ducati st4s vs. vfr any year

ROFLMAO
Yea, because I ABSOLUTELY can tell you are in your 20's when I LIDAR or radar yer azz as you pass while wearing a full face...:crazy:
As to the Duc vs VFR...I rode both (actually an ST4s) that motor as previously stated is from the super bike and high strung in comparison to an ST2 or 3..Grab a 5th gen and be done with it. I did and I had a sweet ST4s lined up with less than 10k on the odo..

 

Im not saying that they pulled me over cause Im in my twenties, I know they cant see that well, and the majority of my tickets were in my Volvo Station Wagon. Im saying that once they pulled me over for going 3,5,5,6 over the speed limit, mostly on the freeways, they took one look at me and treated me like I was some trash 16yr old who didnt know how to drive. Did I mention that most of these were end of month quota catchers. I dont mean to get nasty or defensive, but speed enforcement is a real sore subject with me, ask anyone who knows me and drives with or around me, and theyll all same the same thing, I drive like a grandma 90% of the time, the other ten there is a cop sitting right there.

 

I pay $426 a year full coverage (liability, comprehensive, collision) on the 999s, and an additional $115 as a 2nd bike for the VFR. In general, Ducati's are cheaper to insure. For reference, I recently got a quote for an R1 - $2,300

 

You live in Arlington Dude... The LEOs live to ticket up there, you should know that.

Given that fact that what you want is a decent bike, reasonable insurance and reliability, while maintaining the fun factor the 5th seems to be a no brainer.

If you're ever down for hitting up 20 to Winthrop lemme know. I'm always looking for someone to roll with when I'm up there.

 

I have a 2000 748S that I have the displeasure of not being able to ride because it is plagued with problems. It's been a year long project thus far, another year to go maybe. Im changing engine items to make it proper as it should have been from Ducati.

A 10 year old bike based on a 15+ year old design and the parts cost as if they are for a recent model bike.

My advice - stay away. That's wht the "S" really stands for.

 

Just curious what are the problems?

 

all 16 rocker arms were worn - flaked! $800 to resuface
had to grind and polish the camshafts
valve stem seals
metal chips found in the oil when drained - disassembled the entire engine and nothing wrong with a single bearing, so it had to be from the rockers
cracked coolant reservoir
fuel filter & fuel pump issues
ignition - rusty horiz. head HT wire and blown coil
electrical - shitty factory connections - grounds and short battery life
need i go on?

i love the godamned thing, just dont like fixing it and paying the cost.

 

They are both great machines. As far as reliability, if you stay on top of the maintenance, and DO the belt changes and valve adjustments as recommended, you will have a very reliable machine with the ducati.

As far as the old 4 valvers (748, 916), they had an issue where a batch of bad rocker arms got installed in a bunch of bikes. My understanding is that if you get a bad rocker arm, ducati will cover the cost of the rocker, but you will have to pay the labor..I'm not saying that is a good deal, but it's better than nothing.

The problem is, if you get a bad/flaking rocker arm, and you don't catch it, it will probably take out the cam too.

I guess it all comes down to your personal preference. I read an old magazine review where the chose the st3s over the vfr..this was in like 06. But, I don't put much weight into what the magazines say. I buy what does it for me. The last time I bought a bike, the st3 happened to fill the need, the next time it may be the vfr.

I'd love to have one of those red, white & blue vfr's in the garage.




Steve
05 st3
00 sv6fity

 

I just sold my VFR for and 03 ST4S.... Don't do it... You won't go to work any more. Just smile, and ride, smile and ride.
Do your own maintenance and have the valves done every 3 years. Smile and ride.
PS... The Duck is a shiteload more bike than the VFR in every way; similar but not so much.

 

Way to resurect an old thread! I got the bike, i rode the bike, then an off duty leo pulled out of a parking lot without looking and i t-boned the bike.... been in moto withdrawl for 3 years now. But the wife said no more bikes with 3 littles running around. I have been getting the itch to get back in the saddle though and looking into vfr, r1150 police models and monsters.

 

I got one in the crib, low hours, about a month old. I got 5 motorcycles, I can sell you one :loco:

 

LOL...I get that. I stopped for 3 years after a head on at 60mph.
To be fair though, my wife carted her daughter Amber around on her R80, she was 3 or 4 years old riding in front of Mom, then later on the back. Victoria to Calgary once.
I got the fever. I just came home last weekend with the Duck. What a bikers bike. Real fine and great to work on.