Winter Project 2005 ST4S

853RS

New member
I bought a ST4S earlier on in the year and have had a few runs on it.Has a misfire above 6000rpm and wont run clean.The bodywork has a few scratches and marks,engine paint flaking off,wheels paint flaking and looks like its been through a few winters.Got it for a good price and is my winter project.
Started stripping it on Monday,all the bodywork off,tank,seat,rear lights,front lights.Wheels,swing arm,rear shock and linkage.Thats when my problems began.This bike has been through more than a few winters without salt being washed off.Most of the bolts I am removing seized,broke 2 bolts in the swing arm for the rear huggerExhaust manifold nuts on the horizontal head seized,front bellmouth seized to the injector body.So soaked all with wd40 over night and applied a bit of heat this morning and got out all the stuck bolts and nuts.Needed a filter strap to get the bell mouth off.Can believe all the damage the salt has done cooling fan housing all rusted and paint flaking off.Whoever had this bike before didn't have any respect for it.
Any way wheels away to be powdercoated today,local guy in Lugar.Bodywork going to Ian Anderson in Strathhaven tomorrow to get painted and a few cracks on the body work plastic welded.Rear shock to Les at Moto x service in Motherwell for overhaul.
Will keep you posted on further developments.
 
Hi need to keep it as a tourer as I have a European trip planned for next year.Have thought about making a special from one of the ST's as you say very cheap to buy.Quite fancy a naked Monster style special,maybe next year.
 
Keep it standard

Cracking long distance bike, I can recommend the Ducati performance seat as a long distance improvement, however, rare as hens teeth.
 
Ian, if you look back at 853RS's for sale / Garage clearout thread recently, I think he does have a Gel seat for sale - good improvement as you say!
 
Cracking long distance bike, I can recommend the Ducati performance seat as a long distance improvement, however, rare as hens teeth.
Hi Ian got one on my ST 4 which is up for sale at the moment .I am putting the standard seat back on and am selling the performance seat .As you say a big improvement,the standard seat is like board and very uncomfy over long trips.The seat on my ST4S is the same as the ST3 which is a lot better.
 
Got everything stripped today and am amazed at the amount of corrosion on this bike.Had bikes for 50years and never seen anything so bad.Looks like a lot of cleaning and elbow grease.
Have decided on the colour scheme,like the look of the last ST3,red frame and bodywork,black wheels.Cant decided what colour to paint the engine Black or Silver?
Will get the frame away to the painters tomorrow and make a start to the engine,check the valve clearances and set as required.Just wonder what will be the best way to get all that flaking paint off.Paint remover probably,will see if vapour blasting could be an option.
 
Impressive and determined work!

Think I will enjoy this thread ;)

Think I have some spare 4-pad calipers somewhere(?) if u fancy upgrading?
 
Yes have been looking at them on ebay and would be a good upgrade,i can remember them from my 748R days one finger could lock the front wheel.Give me a PM about a price thanks.
 
Got some new parts in the post today and will be ordering some more tonight.
Chain and sprocket kit 15-42
Red silicone water hoses
Front and rear wheel bearings
Sprocket carrier bearings
Taper steering head bearings
New belts
New cush drives
New sprocket nuts
Plugs
Selection of stainless bolts,washers and nuts.
Have also been checking the bikes history and was supplied by Ducati Glasgow on November 2005.Also one of only 4 registered in 2005 so that makes it a bit more special and rare.
Changing the gearing from 15-38 to 15-42 same as ST2/4.After driving the two bikes found that the St4 was a lot better and smoother with the lower gearing especially in towns at 30 also better response off the throttle.
 
Think Im gonna enjoy this build too, theres something special about getting a load of new shiney bike bits in the post :D
 
I'll have a rummage around the garage asap - I did find a Quat-D Ex box exhaust kicking about the other day!

Something like:

6gasyrl.jpg
 
Looks like a Ducati ST4S appreciation society we have going here.I was actually looking for a Multistrada 1100s earlier this year and met a guy at the SDC track night at Knockhill and he told me about a ST4 he had for sale.Wasn't really interested but went and had a look at it.Bike was mint and had been parked up for a few years due to him having an accident at work.So bought it off him and my love affair with ST'S began.
It's a very underrated bike and I enjoy the dual bike concept.Touring all day no problem or take off the luggage and do a bit of scratching.It's a very addictive bike.
 
It's a very underrated bike and I enjoy the dual bike concept.Touring all day no problem or take off the luggage and do a bit of scratching.It's a very addictive bike.
You're exactly right. It is very much greater than the sum of its parts, but unfortunately I don't think it was marketed at the right time so was not the commercial success it deserved to be.
 
You're exactly right. It is very much greater than the sum of its parts, but unfortunately I don't think it was marketed at the right time so was not the commercial success it deserved to be.
2004/5 was when the adventure bike appeared and it killed the sport tourer market.Its a shame as the ST didn't reach it's potential and was dropped from the model line up.
 
2004/5 was when the adventure bike appeared and it killed the sport tourer market.Its a shame as the ST didn't reach it's potential and was dropped from the model line up.

Yes, those of us who knew better all wanted a new updated ST and all we were offered was the Multi :mmph:
I know I have a 1200 Multi but I liked the ST better. If they'd built one with the 1200 11º engine it would have been near perfect.
 
Yes, those of us who knew better all wanted a new updated ST and all we were offered was the Multi :mmph:
I know I have a 1200 Multi but I liked the ST better. If they'd built one with the 1200 11º engine it would have been near perfect.
Now that would be a good project putting the 1200 multi engine into a ST4S.Maybe next year?
 
Something I'd thought about too - but it wouldn't be easy.
It would bolt into the frame ok but I think the airbox would be a big problem.Exhausts would be easy,electrics would probably have to use the multi wiring harness and splice it into the ST4S.
 
I really like that,had thought about a Multistrada 1000/1100 swing arm.If I could source an engine that could be next years project.
 
More parts arrived today,
Complete headlight surround
Water temp sensor
Fuel filter
Cable and Bluetooth for TPS set up
some more stainless nuts and bolts.
Managed to get a fuel filter through the trade for half the Ducati price,frame away to get dipped and all the old paint off.Rear shock boxed and sent to Reactive suspension in York for refurb[thanks Derek]Going to get some paint stripper tomorrow and start getting the flaking paint off the engine.Dropped the centre and side stands at the powder coaters.All the mounting brackets for the coils,fuse box,aux socket,front brake pipe need rubbed down and painted so that's the job for tomorrow.
 
Back to the winter project today,made up some brackets to bolt the engine to an old engine stand that I had outside.It's going to make it easier to work on the engine.
As you can see the exhausts are in a mess looks like rusted stainless!Thinking about ceramic coating as seen in a previous post-camcoat.com.That should make them look nice.
Got paintstripper today so will be applying tomorrow and get all the flaky paint off the engine.Also got some etch primer which I will apply after I get the cases all cleaned up and should give me a good base for the VHT paint,still undecided about final colour silver or black.Think the exhaust would look good black as I have black satin GPR exhausts which were on the bike when I got it.May be too much black then,decisions decisions.
 
Got the old paint of the engine,spent a few hours this weekend with steam cleaner and wire brush set.Its looking a lot better already.Grey etch primer on today and leave to dry for 24 hours.Got the new cambelt jockey pulley bearings and the sprocket carrier bearings all fitted.Frame has been dipped and bead blasted and will be going to the painters tomorrow.Check the valve clearances today and was pleasantly surprised as they were all within recommended settings.Must have been done recently.
More new parts this week.
new mirrors
Lithium-ion battery[cant believe the weight]
Sprocket nuts
R&G bar ends
Swing arm bobbins
 
This is a very impressive project which seems to be progressing at top speed! I'm interested to see a refurb of a very modern (by my standards) bike. It looks like you're not planning to go inside the engine? Is this wise, considering the condition of the outside? What's the mileage? And how about the misfire at high rpm - what's the plan to address this?
I've done a couple of bevel Ducatis but nothing like this so I'm interested to see the final result. Please keep posting progress!
Cheers,
Derek
 
Engine primed and will leave for a couple of days to dry.Still not decided on final colour Black or Silver.
Regarding going into the engine had the cams out to check for wear and rockers for chrome pitting but everything looks good.Also done a compression test before taking the bike apart and all ok.
The bike ran well on the times I was on it pull strong and clean through the gears only a couple of times when I went up the revs in first and second I could feel it holding back up the revs,felt like fuel starvation.It ran ok after closing the throttle.Could be fuel filter,it is fitted with after market exhausts so could be the problem.TPS reset,plugs or a combination of them all.
 
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