2004 Ducati reviews

I purchased my Ducati in April of 2004 and after 3 Japanese brands of motorcycle(Suzuki GS 500LF 1985, Honda 750-4 '79, and a Kawaski ZX-9RD '01) I feel I have found my destiny in sport bikes. Power and handling are 5 star, I ran, in a friendly race against a Hayabusa 1300 on the highway and was thoroughly impressed with the power and the speed at which I was able to reach redline. I love this Ducati! Show less

I have been riding for a long time 1100 and 750 gsxrs, ninjas, vfrs, a fj12oo 1300 hayabusa even a ktm duke. The most all around sportouring bike is the ST3. The combination of power, handling and comfort have to be felt by riding many miles on different roads. Long rides with the wife to sport riding with friends, this bike has the goods. This bike is subtle, it won't rip your arms off with horsepower, it is just enough for the job. Handling was the big surprise. Much better than other sporttouring bikes. The brakes are great, not quite as nice as the Duke 2 but much better than the rest (see above). The quality of the bike justifies the price and the lack of heft compared to the other sportourers is a bonus. Show less

This is the most impressive bike I've ever owned. I started riding three decades ago, mostly Harleys and wanted something with sport bike power & handling. Problem is those bikes are not made for tall riders. The first time I sat on this bike it fit like a fine leather glove. Being used to heavy machines I've had to go easy on that throttle otherwise it's on one wheel. This bike sits quite high and as such is great for those of us on the large size. Power at about 85 Hp on a 400 Lb. bike is great! The handling is super. This thing slices corners like soft butter. Fairings keep the wind off the legs very well. Wind screen is somewhat effective but probably better for a shorter rider. The mirrors are great for checking on your elbows & the side lanes but again my size may be a factor. I looked at many bikes but there's just something about those Italians! Show less

This bike is my 1st Ducati, but my 8th sportbike. I was a bit worried about the tranny for the first 500kms, but all the false neutrals/missed shifts have sorted themselves out since break in. The bike has so much character when ridden. The sounds, the shakes, the looks, the feel, and even the differences day to day. It is very special every time I ride it. It lacks the head snapping acceleration above 200km/hr, but sub 200 it is really a wicked smooth ride. Naturally it is rock stable in the corners, and deceptively quick since there are fewer moments of holy crap as the bike is so easy to ride fast. I am very pleased and would buy this one all over again, which is saying a lot. My last Honda 929 I wanted to sell after 3 weeks. I have put Termi low rise, and a K&N filter with open airbox lid. The sound is to die for, and the machine has a quicker response now. First gear can power the front up at will, and second is just plain hang-on fun with the occasional small powerlift now. I would say I need about 10 more hp to have a pure dream ride machine. That would make the 1000ds a legend in sportbike rider satisfaction history. Show less

I picked up a new '04 ST3 after selling a '00 HD Sportster to get back into "sport" riding. Wow, what a nice bike. The engine is still in the "break-in" period, but even to 6000 rpm, it's a blast. The overall fit and finish is nice. The dealer I purchased it from did have to redo the setup; apparently, some of the dealers are having issues with the setup of the ST3. Several people have reported "lumpy" engine. After the mechanic re-did the setup (this was done before I test drove it), it runs like a dream. So far, I'm very happy with this purchase. I find the new seat to be very comfortable and the new fairing/windshield offers great wind protection. I would highly recommend it. However, I would test drive it first to make sure the setup is correct. Show less

I picked up my '04 ST3 last Saturday. I've had several dozen bikes and had toyed with buying one of Ducatis' sport touring bikes for some time. After reading about the ST3, I was convinced that they finally built one that covered all the bases that were important to me. More power than the the older ST2 and not as high strung as the ST4S. Although a recent article suggested that there was a low speed issue that caused it to run rough. I've not experienced it even in the worst traffic I've encountered. Well it's only been a week but with 450 miles, and I'm pleased as can be. I'm limited to 6000 RPM but I can tell this engine has plenty of power. The new seat is very comfortable. I rode 250 miles the other day and had no problem whatsoever. The reach to the bars seems longer than my BMW R1150RS but the height seems comparable. I wanted to rotate the bars slightly closer to the tank but unless I remove a pin that's in the fork tube that's not possible. I'm going to ride it for at least 1000 miles before I decide if it's necessary. Show less

This is my first Duc, and could've picked a better one. This thing has both bark and bite...not the fastest around, but handling is very strong and predictable and the people that turn around in their cars and follow me to the gas station is getting a little rediculous. Clutch is heavy, but this is not a bike you are buying to sit in traffic. Favorite features???? This bike transmitts so many fantastic sounds from the exhaust tone, the airbox, clutch and even the front brakes. Highly recommended if you live in an area you can actually ride...read as: desires to be on the track and out of rain... Show less

So far I love this bike. It's very comfortable for a taller person. It might be harder for a smaller person to ride due to its overall height. It seems very light for its size. Overall everything is good on the bike, stock seat is a bit hard but does provide good feedback also. Mirrors are almost useless for me; maybe I just haven't found a good position yet. Suspension adjustability is great; accessories selection is good from Ducati, slow in coming from others. Shifting is positive, braking is good. Low-end punch is awesome! This really is a great bike. If you don't like how it looks, go and ride one anyway! Show less

I wanted to buy a bike; I was looking for a Harley. I was about to hand over the money for a Harley Sportster 855, when I noticed that it was simply, a one-person bike, which I would have to customize to make it a two-person bike. I was looking also at a Yamaha very nice looking very, very fast, but everyone had one of those. that's when I started to think more about the Ducati. So there I was...I was about to buy the Multistrada 1000. Excellent bike, but I started thinking about my car payments, house etc. that's when I decided to go for the Monster 620 i.e. I bought my Yellow Monster. Beautiful bike. (I choose that color so that people can see me from far away. don't get fooled by the small engine. It performs great. The best thing about this bike besides its handling. Is the respect other bikers give you. I when to one of those bars on Thursday nights where there were at least 100 bikes. All of them where Yamahas, Hondas, Suzuki's all Japanese bikes were there. I parked my bike and walked away. All these guys one by one walked to my bike and stared at it for minutes. I am not kidding, they have no shame on admiring it. My head grew so much I could not put my helmet back on :). Finally when I was about to leave this guy told me " You have the Lamborghini of motorcycles, the best bike of all of these" Imagine how I felt. Now 1,500 miles later, around the beaches and mountains of Puerto Rico I can tell you that I am very satisfied with my purchase, even thou I had to pay around 2k more that what you would pay in USA. Show less

I own two Harleys and now a ST3. I have been riding for 44 years. The ST3 gives me the opportunity to take advantage of our beautiful "Texas Hill County" riding in a different manner if you know what I mean. This ST3 is truly a fabulous bike. I'm headed to Track Days to learn how to ride it safely and know its limits and my limits. I would recommend this bike to anybody my age (age 58) to have a new riding experience. Show less