If you want a quick handling, responsive touring bike with a race-proven power plant the ST3 may be for you. Great suspension & front brakes (esp. the ST3S). More electronics than really need; some may like to quiz the trip statistics while on the superslab. The bags come off EZ and come with the bike (note to BMW). Lights are improved over earlier ST models. A class ride. Well thought out. Eager performer. comfoftable. Very EZ on the eyes.

06 ST3s ABS...simply magnificent. My first Ducati, I just love it, I absolutely love it. Now the chip, pipes, intake...lovely. The sound, the feel is why a Duc is a Duc. There is truly nothing like it anywhere in the world. When you get a Duc you are just 0.6% of all motorcycledom, but now you have arrived. This bike draws the devotion out of me, it beckons me, it strokes me, it literally get inside of you and changes you...for the better. There is something so deeply satisfying when you ride, hear and feel this bike. This bike is a design tour de force, rolling artwork. The "Ducatisti" are the result of one word, one reason...PASSION. You'll see.

This bike can cruise interstates all day with the big hogs but really yearns for the curves and twisties. Set it up the way you like for the ride you want. I'm one up only and run it a little stiff. Not as many aftermarket goodies for the ST but not much is needed with out of the box top of the line components.
A 996cc/107 HP power 3-valve plant with a 445 lb dry weight; do the math. The power to weight ratio is perfect in a no-frills, sport tourer application. Price to play is better than BMW and not much above the Triumph ST. Lighter than the jap tourers with out all the BS-power gagets. Q - When will Ducati discover the kevlar belt? To clean and lube a chain is a too frequent and messy job. Take home message....if you want a SPORT tourer; take a ST3S home! If, that is, you like to ride a motorcycle and not a two wheeled Winnebago.

I've owned and ridden a 2005 Ducati ST3 for over 33,000 trouble free km. For a Sports Tourer this bike has it all. This is a classic motor cycle that will endure.

Rides great, must be the sportest tour bike on the market. Seating position allows me to ride for hours.

I've had my 04 Ducati ST3 for a year now and I can't praise it enough. It does everything I ask of it reliably and comfortably. I replaced the stock pipes with a set of Leo Vince SBK's and can now set off car alarms at will with a flick of the throttle........endless fun! The cost of servicing from Ducati is a bummer though, but hey............no pain no gain. Buy one and you won't regret it.

A real rocket with the comfort and handling of a more sedate bike. Corners like it's on rails. I have an ST3s and love the wonderfully adjustable suspension. This is a bike for real bikers. Have been riding bikes for almost 40 years. Mostly old Nortons and recently new Ducatis. The Italians got it right, though I still pout about my 1972 Commando S...it just plain wore out and I wasn't in the mood to rebuild it (and I could not find parts). If you are a healthy old biker like me..you can't go wrong with an ST3s..just be sure to order some Staintune pipes from our Aussie friends, as they make the Duc sound like a monster. Most under rated bike Ducati makes. It's a sly old dog with bags if you want them. I did a 1/4 mile on mine after the Staintine pipes were installed...at 10.99 and 131 mph. Hows that for a sport tourer..??. 3 valves per cylinder seems to work.

I have owned my ST3 for a year and love it to bits. I had a Ducati SS900 a few years ago and while that bike (c. 1990) was good, this one is streets ahead. After the Ducati I had an Aprilia Falco but there were niggling things to dislike about that bike, such as the sidestand and the fast draining battery when on immobiliser. Foolishly I traded that in for a Suzuki which was a disaster so I was chuffed to get back to an Italian bike a few months later and cannot fault the ST3.
It is very comfortable and the ride is supremely stable, taking corners in its stride and responding well to whatever riding style I adopt (having said that, I'm not a knee-down merchant!) Wind buffeting is a bit of a problem at high speeds but cruising at around 80-90mph is no problem.
I have had no reliability issued and the bike starts first time even if not used for 2 - 3 weeks, whereas the Falco's battery would drain before I got an Optimate.
The cost of servicing is high, considerably more than the Aprilia even, and the 6,000 mile service is around £350-£400 and the 12,000 miler £100 more so this is not a bike for anyone unwilling to pay heavily for routine maintenance. Having said that, fuel consumption is excellent and I regularly get 50+ mpg and there is also a useful tank range. The petrol warning light comes on at around 150 miles and the most I have gone before filling is 180 miles, although it then will only take around 14 litres and the tank should hold 17 litres and be good for up to 230 miles so perhaps I'm not being bold enough and pulling into a petrol station too soon.
The paintwork is fabulous (the brand new Suzuki I foolishly bought and got rid of after 6 months was terrible in this respect) and it is a joy to clean and polish and just look at. Unlike the Aprilia, the Ducati has an excellent side stand and centre stand and will happily stand on my gravel drive (the Falco would tip over there).
This is by far my wife's favourite bike as a passenger and she finds it comfortable and with good vision, even though she's only 5'1".
All in all, a terrific bike and one I cannot recommend highly enough.

I love this Ducati ST3 Tourer. I have had it for seven months now and done over 7000Km on it.
Its my first Ducati and I was suprised by how they ride, stable and goes into corners quite easy.
The seat is very comfortable for the long haul. I did 8 hours on and of for the day and didn't get all that sore. My wife on the other hand said she felt it a bit after a few hours.
I am not all that tall 5 foot 7 and I cop a fair bit of bufferting from the screen, I dont know what could be done about this as the upper fairing has been inproved from the ST2.
The engine, though not all that powerfull compared to Jap bikes of the same size, I belive it makes all the right power in the right spots. Plenty of touque and pull above 3500 revs.
One thing I liked about the ST3 is it is so easy to ride, it fills me with confidence and makes me belive I am a better rider then I really am, its a lot of fun to ride.
Low speed riding is a bit of a drag. Where I live the streets are very poor making for smooth slow riding hard not so much because of the suspension but because the throtle can be a bit on off, the dry clutch also makes the bike a bit rough down low.
This could just be me though other riders might not feel this way.
One thing I didn't like much but have to put up with is the cost of maintanance. I am comming close to the 10000Km service and have been getting quotes from diferant Ducati delers. Prices I got are anything from $900 to $650 dollars Australian.
If your used to Ducati it probably wouldn't be a problem for you but for me it was a bit of a shock.
I did find maintanance parts cheep enough though, about $17 dollars for an oil filter, I can't remember the price of the air filter but I don't think it was that bad.
I can't realy coment on reliability as I haven't done to many Km on the bike, but I have had the fuel pump changed by the dealer because it was to noisy, I didn't know there was a problem.
The other thing that was changed was the upper fairing.
It had lost the paint inside the front air vents.
Again the dealer pointed this out to me and promptly got it replaced.
The brakes are Gold series Brembo's they give plenty of feel and bite when you need them to.
There not linked and don't come with ABS I don't know if thats any better I haven't riden a bike with ABS.
Suspension is basic for the ST3 compaired to the ST4 front has only preload the rear has preload and dampning adjustment. I am not a suspension expert but find the factory settings good enough for me.
If you know more them I do about suspension and feel like playing with it you would have better and more options of adjustment with the ST4.
Panniers I have been informed that the ST2 panniers fit strait on the ST3 same mounting brackets but if you are like me and have to buy them they cost $1800 dollers.
Style, what can I say ,I love the look and prefer the new head light compared to the ST2.
My bike is yellow and does it stand out but you don't want to be a giant reflector there is silver and you guesed it red.
Its getting into summer here and I am looking forwared to going for some long tours up the mountain roads up here, it may not be every ones cup of tea but I couldn't think of any bike I'd rather tour on.
Test ride one and have fun I am.