opinions? S4RS or M1100EVO? - Ducati Monster Forums: Ducati Monster Motorcycle Forum

caferacermike · 01-28-2012, 10:33 PM

So I've been on the fence about the last generation of Monsters. I'm just not that into them. Don't really care for the squished up headlight thing and the cast rear sub frame. However I am in the market for a new bike this year. Part of me says buy a really nice 900ss/sp or 851 white frame for around $4k or so and keep my money. What I'm looking for is a nice beater bike. Something I can just get on and not really care about. Something I can make boring 4 hour highway trips on, not so much as the special ride out with friends weekend bike. It would be nice to take it out once in a while just for riding in the country.

I don't "pleasure ride", I'm the guy without a car. I keep about 20 motorcycles here at the house but they are all vintage play things. I bought the Paul Smart because it was drop dead gorgeous. I built my better half a nice M600. Honestly a nice M750 or 900 would do me just fine but If I'm buying older I want the 900ss instead, just beautiful to look at.

I've been considering the new M1100Evo since it will be brand new and under warranty, hopefully nothing goes wrong and I get a nice trouble free ride to add to the stable. Again it will just be my beater bike. Might ride it to work once in awhile, run to dinner or a friend's place, make a 4 hour run to Dallas or the coast. I'm paying cash in full for the bike and after being handed the OTD quote of $16,000 for the 1100Evo with Termi pipes and factory tuning, I have to admit I was a little turned off. I can buy a ton of other bikes for a lot less money. Well checking some classified ads around the country I found a really clean S4RS for reasonable money. An 07 with 2,000 miles and recent service work for $8,000. 4 valve 996 liquid cooled engine and still as 30 more horsepower than the M1100Evo and Ohlins suspension front and rear, something not even offered on the 1100.

So would you consider the S4RS over the brand new M1100Evo at half the price? Heck I could buy the S4 and a 900ss or 851 and still have money left to do upgrades on the bikes. I just hadn't really thought about it before. When I realized the upgraded suspension and 30 extra ponies it seemed to just beat up the newer 1100.

JTP · 01-29-2012, 03:01 AM

i'd go with the S4RS... you basically made all the points. you'd save $, you're not overly fond of the new monsters, and it's just a beater / random cruise around bike anyways.

personally, i wouldn't consider the extra HP a game changer, but the low mileage and upgraded front/rear suspension is sweet.

TheOther996s · 01-29-2012, 08:13 AM

I voted S4RS. You have a 2-valve air cooled Duc in the Paul Smart. So, I'd complement it with a Testastretta 4-valve water cooled S4RS.

SDRider · 01-29-2012, 09:19 AM

If you go the S4R/S4RS route check that it has been serviced per the manual. I was looking at one last year that had about 8,000 miles on it but it didn't have the 7,500 mile major service done and from what I understand that's about $1000 service. Also, those S models are harder to find. I test rode a used S4R a while back but it didn't have the red key and the guy who owned it prior just hacked off part of the rear frame so I declined. I liked the bike but didn't get a chance to really stretch its legs either so I can't really compare it to my M1100 EVO.

If you want to do 4 hour trips on it why not go with the Multistrada? You get much better wind protection and a more comfortable riding position plus it is fairly lightweight with an excellent chassis and brakes so it will be fun in the canyons.

A guy I work with has a Multistrada 1000DS he picked up a few years ago for about half what they go for new. It had only 6500 miles on it and he has been riding and servicing it himself for the last few years. He has over 50,000 miles on it now and he rides it to work almost every day. He loves that bike. Seems like it would do everything you want and you'd be comfortable while doing it.

sofadriver · 01-29-2012, 11:43 AM

^^^
#1

Sounds like a Multi would be a perfect solution.

philb · 01-29-2012, 02:25 PM

Of those two, I would get the 1100 for your use. As you note, it will be new and with warranty and no worries about what someone else has done to it. It will be a good deal cheaper to maintain than the S4Rs, especially if you plan to rack up some real miles on it. It also handles a lot better than the S4Rs.

I'd also suggest you consider the HyperMotard 1100 EVO -- it's even more fun to ride, has all the advantages of the Monster 1100 EVO mentioned above, and you can get a 6-gallon gas tank for it from CA Cycleworks, which gives it over 200 miles of range and takes care of the Ducati plastic tank worries. The HM will also carry a passenger or luggage better than the Monster, for trips. Its only downside is that it's quite tall, which can be a bit of a problem if you aren't.

PhilB

caferacermike · 01-29-2012, 07:08 PM

No Multistradas for me. Notice how I think a 900ss is beautiful to look at? The Multi well, err, it's not so nice on the eyes. Just don't see one in my future.

Phil I've ridden an 1100 Hyper a few times and it's not the bike for me. I absolutely hated it. I didn't like the riding position. I hated not being able to see the dash or headlight stuff, basically I like to look down and see a motorcycle between my legs. My friend Tommy liked the "floating" feeling of the Hyper. No need for passengers, she has her own bikes.

SD I would only buy the S4RS, not an R. If it was between an R or an Evo I'd get the Evo. Basically I'm after the Ohlins suspension. If the Evo came as a package with the Ohlins I'd already have it.

So you say maintenance is that much more expensive than the air cooled equivalent? I was talking to my dealer about just such a thing about 4 months ago when he also suggested an S4 to me. I said I figured the maintenance was a lot more and he attempted to tell me they were about the same cost.

philb · 01-29-2012, 08:42 PM

If he's willing to maintain the S4Rs for you for the same price as a modern 2V, go for it. Normally, though, the valve adjustment interval will be more frequent and quite a bit more timeconsuming (thus more expensive) for that 4V engine than for the modern 2V. If that model S4 has the newer TestaStretta engine design, that will help some; those are easier to adjust, but still more than the 2V engine.

PhilB

SDRider · 01-29-2012, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caferacermike

No Multistradas for me. Notice how I think a 900ss is beautiful to look at? The Multi well, err, it's not so nice on the eyes. Just don't see one in my future.

Phil I've ridden an 1100 Hyper a few times and it's not the bike for me. I absolutely hated it. I didn't like the riding position. I hated not being able to see the dash or headlight stuff, basically I like to look down and see a motorcycle between my legs. My friend Tommy liked the "floating" feeling of the Hyper. No need for passengers, she has her own bikes.

SD I would only buy the S4RS, not an R. If it was between an R or an Evo I'd get the Evo. Basically I'm after the Ohlins suspension. If the Evo came as a package with the Ohlins I'd already have it.

So you say maintenance is that much more expensive than the air cooled equivalent? I was talking to my dealer about just such a thing about 4 months ago when he also suggested an S4 to me. I said I figured the maintenance was a lot more and he attempted to tell me they were about the same cost.

That's what I remember from reading about maintenance on the S4R (the S is the same bike but with upgraded suspension). My dealer quoted me about $350 for the 7500 mile service on my bike (which is on par with the Suzuki v-twin I had prior). I don't remember if I called a dealer to ask about price for the major service on the S4R or if I just found it on here.

I was pretty serious about buying one if I could find the right bike at the right price... it just never materialized so I bought the Monster 1100 EVO instead. I'm very happy with my choice. By the way, the clutch is quite a bit heavier on the S4R and that bike has the dry clutch too vs the wet clutch on the 1100 EVO. The chassis on the M1100 is very good too, it is my understanding that the S4R is let down somewhat by its chassis.

Call you local dealers and ask for a quote. I'm sure you could get a pretty good idea from that.

pepitko · 01-31-2012, 04:54 AM

This is an interesting choice, and I would tend to think it depends whether money is an important issue or not. Personally, I'd go for the newer bike, just because I'd like to have the latest model and warranty. But then again, even if something goes wrong and you spent half only the money on the older model, you have a pretty large cushion for maintenance costs. But reading your post seems you like the older Monsters better, and getting one with only 2,000 miles for decent amount of money sounds like a good deal.