Decisions, decisions

Now, in truth I have been very satisfied with my S4R; (this one isn't mine but it looks identical and I can't find any pictures of my one at the moment!).

However, having had it for about 18months I have already started thinking about what I might like to get next. Although I hazard to admit it the change would be for both cosmetic and performance reasons. So thoughts have been turning towards options in terms of both engine and colour scheme. Now the choices I would find most appealing are a traditional red bike with offset white stripe and white wheels

Ducati_Monster_S4R_2005

or if really extravagant the top of the range white with centreline thick red stripe and red frame

but white wheels S4Rs Monster:

Now, just lately it has all been made more complicated as the old S4Rs 998cc engine is now used in the new S4R (though S4R doesn't come in white and even the red one doesn't have white wheels).
Ducati_Monster_S4R_2007:
Suspect the decision will be made by a combination of the available funds and the availability (or not at present) of suitable second hand machines. There is no great rush to change but it is still fun to consider the options!

Reassuringly Expensive!

Well, it is a standing joke that Ducatis spend more time in the garage rather than on the road and so true to form that is where mine is at present! It is fairly rare though and really both this one and its predecessor have been very reliable. As it is I'm maximizing the efficiency by getting the annual service and MOT done as well as getting a fuelling problem sorted out.
Hopefully should get it back on Saturday so will report on progress then.

Must say I'm quite looking forward to it already. As well as removing the tendency for teh bike to go as fast or slow as it wants to regardless of what I'm doing with the throttle I'm hoping they might have been able to do something about a bit of a flat spot between 4.5 and 5.5 thousand revs. I know I could probably sort it with a Power Commander but don't wish to go down that route as I suspect S4R will be swapped for one of another colour soon and so I would have wasted the set up costs. Oh well, fingers crossed for success on Saturday!

Harley-Davidson

Must be getting old; I'm starting to have desires to take a Harley for a test ride! Could be fun though

S4R Unwell, well, sort of!

Took Mr S4R for a ride today to establish quite how unwell he might be. I have had a spell where the engine seems to want to rev in ways that are utterly unrelated to how far open the throttle is; which is clearly no good. Only snag is that the problem seems to go away at high speed so its a bit unclear what is going on. Will take bike off tomorrow for an expensive stay with Motorapido
up in Winchester and hopefully he will come back fixed and with a new MOT to boot.
I still see the Ducati as No.1 bike but the recent increased use of the Honda has made me realise what an excellent bike that is as well. It can easily reach 130mph, is incredibly smooth and easy to ride and now that the second baffle has come out it even makes quite a good noise!