I took it for a ride today. It's a loved bike. 50K miles, and it is just tight - bodywork, engine, and all. It doesn't have the eeyaugh! power I'd expect from a liter - more like the FZR1000 I rode than the GSX-R1000, but it's a heavy bike (although not ponderous - Race Tech suspension). The ergos are totally wrong for me; it's highly uncomfortable. But my brother's much bigger than I am. :p It makes a very nice noise. I wouldn't touch it for the upkeep costs, but it's not for me.
(http://www.roadstergal.info/12_18_05/13bw.jpg)
Great bike, my dad loves his '00. Fits me just fine, at 6'6. Much better high-speed range with a different windshield and bar risers.
I was surprised by the lack of grunt also, felt pretty slow for 944, but it is fairly detuned from the factory. One shop here in SD has dyno'ed an ST2 at 98 HP, versus somewhere in the 70's for stock.
Plus it's really ugly. :lol:
ugly? yes. but not multistrada ugly :mrgreen:
The ST2 is a great bike!
You can not compare a liter twin to a liter I4. Different bikes all together. The ST was made as a tourer, less of a sport than my own TL, and my TL was intended to compete with 750 I4's. A twin just doesn't have the abillity to, economically and realistically, make the kind of power required to hang with the big supersports.
That is one ugly Duc. Surprising, I realize. I'd say that's almost as ugly as the Multistrada.
Almost.
That's a class in itself.
(http://www.roadstergal.info/12_21_05/19.jpg)
This is a Desmo Devil - a custom job based on a Monster. I don't like the rake of the front, but I like the simplicity and the ergos.
(http://www.roadstergal.info/12_21_05/28.jpg)
More.
(http://www.roadstergal.info/12_21_05/39.jpg)
(http://www.roadstergal.info/12_21_05/44.jpg)
That ST2 is a little bit better than the old design Supersport, though.
(http://www.steves-motorcycles.co.uk/ducati/900-supersport/900-supersport-left.jpg)
(http://www.gruetter-motos.ch/Occasionen/DUCATI/750Supersport_16_7_05_22.JPG)
Bleh. The new SS is so much nicer.