[kevdusmc]

I am really close to pulling the trigger on a new '02 S4, but starting to have a change of heart after riding an M1000 yesterday. I couldn't keep the front end down on that thing. It even did 2nd gear roll on wheelies.

I got an estimate on 6k service between the two bikes. The S4 is $960 and the 1000 is $540. Pretty big jump between the 2v and 4v.

As far as performance goes, where is the S4 superior? Just in the top end? I hear that the S4 pulls stronger than the 1000 after around 8000 rpms, but how often are you up in that area? Does anyone have the 1/4 mile figures between the bikes? It seems like these two bikes are pretty close in performance under 100 mph. Is that a fair statement? This is a tough decision.

 

[Guest]

I love the 1000. Never missed the top end rush of the 4 valve. I have no problem keeping up with faster bike while on group rides.

The S4 will beat the 1000 in the quarter by a good amount at the big end of the track, but who would drag raca a Duc anyway?

Buy one, either one.

 

[MonstaS4]

I considered the same thing when I picked up my S4. Do I go with the 1000DS or the nekked 916? I have never had any regrets on the decision that I made. If you are up for speed and quarter mile numbers there are plenty of bikes that are faster. If you are looking for a unique platform, the S4 might be the ticket. The 1000DS is a great bike but I was in love with the Monsters looks and the 916 heart for the last 10 years so that made my decision a little easier. Either way you'll be happy. ;D

 

[Guest]

I took my 620 in for service yesterday and was looking at the bikes on the floor. They had an 02 S4, 03 S4R, and an 03 1000 sitting next to each other. The S4's, in my opinion, begin to loose that naked minimalist style of the original 2v's. The monster is a frame, engine, and two wheels. The plumbing on the S4's (and the exhaust on the S4r) begin to give them that boy-racer look - you know; why the old firebird formula's looked better than the trans-am?

I can't see how the extra horse-power would be that big a deal - that is unless you have a serious inferiority complex!

jb

 

[kevdusmc]

That extra power is alot of fun.

Can you appreciate the difference in power between your 900 and the S4 at speeds below 75mph, or is the extra power only felt at near triple digit speeds?

 

[monster_drill_sgt]

I have a 750SS that I have dragged raced before and I have beaten some Jap bikes off the line but thats as far as it goes. Now as far as my S4 goes I love it more than the 750SS. I have yet to get it on a track and see what it will do.

 

[Guest]

i much prefer my S4 to my old 900ss

 

[Guest]

Hi,

The great German mag. Motorrad did this test

 

[SoCalSar]

I haven't ridden the Monster 1000, but I did test ride the Multistrada. Whoever told you the 2-valver pulls right with the 916 up to 8000 revs was right on the money. Ultimately you will make more power with the S4 and if you ride it at 7000 revs to redline you'll go faster than the 2-valver. But, a skilled rider on the 1000 could go wicked fast with that engine. If there had been a 1000DS engine available when I bought my S4, well, it would have been a tough decision. The 1000 mill is good enough that I might have given up the top end power for the better looks! Plus, you could take the difference in price and throw the money at the 1000 engine- have your cake and eat it too! I don't think an honest 100 rwhp would be that hard. I envy your decision.
Oh, and I agree with Scott S. The prices you got for the services are high, although the deuce will be cheaper all the time. What shop gave you the price quotes?

 

[kevdusmc]

Hey SoCAl,
Thanks for the great post.

 

[SoCalSar]

Good question about the R1; that made me think for a few, and there are several ways to look at it. One, I'm not foolish enough to think that I'm going to out-motor an R1 on a Ducati (add almost any Ducati you choose here). And I've gotta say that to keep up with him between corners I was pretty much gettin' all the hamsters runnin'. Going into and coming out of corners is where I made it up on him. Mostly going in, but I had a little more around the whole corner. But since I really won't pass mid-corner on the street (something to do with liking the bike with paint on it) I had to wait just enough for the exit for him to get to use his muscle. I suspect if he'd been on a 750 doing the same corner speed I might have gone around him, but as it was his corner speeds were high enough that I wasn't willing to push it any harder on the street. It doesn't help that he knew what he was doing either. It wasn't slow! Could I have kept up on the less-powerful-but-better-looking 1000 Monster? Tough call. When you're not using higher mid-corner speed to full advantage then you are forced to rely on the horsies to get you up there. I probably could have kept up but it would have been harder. Higher corner speeds would have to be used and the speeds in the video are about as fast as I like to go on the street. Should you get the 1000? Heck, I don't know, but what I was doing on the video is certainly in that bike's bag of tricks. On the flip side the S4 will have more power (which despite your statement is ALWAYS appreciated), and more steam certainly has an appeal all its own Plus it sounds like the price is right. Again, a difficult choice. Flip a coin man.

 

[Guest]

Thanks Kevin for leaving me as the only sub-900 cc. bike on our rides. One more big bike i've gotta try to keep up with. [smiley=veryangry.gif]

As for the choice, I'd go with the S4. Why? You don't want to regret not having the extra power. The what if game would suck 3 or 4 months down the road.

 

[kevdusmc]

Thanks for the input David. Doesn't matter what I ride, when the going gets twisty I will be well behind you. Only hope to catch you will be when the road straightens out.

 

[erictemp]

Hey Dave I'll be there with my 750...WoooHA! Am I the only one in SoCal that bought a 750...?...hahaha.

If the S4 is the same price or cheaper I'd go with that, how could you NOT.

As far as the looks go, I think the 2v Monsters look better than the 4v'rs but that's like saying Gwenith Paltro is better looking than Cameron Diaz.

What R U going to do with the current ride?

 

[Guest]

Hi to all from sunny West Aussie.To much horsepower is barely enough.Having said that though the simplicity and looks of the 1000 compared to the S4 wins me over every time.