning to wonder if the problem is ‘me’….
Got mine in late June- had it in for the 1000km service a week later. Put just over 10,000km on it before the snow started to fly. This was by far the best article I found on the web while researching which bike to buy. Reading it again now makes me wish snow didn’t exist! The bike is spending the winter in the living room (seriously). I really miss riding it. Think I have issues- d**n right!
Great to hear all the good things in the reviews but will someone be honest enough to address the negatives that you have encountered with the bike. Clutch pull/engagement, surging, vibration, etc? Thanks Rick
The clutch is heavy if you get stuck in rush hour traffic and have to keep pulling it in. Otherwise it is fine for regular riding and never causes me any headaches. My Multi has never had a surge problem and the gears snick in perfectly. Yes Ducati’s have some vibration but unlike my Honda you always know you are on a machine that seems alive. BTW the 1000 Monster is really easy to wheely if you have the desire to. The mirrors actually work which is very odd because you could see a six year old standing a foot behind the Monster.
Good write up, I had my first S2R1000 for 4 months did 4000 miles in it, Touring from UK to France and Germany loving every minute of it, Unfortunelty lost rear end on melted road and bike ended uo being written off. But loved it so much I replaced it with a identical one, 1 month newer with only 500 miles on clock.
Excellent article!!! I just bought a Black S2R 1000 and can’t wait until I get possession May 1st. I work 30 minutes outside the city. I think I’ll be taking the long way home……
Great article!!! Went to test ride the bike and just loved it… that is until I saw and tested the Triumph Speed Triple 1050…. Loved it so much I sold my HD and a 2007 Trumpet. Since then I did 1500km and it is just incredible… maybe you will test ride one and let us know… as I do enjoy your style of writing. A bientot Tim - Sydney Aus.
I bought my ‘07 S2R 1000 a month ago and haven’t had a chance to actually ride it yet. Up here in the Northest USA it’s still winter and right now we are having another snow storm. I won’t be able to get on it for another three weeks. Time has slowed to a geriatric snails crawl.
Beautiful writing style, of course I am partial having lived in the area often referred to in the article. I love the s2r 1000 have yet to buy one though.
Thanks for a wonderful review.
I test rode one at the weekend. In 30 years of riding, it was my first ride on a Ducati…I agree with everything you wrote. Great bike…mine will be in the garage in time to go to the MotoGP at Laguna. I rode a black one, but mine will be red.
OK, 2,000 miles now. Full Arrow upgrade with FI Blue printed Map - PCIII, and air box mod. 14 t sproket. One word - PERFECT.
No surging - before or after exhaust. Clutch pull is heavier than an 800 because it’s dry!Go to use turn signal and you have to work at pulling it, but it is fine for a experienced rider. IT IS HEAVIER than a Monster 800 because it is a different clutch. Buy the wife the 800, this bike is more than she needs!
Too much clutch pull, too much engine pull. I don’t consider this bike a beginner bike (37 years riding)
Headlite beam has a triangle missing out of it on the road??? Miles per tank a bit low around 120 ish.
Sound is pure Ducati - awesome, but a bit loud. Still quieter than a Harley straight pipe bike.
Put 14 t sproket on and rev range is better, but miss the 15 a bit on long haul hwy.
The bike will stand up at will. 14 t helped there.
Overall a great bike - have suspension set for your weight. Forget handlebar risers - you don’t need them.
Mine silver / black.
More at 4,ooo miles.
Sold! I’m buying a Red S2R 1000 the day I return from Iraq. I was unsure of which Monter to buy prior to reading this great article… thanks.
GREAT BIKE, Great Review, Super photo’s Had mine since June 2006… Love every minute
Thanks for the excellent review. this is exactly what I was looking for. I was very interested in the S2r but have seriously been considering the KTM Superduke. Your review has caused me to revisit the Monster-I plan to test ride both in the next month-then decide.
Hello everyone! Great article!
I got my S2R 1000 this spring, and did put on Termignoni exhaust, chip and air filter from Ducati Corse after one month. This bike is the best ever. Not only just the bike, but the whole package: Sound, power, looks and handling. This bike really enjoy our poor Norwegian roads, which are narrow and curvy! I look forward to every day after work to enjoy a ride on the Ducati. But the dream is still the 1098, but it don’t fit the Norwegian roads. They are to bumpy!
Well-written article and gorgeous pictures which do justice to an amazing bike… I’m into my second season of riding my S2R1000 (Glossy Black, White Wheels) and am hooked with the beauty and comfort of a bike which exudes “coolness”. The distinct, throaty V-twin exhaust note, the sharp handling, gobs of torque, and excellent fuel mileage (50 mph ), not to mention drop-dead sexy looks, will make it very difficult to part with this motorcycle, if and when the time comes. I currently have 8,300 trouble-free miles on this beauty, and look forward to riding until the snow flies here in the Last Frontier—Alaska.
Great write up. I own an all black monster 1000s i.e. Awesome bike to ride. Def get some ducati performance cans onboard with a power commander. Bike turns heads everywhere i go. Go Ducati !
Got my ‘07 Monster S2R 1000 a week ago. What a bike. Excellent article…it truly articulates what this bike does to you. It is difficult to explain, but the author got it right. I also have wanted a Ducati since I visited the factory, and I finally got it. I can’t begin to express how truly special this bike is. I’ve had Japanese and German bikes, but none of them have the intangibles that the Monster has. Difficult to explain, easy to understand once you ride it. You will be laughing out loud, grinning and making all sorts of enthusiastic sounds in that helmet. Thanks again for such a great read.
Great articale! Great pics !! I have had monsters for a long time.
My first was a 1994 900 with flat slides, arrow exhaust, carbon everything and a fox twin clicker rear shock. I kept that bike for almost 10 years !! I still remember how I felt when I first purchased it. The power scared me a little at first but soon felt very at home with it. I remember staring at the bike all the time, The Monster has to be the most timeless beauty of all time. I purchased a 2005 1000s DS I loved that bike aswell. I now have a 2006 1000 S2R… If anyone is looking to by a monster go for 904cc or 1000cc You will never out grow these bikes they sound very cool with the chik chik chik of the dry clutch and they tend to hold there value much better. ***desmo_monster Canada***
Cool is the first thing that comes to mind when I think of Ducati. The look and sound, unfortunatley I have not had the privilage of riding one yet. I have ridden the sv650 and want somthing with a little more umph, I think the duc can produce. I was sitting on one today in the store with various other makes triumph, BMW, Kawi and the S2R 1000 just seems too have it. Enought talk I think I’ll go put a down payment on it!.
Wow. I live in Vancouver and have just experienced a couple weeks of sunny days. They have been scarce for a few months now, so all that vitamin D has got me thinking about bikes again. I just went for my first ride on a Ducati S2R 1000 today. If that ride didn’t sell me on the Duc your article certainly did. Thanks.
I have a Ducati S2R and before that, the Monster City 600. I don’t think I would love another bike so much. It has everything that a good biker needs.
Exellent review.
I own a ´07 black S2R and the road in Portugal was made twisted in order to give the maximum pleasure to all Ducati owners.
Come and see for your self.
Hello
Two months ago, reading this article I took the decision to jump into a S2R and is the best decision I have made so far in purchasing a new motorcycle.
Did ride severals bikes before in my life, my first bike was a Triumph 69, then switch to a Japanese style with a 1979 Kawasaki cruiser LTD, then back again to a British bike with a Norton commando 1968. The last bike owned till a month ago was a 2005 Kawasaki Vulcan. The Vulcan was a sweet bike but something was missing! It was too perfect to ride, no vibration, no sound, no power to take off.. similar feeling to my Civic.
last month when I picked up my new S2R at GP-Bikes, my first reaction was “Wow!”, What a feeling! This iron horse look wild…
Since the delivery day, I haven’t stop to enjoy each moment with that bike, it’s amazing.
roque
Ajax, Sept, 2008
Leave your response!
Site Supporters
Ads
Recent Comments
Categories
Amazon Products
My Sites
Advertisers
Tags
600 Mile Service Birthday BMW R1100S Book Canyons CA Route 33 CLASS Course CLASS Riding School Cry Havoc Productions Custom Ducati Discovery Channel Discovery Turbo Documentary Driving Design Ducati Ducati 749 Ducati 999 Ducati 1098S Ducati ST3 DVD Honda Hypermotard Malibu Malibu Mountains Moto GP MotoGP MotorMilt MV Agusta F4 1000R New Bike Ojai Pacific Coast Pacific Coast Highway Palomar Mountain Pro Italia Motorcycles Rain Reg Pridmore Review Santa Paula Service Stolen Motorcycle The Science Channel Trackday Twenty20 Camera Twist The Throttle Willow SpringsRecent Posts
Most Commented
Most Viewed