St3 Lacking Oomph

Sounds to me that you need to give the bike more revs in the gears. 6th is an overdrive and I doubt you will ever use it except on a dual carriageway or motorway. The bike won't be happy at 30mph in anything other than 1st or 2nd an you won't get in to 4th until you are doing 50+. The characteristics of the motor are not the same as an IL4 so you need to rev it - 3000rpm is the minimum from 3rd on. Andy

 

It probably won't feel faster. Bear in mind power won't be that different from a 600,

 

Drop the gearing on the drive sprocket to 14 tooth, i bet its still 15. That will help, but its never going to be an IL4

 

Sound like the throttle bodies need balancing, mine will pull down to about 40 in top and has lots of grunt above about 3k.

 

A Google search on "ducati st3 power torque curve" led me to this very interesting site: http://www.bikeboy.org/.

Go to http://www.bikeboy.org/performance.html for a list of reports on a wide variety of models from Italian manufacturers.

Especially relevant here is http://www.bikeboy.org/st3base.html, which concludes:

"As delivered the ST3 has sensible gearing ... and is a very nice thing to ride in terms of low RPM smoothness and response – nail it and it just starts pulling and keeps going until the limiter."

 

Don't know if same motor as ST2 or ST4, but an ST2 would go faster in 5th than top

 

Ducati have long-standing form in the matter of over-gearing -- see, for example, the original 500 Pantah.

 

Let the air out if the zzr tyres. Perhaps the addition of a little diesal in the fuel and that should even things up a little.

 

I meant to add: the interesting chart is the one at the end showing the torque curves. Virtually nothing until just below 3000 rpm, flat to 4000 before climbing steadily to 6000, followed by another flat section to 7500 before returning to the level of the 3000-4000 rpm interval.

The implication is that best acceleration comes from keeping the revs over 6000 rpm (and whatever road speed corresponds to this will be the most economical cruising speed).

If someone has the overall gearing ratios handy it would be good to work out what speed ranges correspond to the 6000-7500 rev range in each gear.

 

Could be worth trying a new fuel filter, I know it transformed my ST4. But it's never going to have the edge on a 600 sports bike. But it should be nicer for real world riding.
The ST is a nice package to ride, but it's not by any means bonkers.

 

I recognize some of these characteristics from my initial experience on my ST4s. My first V twin also and first Duc. At first I was riding it like a 600 and changing gear too much. Whipping up through the gears and wondering where the power was and why it shook so much.
Agree with all the other comments concerning high gearing. Forget anything higher than 1st gear till over 30. On a 'spirited ride' on A and B roads I don't get into top. It is for fast leisurely cruising on roads where you are confident you are not being filmed
Snatchiness at low speed yes, lot's of clutch slipping in the urban environment.
When it comes on song though, from 4000 onwards really, the gearing makes much more sense. 3rd gear or whatever gear gives you these revs, on fast B roads and sweepers, and I find it a delight. That, for me, is when you get the V twin experience, with easy roll-on power and roll-off engine breaking.
Now I have adapted to holding onto gears a bit longer, to get the revs up, and changing gear less often I am loving it.

 

The 06' ST3 is the first year with the closed loop lamda (O2 sensors) system. Essentially, some 06 and 07's run lean due to the closed loop system especially if you have aftermarket cans, or open airbox. It can make the engine snatchy and sluggish at low RPM and backfire during deceleration. Most owners will have the ECU reflashed with the Ducati Performance software to eliminate the closed loop and follow the ECU map only.

I've installed a used DP ECU and my 06' will pull smoothly (and hard) from 2500 rpm. It's a real noticeable improvement in drivability and even more so if you have aftermarket cans.

Scott L.

 

The other day I discovered this site: http://motorcycleperformanceanalyzer.com

Lots of interesting info., with lots of Ducati models, including ST series, covered.

 

I have three ST bikes in my garage as well as an FJ1200 and a new FJR1300. It's useless comparing them to an inline four. My stock '04 ST3 goes well enough but needs to be revved to go "proper like". In the real world it will stay with most bikes as long as you keep it in the mid range. Around town it's bloody awful, like my ST2, that's bloody awful too. I also have a wet clutch '07 ST3S/ABS this has the DP ECU/pipes and filter and is completely different to the latter in everyway. I guess this is what Ducati would have made if not for Euro1/2/3 emissions. It goes like stink, pulls hard in top from around 40 mph and is a complete hoon of a machine opening the throttle in third, nailing it and then shutting off is pure joy. Anyhoo I digress, get it serviced by a Duke specialist and look at pipes and a reflash/replacement ECU and you won't ever look back, I owned a couple of Triumph ST models in the early naughties and they were great bikes but won't or shouldn't stay with you on the twisties because of their top heavy bulk.

 

Well, that's strange, because I find my standard ST2 perfectly agreeable round town -- since we may be expecting different things I'd be interested to know in what way you don't get on with yours.

Perhaps it's worth pointing out that the only bike I've ever owned that had more than two cylinders was a Yamaha XS750, about 30 years ago and briefly (I'd bought it in anticipation of a commute down the A2, but in the event my plans changed).

And most of the miles I've done on twins have been on Ducatis (which in any case I tend to think of as double singles ... )

 

I think you pretty much said it yourself Julian, don't get me wrong I love 'em to bits, otherwise I wouldn't own three of them!

 

It's true: I don't know any better ...