October, 2000
by Dan Moricoli
Long wanderings around the country to escape the stress of my business life are what I do with motorcycles. Primarily, I ride BMWs which were chosen for their
reliability. My favorite has been an R1100 GS which has taken me from Mexico to Alaska, and back, without a problem. The bike has given me lots of giggles and
with it, there is no road, or road condition, that can't be tamed.
I had always thought of Ducatis as fragile things: beautiful but lacking the sort of Teutonic sturdiness and dependability I had thought essential for my riding style. I
had never ridden one before the day in June, 2000 when I bought a 1998 ST2 with less than 500 miles on it. The purchase was a lark, without forethought or
investigation which led to a path of discovery and metamorphosis.
Used to the more upright position of the Beemers, I added 7/8 inch bar risers and set out from my home in Chicago towards Nova Scotia. The first day consisted of
600 miles of turnpike riding. The day ended with surprise at the number of admiring glances the bike generated as well as how numb my butt wasn't.
On my second day, I turned off the turnpike and onto the "Blue" highways of the Adirondacks. On long, isolated roads filled with sweepers and twisties, I got my
first inkling of the extraordinary range of the ST2's design.
The ST2's suspension doesn't react to changes in the road so much as it adjusts to them. I quickly learned that varying road conditions could become a partner in
my pleasure, not an obstacle to be conquered. As the partnership between the bike, the road and I grew, the feeling of escape and freedom promised by cycling,
became ever more satisfying.
Continuing on through Maine, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island, my admiration for the bike increased as the ST2 confirmed that it is a genuine long distance
touring bike. The ST2 is comfortable, reliable and handles heavy loads well over long distances. Along the way, its inimitable Italian sense of style and grace adds to
the pleasure of the experience. In fact, the ST2's only drawbacks are a bit of flutter in the front end when behind large trucks at highway speeds and a
not-quite-immediate response when passing at high speed.
Following my sojourn in the Maritime Provinces, I paid a visit to BCM Motorsports, a Ducati dealer in Laconia, New Hampshire I found on the internet. We
discussed a number of modifications to the bike to heighten performance. As a first step, they suggested the FIM chip as it would have far greater impact than a
slip-on, at a fourth of the cost. Ten minutes later, the chip was installed and I was on my way.
I spent the next few days on sharply spiraling, undulating roads in the Green Mountains of Vermont. Riding such roads on a Beemer is one thing, attacking them,
yielding to them with a Ducati is an entirely different, unrelated, experience. The chip noticeably added to the magic and made the experience even more electrifying
and satisfying. It began to dawn on me that while I may have been the one steering and braking, the bike was in control, it was leading me.
The bike was returned to BCM for the first 6,000 mile tune up. Upon completion, I once again set off to scour the White and Green mountain ranges for those now
sacred strips of pavement before intending to head back to Chicago. Over the next few days, I made little pretense of touring as I was intent on challenging every road
that wiggled.
The service, or more correctly, the service specifications that BCM uses, had made the magic even more potent. It was especially spellbinding on a single run just
outside Waitsfield, Vermont where I lingered most of one day and part of the next. By the end of that weekend, I was obsessed with realizing the full potential of my
ST2 and decided to return the bike to BCM instead of taking it back to my home in Chicago.
Ensuing discussions with Bruce Meyers of BCM focused on stretching the performance envelop of the bike to suit my evolving style of riding. Race track speeds
don't interest me, but road course agility does. What I wanted from the ST2 was the quintessential mountain bike. A torque monster capable of immediate
acceleration up to 110 mph, or so, and even faster, but smoothly controlled, deceleration.
In as much as many of the proposed changes to the bike are standard on the ST4, a trade in for an ST4 was considered. The move was rejected as the greater low and
mid range output of the ST2 make it more suitable for my requirements than the ST4.
To improve engine performance, Bruce sought to smooth out and beef up the ST2's torque and power curves. He recommended attaching the Ram Air system on the
bike (again, standard on the ST4 but not the ST2), reworking the head to improve flow control, adding high compression pistons and improving exhaust flow with
Ducati Performance slip ons. I also elected to have adjustable clutch and brake levers installed as well as a steel braided clutch line as final touches.
To improve braking, Bruce recommended changing to the cast iron brake rotors which again, are stock on the ST4, but not the ST2. Additionally, he suggested using
steel braided brake lines and Dunlop racing pads.
Upon completion of the modifications to the bike, I flew back to New Hampshire to pick it up. My plan was to test ride my bike, a stock ST2 and a stock ST4 to
properly compare the practical difference between the three bikes. Then, I planned to take my bike down Virginia's Skyline Parkway and the Blue Ridge Parkway to
Deal's Gap for a proper test of Bruce's work.
Before riding the bikes, I reviewed the Dyno-graphs Bruce had made in the three stages of the development of the bike; 1) stock, 2) with the FIM chip and DP slip-on
and 3) with the engine modifications completed. Upon seeing the graphs, I was blown away by the impact of the changes. The graph showed a net increases of 25%
in horsepower (93 hp at the rear wheel) and over 23% in of torque (69 ft/lbs at 6500 RPM).
As I took my bike out for a 20 mile test run, I was very tentative. This was no longer an ST2. The improvement in the bike was so dramatic, I was stunned.
That special, throaty Ducati murmur was now a lion's roar. Upon acceleration at any point under 7500 RPM, the bike didn't just respond, it jumped. If I even
thought about stopping, I did. Clearly, this very special ST was going to take some getting used to.
It was immediately apparent that there was no point in riding a stock ST2. The difference was too great. I took out the ST4 on the same 20 mile run. I then took out
my "new" bike to again run the course. Then back to the ST4 just to make sure I had the differences clearly identified.
My bike accelerates with as much power as the ST4, but significantly more torque. My bike clearly out brakes the ST4. Ultimately the ST4 will go faster, but it is
also "twitchy" at slow, in-town speeds. Bruce and his team at BCM had given me exactly what I had asked for and I was thrilled with the result.
Before I left BCM for Deal's Gap, we christened the bike Super ST 966. I arrived at the Skyline Parkway a day later at 10 AM. The rest of that day was, by far, the
best single day I had ever had on a motorcycle.
What has happened since, is another story.
# #
Postscript:
I bought the bike in Illinois from the worst dealership I have ever encountered. I am especially pleased that the bike has led me to discover just how good a motorcycle
dealership can be. The entire crew at BCM Motorsports are very special people who not only love motorcycling, but love to guide and assist others who share their
enthusiasm for the sport. They have enhanced my riding pleasure in countless, thoughtful ways.
I purchased my 1998 Ducati ST2 with less than 500 miles on it for $9,000. An additional $5,600 has been spent on the following:
Marsee magnetic tank bag (good, reasonably priced bag)
Ducati pannier liners (poorly designed)
Helen Two Wheels cargo bag & tie downs (I can't say enough good things about her products)
Corbin seat (an improvement over the already good stock seat)
7/8 inch Bar risers (makes 600 mile days easy)
Throttlemeister (attractive and functional)
Heated Grips (No bike should be without them, mine were Hot Grips and at $87 installed, a bargain compared to the over $400 installed cost of the BMW heated
grips)
Enlarged side stand foot (a must for touring)
Constructors Racing Group adjustable clutch & brake levers (I bought them out of vanity, I was surprised at how much comfort they add to a long day of riding and
how much more precise they made braking and gear shifting feel)
Steel braided clutch & brake lines (I can't attest to how much they actually improve anything but I love the look of them)
Yoyodyne enlarged clutch slave cylinder (clearly a worth while "insurance" purchase against the failure-prone stock item)
Cast iron front brake rotors coupled with Dunlop racing brake pads (a dramatic improvement over the ST2 brakes. The Dunlop pads are a huge improvement over
the ST4's stock pads)
FIM chip (the single least expensive way to improve performance. Adding an aftermarket slip-on at the same time only improves the perception of performance)
Attached Ram Air ducts, Custom headwork, cylinders bored to 966 cubic centimeters and Bruce Meyer designed pistons with an 11.23:1 compression ratio (the best
money I ever spent on a motorcycle)
Ducati Performance slip-ons (I am not competent to comment on these versus any other after market slip-on but I love the sound)
About the author:
Dan Moricoli is a 57 year old successful marketing executive who rode as a young man but gave it up to raise a family. He recently took up riding again and has owned
13 bikes in the last three years in his search for the right combination of bikes for his touring pursuits. His business requires constant travel and he keeps bikes in
various locations around the country for use on long weekends, or extended wanderings, as his schedule permits.
His current inventory includes the Ducati Super ST which is used for touring the Eastern United States. He also owns a BMW R1100 RS which is kept in California
and used for touring the western United States. Another BMW, an R100 Classic, is kept at his home in Chicago and used for short trips around Illinois and
Wisconsin. An Aprilia RST 1000 Futura is on order.
Dan Moricoli