This Month's Featured Bike:
Peter Schwartz's 04 Foggy S4R

I've always loved motorcycles.
They're mechanically honest, especially nakeds.
Two wheels, an engine, handlebars, and a tank. What else do you need?
(I may be plagiarizing a Miguel Galluzzi quote I’ve seen…)

Ducati introduced the Monster shortly after I learned to ride in college. I wanted a Monster, but didn’t actually buy my own bike until 2001—a Suzuki SV650. The SV was a nice bike, especially for the money, but it had one major shortcoming: it wasn’t a Monster.

After riding the SV for a year, I bought a brand new Monster S4 in the Senna color scheme. The improvement in handling over my former SV was astounding. I was in love…until the S4R came out. The single sided swing arm cleaned up what was, in my most humble opinion, the aesthetic weak point of the Monster.
Enter my 2004 S4R from Rosenau Powersports in Dearborn Heights, Michigan.

My S4R has gone through a few mutations.
It was red with gray frame and wheels as it came from Bologna, however the dealership needed the red bodywork and the bike turned yellow while on the showroom floor. I like the combination of black bodywork with a gray frame and the good people at Rosenau happily obliged before I rode it home.

Then came my own mods….where to begin? Well, first came the DP short rear guard, DP radiator guards, and smaller signals that I had removed from my former S4.
The bike has had four exhausts: stock to Akrapovic to Desmoworld/Spark to Termignoni. Yes, I like the Termis the best. And of course I had to get rid of the udder with a cat-replacement pipe. (The U.S. bikes don’t even have a catalyst in there, so why do we need that blob?)
A Surflex slipper clutch tames the occasionally unsettling engine braking of the 996 desmoquattro and, along with an Evo slave, makes clutch lever pull as light as any Japanese bike while maintaining excellent feel. I drilled the airbox lid in a way that doesn’t increase intake noise to my ears. (Don’t forget to remove the under-tank blanket with a drilled lid if you want air to flow freely to your holes.)
The four-pad calipers add a little bite to the already excellent brakes. CRG mirrors give a great rear view, but keep the stockers if you want to keep an eye on your elbows.
The stock Marchesini gray five-spokes were swapped for the same in black.
And there’s the Matris M4R top-mounted steering damper that gives the front end a more planted feel.

I felt the bike was perfect for me at this point, but, unexpectedly, more mods were coming.

This past August, I participated in the Ducati Rally and Trackfest hosted by Ducs Unlimited (my local Ducati club) at GingerMan Raceway in South Haven, Michigan.

It was a great event, with sponsorship by Ducati and attended by many Ducati enthusiasts. Unfortunately, I learned the hard way that a long-overdue rain and a racetrack can be a tricky combination for you and your motorcycle. Ok, it was probably more trying for me, as my bike would have been up for the challenge if I had been more careful in those circumstances.

After a minor high-side (minor by high-side standards), I had a few broken bones and the bike had a few scrapes along with the classic Monster handlebar dent in the tank. I think the Cyclecat frame sliders saved the bike from quite a bit of damage before completing their job by breaking off.
What’s the difference between a damaged bike and the opportunity of a renaissance? I dunno…

And the best part?
The bike was completed and I was healed in time to get a little riding in before the end of the season in Michigan.

Thanks for reading and see you on the road…or on the board.

Click here for past featured bikes