Ducati Monster S2R 1000
Dylan - Twisting Asphalt

I'm mere miles away from some of the densest population centers that the city of Los Angeles has to offer and yet I'm not even conscious of it. Twisting around the back half of the Mulholland Highway it's remarkable how a great ride can completely alter your outlook on life. Bring a smile to your face. Not because it permanently changes you, but rather because it forces you to focus on a unique moment in time. A unique story that's all your own. Corners and straights that merely existed somehow coalesce into one fluid and marvelous adventure that's yours and yours alone.

Coming through the corners I find myself thinking that there's an amazing sense of simplicity and it's marvelous. It's also a concept I thought I'd outgrown. Not because I wanted to but because I had to. The real world is inevitably filled with complications. Work. Family. Car payments. You name it. Nothing feels simple anymore. Life, it seems, has forced me to grow up. It forces all of us to grow up. Yet this wildly wicked amusement park ride reminds me of a time when the world was just simple and fun.

photo by Gary Copeland

How fantastic is that'

I can't help but thinking that on some level and at some point we all wish we could go back in time to a simpler part of our lives. For some that could be childhood or perhaps their teenage years. For others it might even be when they were young adults making their way in the world. Yet regardless of which particular chunk of time we're talking about there's a commonality - a bond perhaps - where we all search for a way to remind ourselves of what it was like to live a carefree existence. A world filled with unequivocal passion and enjoyment.

This bike does that... And more...

Coming out of the next corner I twist the throttle back and hurl ahead on a short downhill straight, which leads me directly to the doorstep of a whip-your-head-around left hand switchback. I suspect that most people think corners like this only exist in the Alps but thankfully they're wrong. They live and breathe among us too. Instinctively my right hand begins to brake as I slide over in the saddle and with an amazing sense of confidence for having never ridden this bike before I nail the smoothest downshift I've felt in quite awhile. Seconds later it becomes clear that I'm not the only one who enjoys leaning over. The bike digs it too. It's solidly planted. Confidently planted. My heart is pounding and I pin my helmet to my shoulder and look through the turn. With no oncoming traffic headed my way I swing the bike into the turn with a simple push. And it just falls' As if this is where it was built to play.

A moment later I'm overcome with that wicked sensation that seems directly proportional to lean angle and I feel that sportbike kind of rush. That need to tilt it just a bit more. So somewhere before the apex I tighten my line. With remarkably little pressure, I push on the inside hand grip and countersteer my way into dragging a knee. Not a tap mind you, but a full-fledged pre-apex-through-exit puck on the ground grind. The kind of planted puck that's leaving shards of plastic across the road and slapping a gigantic grin on my face. Because it's fun. A ridiculously addictive and almost primeval kind of fun that just happens to be called the Ducati Monster S2R 1000.

photo by Gary Copeland

It's also an inquisitive ride. Every mile makes you wonder about the lineage. You find yourself soaking up a youthful ambience from the experience. Focusing on how the bike makes you 'feel'. The rush it provides. The way it moves. No part of the journey feels contrived. There's no cosmetically engineered experience here. It's much more vivid. Almost as if you can sense exactly what designer Miguel Galluzzi was thinking when he first penned the bike in the early nineties. There might be a rough and tumble profile to this motorcycle, but at its core it's a living breathing emotional creature that just wants to play.

When the first Monster premiered at The Cologne Motor Show in 1992 it got rave reviews and in many ways ushered in the 'naked bike' craze. Yet to be fair this new Monster really isn't a naked motorcycle at all, it's just missing a few pieces that you don't need anyway. At least that's what I've come to realize after riding it all weekend.

Five minutes after firing the bike up for the first time I knew that the S2R 1000 was going to be unlike any Ducati I'd ever ridden. First of all there's no throttle advance. They've done away with that and replaced it with an electric fuel injection system that works remarkably well. Thankfully it appears that the days of straddling a Duc and wondering what you have to do to coax it into turning over have come to an unceremonious close.

photo by Gary Copeland

The next thing you notice when riding this bike for the first time is that the mirrors actually work. To be honest I didn't think that was possible on an Italian motorcycle. I didn't think they cared about anything that wasn't directly related to racing. Yet over the weekend I found myself actually being able to see behind me. When you're up in the canyons this obviously doesn't matter all that much, but on a city street having functional mirrors is remarkably handy.

Of course let's be honest you don't ride a Ducati for functional mirrors. You ride it for the pure stab-you-in-the-heart passion it elicits. That unique character and excitement that only seems to come from Italy. Perhaps no part of this bike exudes this sense of unique Italian character like the air cooled 2 value Desmodromic L Twin Engine. Now I'm nowhere near an expert in air cooled Ducati's but I was pleasantly surprised with how snappy the 2 valver turned out to be. It's got a tremendous amount of low-end grunt. The kind of torque that makes you very aware that usable power is getting to the ground, not mind-blowing superbike excitement that has the potential to blow your mind or scare you right out of it, but good old fashion usable power that gets you where you want to go with a sense of enjoyment. With a sense of fun.

Like most classic twin engines the S2R 1000 does not rev very high at all. It redlines around 8,500 rpms and that's perhaps on the generous side. Taking the bike up to the edge is great fun, but hitting the edge is quite an adventure. I found the rev limiter cut off ridiculously harsh. Perhaps jarring would be a better adjective. Years ago if I read a complaint about a rev limiter in a mainstream moto-mag I'd probably shake my head and ask, 'who hits their rev limiter on the street anyway'' Today I know better and to be fair on this bike it's way too easy to do. As I've learned getting used to where the power is and how to manage it takes a little bit of time. In comparison most Inline 4's or even the 4 valve Testastretta Twin found in the 999 are just starting to make their power when the S2R 1000 hits its ceiling. If you're use to riding any higher revving bike the S2R 1000 will feel quite shocking at first. Almost odd. Discount that sensation. Letting yourself get caught up in it would be a mistake. This bike is too much fun once you get used to it. Once you take a step back and slow yourself down and dare I say, simplify your life.

photo by Gary Copeland

With a claimed 95 horsepower no one will ever consider the S2R 1000 the most powerful engine on the planet, yet in many ways it's a wonderful window into another time and place for both the bike and the rider.

Hitting the end of Mulholland I start heading back down Pacific Coast Highway. This of course presents me with a decision because I know I should start heading back at this point. These days there's always something else waiting at home that needs to get done. However I can't do it, I can't stop now. Because part of riding is allowing yourself to fall into non-rational bliss. To make spur of the moment decisions about where to go and how to get there with no logical aspirations. So it's back to the canyons for more playtime.

Heading up Decker Canyon is an education in shifting. The road is curvy and tight with a touch of technicality. For my money it's the most challenging Malibu Canyon road to test your skills. In this case to test the bike. I imagine that most people will ultimately consider the S2R 1000 for its engine - within the Monster line it's one of the most distinguishing factors - yet in some ways the transmission steals the show. It's the smoothest, most inspiring and confidence building transmission on any Ducati I've ever ridden. Flat out. It's as if you can feel each gear mesh together. Whether you're downshifting or up-shifting the clicks are fast and solid. The sensation is remarkable and the security it provides makes riding this bike extremely rewarding. Suddenly there's so much less thought involved and frankly that leaves more time to grin. Add a very heavy and stout clutch pull to the equation and you've got the makings of something amazingly special. Every clutch and tranny on any Ducati from this point forward should feel like this bike. It's that good and on a road like Decker Canyon that matters because you're using it repeatedly, over and over the whole way up the hill.

While the tranny rocks, the bike does have its faults. All bikes do. In this particular case the half-fairing is a bit lacking in my opinion. I dig the striped paint job and I realize that most Monster owners personalize their bikes to their tastes anyway, but from a purely functional standpoint any fairing that violently shakes at seventy miles an hour is a waste. Not only because I doubt it's doing anything of value but also because I can't help thinking that the plastic windshield is destined to come flying back at me. If this were my bike long term I'd just take it off. My other issue with the bike is the analog instrument cluster. Conceptually it's a nice touch, but frankly it's hard to read. Perhaps I've just gotten used to an LCD world, but I would have preferred a digital speedo. Carving canyons doesn't leave much time to look down and wonder how far over the speed limit you're riding.

photo by Gary Copeland

Working back down South through the canyons, I eventually make my way to the famed Rockstore for a quick bite. Even though it's been a light canyon day there's still an assortment of other riders standing around when I pull up. Motorcycle hangouts are like that; they attract a crowd even when there aren't crowds. Popping off the bike I find myself looking around at the other rides and wonder what stories they tell. In that respect I tend to think that motorcycles are unique. They are built by small collections of people all of whom have an intricate hand in their development. In comparison these days cars are gigantic corporate efforts. They're products of multiple meetings. Motorcycles on the other hand are two wheeled tales that tell you about the bike designer, the engineer, the assembly line worker and even the actual end-using rider. They are products of passion and also products of definition.

Standing in the parking lot I flashed back to the first time I really paid attention to a Monster was several years ago when I was visiting the Ducati Factory. On that particular trip I remember the head of marketing remarking that at its core, 'The Monster is a simple bike... If you gave a child a pen and paper and said draw a motorcycle, this would be the bike they'd draw'. Ever since that visit I've been intrigued by the concept behind the bike, but I'm not sure choosing a Monster is all that simple anymore.

Ducati now offers the Monster in more models than ever before. What started out as the ultimate parts bin bike has now become something for everyone it seems. If you're looking for your first Ducati there's the 620 line. If you're more interested in a peppy city commuter there is the S2R Dark with the 800cc engine. Then there's the S4R line with the 4 valve Desmodromic liquid cooled twin that seems targeted at the muscle car - road racing crowd. Yet amidst all this choice the reality is that the air cooled S2R is the essence of Ducati. This engine is the most modern incarnation and ultimate variant of decades of engineering decisions and racetrack successes. It's not only filled with passion and character, but also the kind of heritage that often times gets lost in Japanese owners manual translations.

But what does all that mean when you're stopped at a cycle hangout like The Rockstore amidst all these other bikes and brands' You tend to see the word 'hooligan' tossed around in a lot of publications when they do naked bike feature stories, yet I can't help but wonder how hooligan-ish it is to ride a simple, comfortable, fast, fun-making machine' This isn't anti-establishment; this is what the essence of a motorcycle is supposed to be.

photo by Gary Copeland

Of course when you ride a Monster there's an additional level of attraction. Something that goes beyond racetracks and pedigrees or best of the year bike labels. There's a feeling that elicits a purely wicked pleasure all its own. Whether you're working your way across town or up through the canyons, the Monster simply exudes coolness. And it always has. Which begs one to wonder when does cool become classic'

Hitting the road, I head up and over Saddlepeak as my attention turns to thinking about art or at least the appreciation of art, which has always been a very subjective activity. We all like different things for different reasons. Yet the Monster has been liked by a lot of people for a very, very long time. This is the kind of mutual attraction that has the power to take something that is simply a commercial success and transform it into a piece of populist art. There are other brands that bill themselves as 'Motorcycle Art', but I would contend that art in a commercial setting is defined not by marketing, but by repeated showroom success. The Monster has done that and now stands poised to reap the benefits of the next great horsepower war.

During the nineties while the sportbike power craze played out there was little attention seemingly paid to pumping up the power in the naked bike market. Obviously that is changing rather fast. Triumph, KTM, Buell, MV Agusta and even BMW (BMW'!'!') are throwing serious resources at raising the naked bike hp stakes. Even Ducati has jumped in with the recently introduced but yet to ship S4RS Monster built around the Testastretta engine from the 999. Who knows how far these companies will go or who will win. Ultimately though I'm not sure it really matters. I love the sensation that comes from hard acceleration as much as the next guy or gal but I'm not sure that's what this bike is really about. Big engines and tons of horsepower have never been the sole ingredients for making a great motorcycle. The S2R 1000 works because it's balanced, it's comfortable, it's zippy but not overpowering and at its core it's just a blast to ride.

By the time I pull into the garage it's been a long day of riding and as I switch the ignition off I can't help but think that thirteen years ago when the boys in Bologna we're putting the finishing touches on the very first Monster they weren't starting the 'naked bike' craze, they were finding fun. The S2R 1000 is just the most modern version of that feeling.