One look at the social media pages of P.M Motorbike Garage and you quickly realise this crew doesn’t just work on motorcycles, they absolutely love them. The shop gets its name from the proudly Italian pair, Pier and Marco, who are as passionate about everything two-wheels as you’re ever likely to find. They are listed as a repair shop, and they do carry out that kind of work, but what they love most of all is taking a stock motorcycle and turning it from a form of transport into something to love and lust over. This is exactly what they’ve done with this stunning 2001 Ducati S4, that’s got the performance chops to match its bold Espresso finish.

P.M. Motorbike Garage Customizations to give the business its full name is located in Albosaggia, Italy, in the far north of the country where the roads are twisty and that coffee is strong. Pier is a mechanic by trade and has a couple of decades of experience under his belt and is well versed in just about any bike you can name. Marco is the metal worker, but he knows his way around a bike as well as anyone, and since they opened the shop the pair have been joined at the hip. From a service and oil change to a full custom build, they’re happy to help anyone. But the chance to take on a full custom build of a Bologna bullet really got them fired up.

The S versions of the Ducati Monster came about after the factory had a near decade of dominance with the naked Italian coming in a range of sizes from 400 to 900cc. But with other manufacturers closing in, the Italians had to respond, and the S line is really a parts bin special just like the original Monster. That’s no bad thing at all, as the company had a range of superbike engines they’d perfected and the trellis frame had never been better. The chassis itself is actually from the ST4 sport tourer, with a retuned 916 superbike engine slotted in.

Throw at it a host of kick-ass suspension and braking components and that Monster styling, and the factory had another success on its hands. But some two decades later and the S4 is crying out for a style upgrade to make the most of its timeless mechanical package, and that’s exactly what the boys had in mind. “the most complicated job was trying to make everything very homogeneous, elegant and sporty and I assure you that it is very fun to ride,” the guys smile.

The big aspect of the transformation is the incredible visual styling, and for this to be possible the rear subframe was first taken off the bike. The original machine comes with an enormous seat and an even bulkier number plate assembly, so without the need for either, the subframe could be cut up, drastically shortened and modified for the parts to come. The very rear part of the tail is from Paolo Tex, with the P.M team modifying the piece to their own liking. Instantly the bike has a more aggressive, sporty feel and the integration of seat to tank is flawless.

Sharing an absolute love of racing and MotoGP, the guys took that inspiration and ensured the seat is just the bare basics, with a simple two-piece foam kit, that really gets you ready to go out on track. In a similar vein, the front fender is now an ultra-lightweight carbon fibre piece, that was originally intended for a fellow Ducati. But it’s the colour transformation that brings the big change, with the bodywork coated in a stunning coffee/root beer style metallic brown. Of course, an enormous amount of prep work goes into ensuring a finish this good, but the blood, sweat and tears have paid off in a big way.

But to get that all-encompassing look the guys were after meant applying the paint to more than just the body. From the sprocket cover and carrier to the lightweight wheels and the half cover for the dry clutch, each piece was painstakingly prepared to accept its new coat of paint.

The front forks are an excellent set of full adjustable Showa units, but their gold legs clashed heavily with the new colour, so they’ve been anodised in a hue that’s as close to the main colour as possible. A host of more carbon parts for the engine and a full LED lighting setup and the Monster was looking marvellous.

To give that 916 superbike engine some extra ponies and ditch the big high-rise twin pipe look, the guys have employed a full stainless exhaust system that finishes out of one of QD’s slick muffler boxes. This not only boosts power but gives the bike an incredible sound, which is only further enhanced with the big throttle bodies now pulling air via a pair of open pod filters, sans airbox.

Wisely, being a water-cooled L-twin, the cooling system has been completely upgraded and every last hose replaced. The finished piece is a simply stunning transformation, with the original S4 now combining its smile-inducing analogue performance with looks that are simply to die for.

[ P.M Motorbike Garage | Photography by Mattia Negrini Fotografo ]