| Best Bike in the World (Probably)
Back in 2003 there was a Ducati dealership right across the road from where I work. Listening to all that bling razzing past all day drew me into a test ride. Me and my mate took out an ST2 and ST4. After 23 years of BMWs and a VFR it was at first a big shock. Never has anything rattled between my legs as much as that! But then the first real corner came up. My jaw dropped out of my helmet and dinged the tank. I told the salesman that if the engine was horse we'd have to take it round the back and shoot it. But the handling sold it, an ST2 and ST4s were ordered on the spot.
The bike that arrived handled pure horrid, not at all like the bikes ridden on test. So I went on the net and learned about ride height. Dialled in 10mm (yes I'm a wuss) and voila; handling and ride quality like I never thought was possible. And whilst the engine was new, it sounded OK. Miles got me used to the clutch basket rattle. Neil Spalding's great article on oil circulation and rockers fell in line with my own thoughts on starting engines. His philosophy has been proved to be very successful.
Ducati's decision (understandably in view of mediocre sales) not to enhance the ST4s (eg Testastretta engine?) led me to keep my 996-engined ST all these six and a half years. 55,593 miles including 12 track days. At last year's Cadwell both me and my son ran her for 2 sessions in every 3 as he couldn't run his Suzuki on day 1. She did 68mpg on 4 successive tank full's of petrol going to Nordkapp in 2006 (severe speed limits in Norway). She has lunched no rockers at all. Just the odd wheel bearing, head races at 36K and a clutch at 18K, due to my intensive wheelying practice no doubt.
About 4,000 miles ago she began sounding like a VFR800 at tickover, especially when cold. Swarf on the sump plug too. We checked everything we could without splitting the crankcases. The bike itself still ran mint. Smooth as ever. But the swarf was coming from somewhere and things inevitably got worse. Soon the engine sounded like a Garrett supercharger, the sweet whirr was now a grating noise.
Cornerspeed stripped the motor and found that the drive side main bearing had failed. Specifically, 1 single ball had failed, all the others were perfect. This tells us the bearing had not been overloaded nor had lubrication broken down. Naturally both mains and other bearings in the vicinity were changed as a precaution or because some of the bits had found their way into them. Detailed examination showed that the rest of the motor (bores, gearbox etc) was in first class condition.
It's a pity because I believed I could, with proper starting, warming and maintenance, get this motor to 100,000 miles without a failure. And the worst thing is, that darned bearing was Made in England !!
Cornerspeed did a great job at a very reasonable cost. My sincere thanks for that. And thanks to Ducati for making the best bike I've ever owned or ridden.
Last edited by NormanBurrows : 02-Sep-2009 at 12:38. | 
02-Sep-2009, 12:03 
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