I told you so!!:D

Good choice - I reckon in a few years the 996R will be more valuable than the 998R anyway.

Its only the relative age of the 998R that maintained it's higher price tag - now that both are well out of warantee, I reckon that not only is the 996R the better bike, but will also provide the best investment of the two.

Tim:ninja:

And this is a top quality saleman that knows how to turn a profit. You would be wise to listen to this fella ver,very carefully :roll:

[Edited on 9-3-2005 by Jon]

Or you could take the Super Mario approach - which is to cover the bike in unmarketable bling and see how far you can throw it!!!!

Sorry fella - jealousy can be a cruel emotion ;)

Na thats alright I liked it.:D

So, now that most of this discussion has reached a certain culmination, what do you folks think about the 996 motor in the ST4. Any ideas on how it has been improved and de-tuned for the sport touring duties it now takes on. I am still breaking mine in and limiting myself to about 7500 rpm shifts, but it keeps getting better. I know, I know, it is not an S or an R, but basically it is still a WSB engine.

I presume you mean the ST4S as thats the one with the 996 engine.

Ducati qouted 112 bhp for the standard 996
117 bhp for the ST4S
123 bhp for the 996 SPS
135bhp for the996R

so the ST4S was half way between the standard 996 and the SPS, go figure for a sports tourer.

I've had the pleasure of owning an ST4S, SPS and now the 996R. (haven't dynoed the R yet)

However dyno man comfirmed the ST4S was more powerfull than 996's he had run, and the ST4S was also ahead of SPS on both torque and power until well up the rev range.

The ST4S had been fitted with the Ducati Performance pipes, air filter and fuelling adjusted to suit which made a big difference all through but especially in the midrange, almost 10 bhp at around 6000 rpm and load more torque as well.

What the dyno doesn't tell you though is the way the bikes went. The SPS felt appreciatively quicker to ride, possibly down to the lighter weight, and it certainly picked up rev's quicker, possibly due to titainium con rods and different injection. Indeed it felt like it had more torque, even though it didn't. Thats after riding them back to back after dyno runs, so the dyno doesn't tell you everything.