First Ride: 2003 Ducati Monster S4R

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For me at least, the name Monster has always been a bit of a misnomer, but now I can get a bit fired up about riding a Monster, 'cos there's a new version branded the S4R, and It's a bike that lives up to its name at last.

Truth is, it's quite a charger that can get the juices flowing.

The Ducati boys have livened the Monster up a fair few degrees by chucking in a 996 motor to give it more stomp, and maybe even a bit more cred within the sportsbike set. A few more bhp and mph always impresses those guys. Upping the Duke's pace wasn't exactly much of a chore for the Bologna crew, they simply sourced the engine bits from another shelf in the same factory. And swapped the 916 motor, used in the current S4 model, for the 996 version. It's the same engine used in the ST4S sports-tourer, and of course the gorgeous superbike launched in 1998.

The new fitment has 12bhp more grunt. But more crucially, it gives the S4R the sportiest character yet. Though it has to be said, the bike's sharp new clothing influences the more aggressive personality just as readily. Alterations to the styling aren't exactly radical, but they do modernise the Monster overall, making it look much more like a fighting machine. The alloy-tubed single-sided swinger, funky twin upswept pipes, and five-spoke Marchesini's are all significant style-enhancing changes. And the use of carbon-fibre covers and guards adds extra kudos. In fact, the new bits help make the S4R's siblings seem dated by comparison.