Bored at work and looking at things on the internet... Found the figures for taxed / SORNed ST4's. DUCATI ST4 - How Many Left? Interesting how the number of bikes taxed gose up in the summer, and the number on SORN goes up in the winter. This would suggest that the ST4 has not yet decended into the "winter hack" bracket... I didn't get round to looking at other models...
I think a lot of folk ride em only in the summer to keep em shiny. (Plus they fall to pieces in the wet weather*) Mine gets used all year round, it is having a well earned rest this winter for the TL conversion tho! *If you believe the haters!
Mine tend to get laid up December - February except for the odd hour here and there if the weather is good and they haven't been salting. March - November I try and get out as much as possible
i use to drive my ducatis in heavy rain,when it was freezen and salt on the roads. they did great. my bikes could still do it,they are not real summer bikes but i'm turned in to a summer driver now. henk!!!
Yep! I tend to ride all year round on bikes and Convertibles. Normally never when its raining or ice and salt on the roads. But there are a few nice winter days that are dry and sunny to get out foe a blast. ST2 even rarer. http://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/vehicle/ducati_st2
Same here. Cept the "turned into a summer driver" bit. 1995 748 Bp with 45,000 on the clock ridden almost all year round.
Got a 907 that does winter duties, fully enclosed so not so much crap gets to the motor and I can't see it anyway.
Any dry day summer or winter, I ride for fun rather than necessity so stick to the days I know I'll enjoy.
That web site is quite interesting, less bike than I thought for 996's and 848's on the road! No wonder I haven't seen one around for a while!
Ive used monsters and ST2 as winter hacks From experience don't use a nice 916SPS as come Jan it will look like its pulled out of the sea
Are Ducatis a "summer bike" ? Mine is Sort of, I put the rego on hold for the winter, (like your SORN), for the months of June, July and August.
I bought a brand new 748 back in 2000 and promptly used it for 12 months as my commuting bike to work & back. 90 mile a day on it. Apart from the engine blowing up after 600 miles and Ducati replacing it under warranty I had no problems. Used to be out rain, snow, sleet. Now im an old git I prefer the comfort of a nice relaxing drive in, in my car, then save the 996 for weekend fun. I seem to appreciate and enjoy the Ducati more that way.
I don't ride if it's pissing down or freezing cold. The brand of the bike doesn't matter, it's just not fun for me. But the time of the year doesn't matter as long as the weather is half decent.
My bike is put away Novmeber till about March, over that time it gets a full service every year and allot of attention. This year will also include some powder coating and maybe a little bling bling
At least in winter on a 848/1098/749/999 you have the built in butt warmers, well.. your right leg will be toasty warm at least! I have never ridden through winter because it isn't my commute bike, tbh if I had to commute I know what bike I would have straight away, SV650.
What an interesting site. I bought a brand new ST4s in August 2001. I never appreciated that it was one of only 3 registered in Q4 (according to this site).
