When Ducati listens the results are clear

The Italian marque has shed a reputation for unreliability and is now a classy ride, says Tim Luckhurst

The west of Scotland in a downpour is damper than a frog in a Jacuzzi. So where better to test Ducati's latest addition to the ultra-competitive medium priced sports tourer market the liquid cooled 992cc ST3? Ducatis are still burdened by a reputation for electrical unreliability. So, I thought as I left Glasgow with raindrops the size of marbles ricocheting off my visor, now is the time to prove how out of date that reputation is.

The west of Scotland in a downpour is damper than a frog in a Jacuzzi. So where better to test Ducati's latest addition to the ultra-competitive medium priced sports tourer market the liquid cooled 992cc ST3? Ducatis are still burdened by a reputation for electrical unreliability. So, I thought as I left Glasgow with raindrops the size of marbles ricocheting off my visor, now is the time to prove how out of date that reputation is.

Memories of the Ducati Desmo that once left me stranded in a fizzling cloud of sparks and melted insulation were still with me when a myopic type in a BMW drove headlong into a deep puddle and drenched me in a solid wall of water. A pressure soaking like that will expose any fault in motorcycle electrics. The Ducati did not miss a beat. The triple sealed electrical connections seemed robust enough to withstand anything short of a journey along the deck of a submerged submarine.

First ancient myth dispelled. But the grim conditions set another test. On the winding A811 between Balloch and the east coast of Loch Lomond diesel spills and fallen foliage competed to make the sodden carriageway treacherous. The ST3's brakes and suspension proved more than equal to the challenge. Even under heavy braking on a steep twisting down slope immersed in muddy water this Ducati felt rock solid

Ducatis have traditionally appealed more to the heart than the head and the Italian manufacturer's classy modern range does not entirely break with tradition. Pure sports bikes including the 749 Testastretta and 999 Testastretta are devilishly fast but better suited to the race track than every day use. I would rather tour on a Vespa than attempt long distance cruising on one of these racing thoroughbreds.

In all its guises the gorgeous, naked, Ducati Monster is a more realistic machine, but still better suited to recreational riding than serious travel. The ST3 is an altogether more practical proposition. Road racers may be disappointed. This Ducati is sporty enough to exceed the psychologically significant 100 bhp barrier but only by 1 bhp. Acceleration is exhilarating but not so that it threatens to rip the rider's arms from the handlebars. The ST3 will exceed 140 mph and surpass any demand for sustained speed a German autobahn or French autoroute can present. But Ducati have built this machine to deliver comfort and handling not heart attacks. Its power is delivered without drama.

The result is a sports tourer that deserves the name. The riding position lends itself to long days in the saddle which is broad and extremely well padded. Ducati's range of moulded panniers and leather tank bags make luggage carrying straightforward.

The stylish top box accessory, which comes complete with a padded backrest for the pillion passenger, makes two-up travel a real option. The Ducati delivers more than enough torque to carry an adult passenger and the gently-stepped seat is clearly designed for that purpose.

I was particularly impressed by the fairing which lifted a good proportion of even the heaviest rain over my head when riding at motorway speeds. The instrument panel is tremendous. Operated via an innovative digital wiring system it provides, in addition to the usual speed and engine revs displays, genuinely practical bonuses including a clock, fuel and miles remaining, highest and average speeds readings and fuel consumption figures. Riding at slower than usual speeds because of the deluge I found the ST3 delivered more than 50 mpg.

Even under hard use when the rain stopped for 20 miles on the M8 it was hard to push the reading below 47 mpg. Given the ST3's capacious 4.6 gallon fuel tank that offers a range of well over 220 miles between fuel stops even when cruising at or above European motorway speed limits.

The ST3 is a gem but it is not flawless. Its predecessor, the ST2, offered an optional comfort kit including slightly raised handlebars. Taller riders would appreciate the same option on the ST3. I am 6'3" in flat-soled motorcycle boots and after just 80 miles I began to find the pressure on my wrists and forearms uncomfortable. Completing a long journey at high speed would have left me aching.

Another legendary Ducati characteristic proved more irritating. The ST3's clutch is on the macho side of heavy. Intensive use of the otherwise fault free gear box on the narrow, twisting road between Drymen and Balmaha left me with seriously fatigued fingers. Unlike its predecessor, the ST3 has a span-adjustment facility on clutch and brake. It is useful but it does not address the basic problem.

The popular story is that the heavy clutch is so designed because Italian men think women should be discouraged from riding motorcycles. Setting aside the absurd generalisation, and the truth that many female riders have grips as strong as mine, it is an annoying flaw.

Heavy gear use in town or on rural B roads will tend to come at the end of a long ride. Excellent touring motorcycles should not aim to add to their riders' fatigue at this crucial, accident prone stage. But these are modest quibbles. The ST3 is the latest refinement of a bike that was first introduced in 1997. It is not the most expensive machine in the Ducati Sports Tourer range. That honour goes to the higher specification ST4S. But it is a very serious and sensibly priced contender. Set alongside direct competitors including the Honda VFR800, BMW R1100S and Triumph Sprint the ST3 fares extremely well in terms of price as well as performance. Martin Rees, Director and proprietor of Ducati Glasgow, who provided The Independent with an ST3 to test, promises that Ducati's design team always respond to rider criticism.

The developments that have changed the ST2 into the ST3 confirm it. This Ducati is stable, fast and reassuring on rutted leaf-strewn Scottish B roads as well as motorways. The absence of ABS, which worried me before I rode the ST3, proved no handicap. The Ducati ST3 has already established a reputation as a class leader. With just a little more listening it can be sublime. That, regrettably, is more than can be said for the weather on Loch Lomond side which gave one ST3, and its rider's road skills, such an exhaustive examination.