Test Ducati ST3 S ABS

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Test Ducati ST3 S ABS
Photos: Kunstle

Test Ducati ST3 S ABS

The one which

Only the ST3 with a water-cooled three-valve engine and, very recently, G-Kat remained of Ducati’s sport tourers. The »S« version is new with ABS, Ohlins shock absorber and fully adjustable upside-down fork. Is she the one who??

Sanary-sur-Mer is a picturesque port town on France’s Côte d ?? Azur. And a microcosm that served many German intellectuals as an exile from 1933 onwards. Well, times and conditions in Europe have changed, luckily. Today, older French people with berets, a fiery red Italian motorcycle with a German license plate and its driver can meet very friendly.

For 12945 euros offers D.ucati is now offering an S version of the ST3 sports tourer with a water-cooled, currently 107 hp three-valve engine ?? 1500 euros more than the standard model. There are ABS, Ohlins shock absorbers and upside-down forks from Showa. Their sliding tubes are coated with titanium nitride. It also has an aluminum swing arm and rolls on lighter Marchesini five-spoke wheels.

So a lot of noble technology that the French admire there. Au revoir and go! The legs snuggle around the steel tank, which is shaped for perfect knee closure. And the bench practically sucks you in. The handlebars stretch upwards to accommodate. They could also be clamped up to two centimeters lower, but why? It is better to have a sublime view of the sea and enjoy just the right amount of tension on the spine in this sitting position. Incidentally, sniff the air, which smells of thyme and oleander by the end of January.

With a full tank of 235 kilograms, the ABS Duc is comfortably under control and you have great confidence from the first meter. The Desmo-V2 gets down to business straight away. It starts spontaneously, fully electronically controlled. For 2006, both ST3 types were the first Ducatis ever to receive lambda sensors and regulated cat. Clean. The 992 cm³ two-cylinder pushes powerfully. A dream of a twin. Turns freely and pulls through confidently despite the long sixth gear. When the speedometer reads 200, the crankshaft rotates less than 7,500 times.

And even above this mark? the ST3 runs 230 km / h ?? the cultivated V2 holds back with vibrations more elegantly than writers during the interview. Pretty tight: the manual power of the hydraulically operated oil bath clutch. What is annoying with this brand new test specimen is the delayed gas acceptance in the partial load range up to hand-tight swallowing. Also atypical for Ducati: the high fuel consumption ?? 6.4 liters of super per 100 kilometers of country road.

The high front section completely shields the fuselage, a dynamic arrow on a round substructure. This cladding punches a huge hole in the oncoming wind, but chirps like a cricket when the gas is blown at low speed and then shakes itself more than a wet poodle, so that the mirrors, which are aspherical towards the blind spot, only tremble. Otherwise, the ST3 is reminiscent of the advertisement for Jever Pils: no stress, no hectic. But she also has the potential to hunt down super athletes. And not just on long journeys or as a pillion passenger.

Hey, this motorcycle is easy to operate. Left, right and back. The world is a curve! Just great. The grip of the sporty Michelin Pilot Power is fantastic. Wetness, cold? Pas de problem. The rubbers stick like the devil down to deep slopes. And when driving straight ahead, the anti-lock braking system helps prevent loss of control.

Supplier Bosch has sportily tuned its switchable ABS made in Japan. If you only reach the front, at the end of an emergency braking you will provoke a sharply rising rear wheel. If you want to avoid stoppies, you have to automatically correct the brake pressure on the four-piston brake bos. Or activate the rear stopper, which is almost ineffective on its own: Then the inclination towards the rear wheel lifting off is less. No, this brake system does not do the thinking for the driver, but is a good addition for advanced pilots.

They will also appreciate the fully adjustable chassis. The Ohlins shock absorber with expansion tank and handwheel for spring preload is a poem. It cushions and springs sensitively, transparently, comfortably and yet with plenty of reserves. The show fork works less confidently. Despite the golden titanium nitride coating, it should respond more finely. But that’s the point of the complex procedure. Even with the correct setting, asphalt breaks lead to violent twitching in the handlebars.

There is nothing to complain about about the equipment. Everything is on board that makes it easier to deal with the Italian, who looks great with her red frame: socket, good light, foldable lever for easy jacking up on the main stand, immobilizer, standard padlock under the seat, intelligent on-board computer and suitcase? ? however for a hefty 738 euros extra charge. Those are très chic, but because of the lacquered surfaces they are sensitive to scratches and not too spacious: They don’t swallow a full-face helmet. Nice: With dismantled suitcases, the mufflers can be set higher in favor of more freedom from leaning. So the one drives that doesn’t even drive on racetracks like in exile.

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Test Ducati ST3 S ABS

Test Ducati ST3 S ABS
The one which

Technical data: Ducati ST 3 S ABS

Engine: water-cooled two-cylinder four-stroke 90-degree V-engine, crankshaft lying transversely, two overhead camshafts driven by timing belts, three valves per cylinder, actuated desmodromically, wet sump lubrication, injection, Ø 50 mm, 520 W alternator, 12 V battery / 10 Ah, hydraulically operated multi-disc oil bath clutch, six-speed gearbox, O-ring chain.
Bore x stroke 94.0 x 71.5 mm
Displacement 992 cm3
Compression ratio 11.3: 1
Rated output 78.8 kW (107 hp) at 8750 rpm
Max. Torque 98 Nm at 7250 rpm
Pollutant values ​​(homologation) in g / km
CO 1.727 / HC 0.250 / NOx 0.089
Chassis: tubular steel frame, load-bearing motor, upside-down fork, Ø 43 mm, adjustable spring base, rebound and compression damping, two-arm swing arm made of aluminum, central spring strut with lever system, adjustable spring base, rebound and compression damping, double disc brake at the front, Ø 320 mm, Four-piston fixed calipers, rear disc brake, Ø 245 mm, two-piston fixed calipers, ABS.
Cast aluminum wheels 3.50 x 17; 5.50 x 17
Tires 120/70 ZR 17; 180/55 ZR 17
Tires in the Michelin Pilot Power test

Dimensions and weights: wheelbase 1430 mm, steering head angle 66 degrees, caster 102 mm, suspension travel f / h 130 /
148 mm, seat height * 815 mm, weight with a full tank * 235 kg, payload * 185 kg, tank capacity / reserve 21/6 liters.

Two year guarantee
Service intervals every 10000 km
Colors red, gray, black
Price 12695 euros
Additional costs 250 euros

MOTORCYCLE measurements – Ducati ST 3 S ABS

Top speed1 230 km / h

acceleration
0 100 km / h 3.6 sec
0 ?? 140 km / h 5.8 sec
0 200 km / h 12.4 sec

Draft
60 ?? 100 km / h 3.9 sec
100 ?? 140 km / h 4.3 sec
140 180 km / h 6.2 sec

Consumption in the test
Country road 6.4 l / 100 km (super)

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