Motorcycle specifications Ducati996 MONSTER S4R 2004 Ever more bestial

10 years ago, the Monster 900 shook up the roadster world. More recently, the S4, a monster with the heart of the 916, the famous hypersport, has been the talk of the town. Today, we're pumping up the pecs even more and getting out the fangs. Here's a monster with the mill of the 996, you know, the one from Bostrom and Fogarty. Aesthetically, you'll immediately notice the magnificent swingarm, the same as the 900 MHe, the two pots raised and glued together, but also, alas, the ugly catalytic converter. The huge twin sticks out everywhere and promises big things. Launched with gusto into Italy's winding roads, the S4 R proves to be as nimble and lively as its smaller siblings, which is to say particularly vigorous.

it could, however, do with a little more stability in curves. A little disconcerting for a Ducat, but the beast is not vicious. Thanks to its torque-laden twin-cylinder engine, the S4 R leaps from bend to bend. To calm its ardor, it is equipped with a highly efficient Brembo system, much more progressive than on the Monster 1000. Slightly tilted forward, the riding position offers an obvious grip, but sprinkled with Italian charm - although the controls have become smoother, the hydraulic clutch is as hard as ever. As the road becomes less tortuous, the S4 R reveals its allonge and, above all, its rage once pushed to the top of the rev counter, with far more viciousness than its S4 sibling. There's nothing exceptional about the Italian's finish, but that's not the spirit. Far more exhilarating than a sports car (at almost the same price), and not really suited to everyday driving, the S4 R is above all a sulphurous adrenalin dispenser.

M.B
(manufacturer's photos)