Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > Sport Touring: ST4 / ST3 / ST2 > The ST Range

[Rushjob]

Mate has a new Triumph St after having a VFR800...
His report after doing a lap of Spain & Portugal was that he wanted to turn around & go again.....

[BDG]

Originally posted by Rushjob
Mate has a new Triumph St after having a VFR800...
His report after doing a lap of Spain & Portugal was that he wanted to turn around & go again.....

IMHO the Triumph has by far a better engine and should be far better than the VFR.

In the pre VFR VTEC days i attended a Honda development focus group. Albout 15 out of 20 people said that the VFR needed a bigger engine, less weight, and better handling. The other 5 wanted a sportier Pan Euro.

The Honda staff kept banging on about wouldn't you just love variable valve timing and ignored all the feedback.

Having just bought my first ST4 i suggested that Honda copy that (much to their disgust!)

I searched for the elusive perfect sports tourer for many years.

VFR 750 early and late model
VFR 800 (not the crappy vtec thing either)
Firestorm
Triumph ST

Now to me the heart of the bike is the engine, next requirement is good handling and looks and soul are important up at the top of the list as well.

The VFR's covered an accumulated 40,000 miles.
Firestorm did 4000 miles in 3 months and was sold
Triumph covered about 5000 miles in 4 months and was sold.

I bought my first Ducati, an ST4, i loved that so much i replaced it with an ST4s on which i did about 20,000 miles.

The Ducati came closest to giving me what i wanted from a SPORTS tourer, emphasis on sports.

The VFR's were efficient but bland and soul less, The firestorm just ran out of petrol in less than 100 miles all the time and had basic suspension.

The Triumph had the best engine out of that lot so far but still didn't inspire me despite in many eyes being better than the VFR.

Most of the press didn't rate the ST4, but i tried one and loved it. Comfy, great engine, best handling of the whole bunch and some emotion.

I got the Ducati bug so badly that i now use a 996R with helibars, higher screen, Technosel seat, and ventura luggage as my all time favourite SPORTS tourer.

Nothing compares to the buzz of a good long days ride down twisty foreign roads, "bend surfing" then plotting up in a nice hotel, sitting in the sunshine with a cold beer, some good food, admiring the best looking bike ever made, covered in dead flies; comparing the days riding.

Sports tourers are about having fun, not just droneing up and down motorways with everything but the kitchen sink on board, and gods knows with despatching i've done enough miles up and down motorways on BM's, Pan's, CX 500's, Katana 1100 and GPZ900r's.

I go back to my first ramble on in this post about what a new Ducati ST4+ or ST4SPS should offer.

Time to get of my soapbox.

[Athelstan]

Rushjob
Jump on your mate's new model Triumph ST and then let us all have a subjective report ST4s viz a vie the Trumpet

The report I read in the german mag was just over flowing with praise, and I have seen that the other german bike mags are doing the same. Now this tells me that it must "cut the mustard", as the Germans love to slate both UK cars and bikes, so when they issue "warning" notices to BMW that their crown is slipping in the touring department the Hinckley boys must have come up trumps.

[Mad Dog Bianchi]

BDG, that is exactly the point! Expressed my sentiments very well.
I found the VFR uncomfortable after about 150 miles and pretty soul less. Sure it runs forever and does everything reasonbley well, but does it have the smile factor?
Got back on my ST4 last night after fighting traffic on a 250 Yamadog scooter and just smiled all the way home. I love innovation and admire the Japanese for the level they have helped bring motorcycling to, but the Italians have the ability to pour soul into their red (and other colored) machines.

[Henners]

Totally agree MDB - I want an Italian V4 but it must have Ducati on the tank

[Mad Dog Bianchi]

:P

[Jools]

I agree with the emphasis on SPORTS.

My ST used to be my only bike until very recently and it had to do everything. Mostly A & B road twisties with the BHC lads, a few longer runs up to Yorkshire and back in a day, California Superbike School and a few trackdays. It was only panniered up with Mrs Jools on the back about 5% of the time (but I still need it to be able to do that when I want it too). As an all round bike it's excellent.

Don't underate the ST2 for that sort of stuff either guys - they keep up with almost everybody on a ride-out and me and my mate Glyn (who also has an ST2) have held our own in the fast group on trackdays.

Now I've got an 888 to go with the ST2, so that is going to be my true SPORTS bike for dry rideouts and trackdays, but I will say that the ST2 is still going to be my main bike for all year round riding, most of the ride-outs I do and even the occasional track outing. I think it really is that good. In my real word riding the ST doesn't have the top end of a four valver, but the wave of torque that surges you from corner to corner is addictive and doesn't lose out much to bikes that are more powerful - except on the longest straights.

[Monty]

"In my real world riding the ST doesn't have the top end of a four valver, but the wave of torque that surges you from corner to corner is addictive and doesn't lose out much to bikes that are more powerful - except on the longest straights.

You wanted an ST4S you did Jools-which is why I'm keeping mine-loads of torque to surf out of corners and a manic top end if you let it rev-perfect.

John

[Jools]

Originally posted by Monty
You wanted an ST4S you did Jools-which is why I'm keeping mine-loads of torque to surf out of corners and a manic top end if you let it rev-perfect.

John

Actually, if my piggy bank can stand another raid next year I have a cunning plan involving an ST4S....