Ducati has made a very interesting machine. It’s a Motorcycle… but I just can’t tell what kind. I’m talking about the Multistrada 1200.
The bike a technological powerhouse. ABS, Traction Control, and the valve tech that Ducati uses in their racing bikes, just tuned for low end power and smoother riding. It gives fantastic on road performance… but it isn’t a sports bike.
It’s more of a Supermoto, or as they call it in Europe, a Motard… or as Sports Riders call it, Motor-Retard. But the haters can just hate, because Supermotos are just straight up fast and agile where ever they want to go… and they can go anywhere.
So it’s an Enduro? The Multistrada is very offroad capable… compared to a ZX-10, but not so much compared to, say, a KTM… er… damn near any KTM… Anyways… still, the Multistrada is no two wheeled Jeep, but it’s not scared of dirt. Not at all. It’s more suited to street, but since it can do dirt as well, it gives the Ducati a great deal of versatility.
And what I like about the most… it’s got legs. It has range. You can go anywhere… everywhere… I love that about motorcycles, and this bike can do everything. It’s a bike that either has serious split personality issues, or it’s a bike that really can do it all. Surprisingly, it’s not even that expensive. The new Honda NC700ABS Vanilla is 8999, and it is heralded as a Bang for the Buck winner… The Multistrada starts out only Two G’s more. Two G’s more for some real performance, sex appeal, and a 1200cc engine that is seriously awesome.
Ducati Multistrada
PRICE
MSRP: $11,999
ENGINE
Type…a-c 90-deg. V-twin
Valve arrangement…sohc, 4v
Bore x stroke…94.0mm x 71.5mm
Displacement…992cc
Compression ratio…10.0:1
Transmissio…6-speed
Final drive…chain
CHASSIS
Weight…486 lb. (wet)
454 lb. (fuel tank empty)
Fuel capacity…5.3 gal.
Rake/trail…24.0 deg./3.90 in. (99mm)
Wheelbase…57.6 in. (1462mm)
Seat height…33.5 in. (851mm)
SUSPENSION
Front…43mm inverted cartridge fork adjustable for spring preload, compression and rebound damping
Rear…single shock, adjustable for spring preload, compression and rebound damping
PERFORMANCE
Horsepower…82.9 hp @ 7750 rpm
Torque…66.9 ft.-lb. @ 4250 rpm
Corrected…1/4-mile* 11.44 sec. @ 113.22 mph
0-60 mph…3.82 sec.
0-100 mph…9.63 sec.
Top-gear roll-on, 60-80 mph…3.92 sec.
Fuel mileage (low/high/average)…33/46/41
Wife is not impressed with the passenger accommodations. I would not run on gravel roads, or dirt with street tires. Been there done that, Death Wings (Bridgeston Trail Wings) are better and I high sided twice with them on mild two track trails. That said if I did not need for a two up or two bikes for that same money I would love to have one. Of course that is true for most bikes and guns
lol, your specs are on the old 1000 model. It is $17k-~$22k 150 horsepower.
I will take the Touring S GT with the more comfy ergos and the automatically adjusting electronic suspension. A paultry $22 grand. I may drive a piece of shit 98 XJ, but some day I WILL have a damn nice bike!!!
Yeah, I realized I got the specs wrong this morning.
You need to get this bike. I may need one as well.
A touch off subject but what is your opinion of the 2013 Honda CB1100 ? 4cyl aircooled retro style Universal Japanese Motorcycle style with ABS option that looks very comfortablee for a 6ft 3in tall rider
The UJM is the perfect bike, but it will never succeed over here.
I have been following the CB1100, and think that they went wrong on the engine.
We remember our old liter bikes as fire breathing monsters… And for the day they were.
The flexey frames and wooden brakes, coupled with the fact that most cars on the road did 0-60 times that you could clock with a sun dial, made them seem faster than they were… Couple that with the nostalgia of our find memories… And you have some seriously rose colored glasses top look back with.
The engine is all bottom end, great for a truck… Not so good for a bike.
“But it has torque!”
Yes, it does. But they are using the old “tuned for torque” manufacturers line.
A less aggressive top end rush makes the bottom end feel stronger.
It looks good, and supposedly doesn’t handle bad.
But the engine ruins it for me.
Your mileage may vary.
Jim
It has been way to many years since I have been on a bike for me to even think of being a performance rider. Am going to take a safty course 1st as I last rode in 81 on a CL 350 Honda. Looking for a bike for Sat/ Sun AM rides when waking up at 0430 as if it is a work day and being home before the idiots hit the street. Would also be a backup commuter in case work care gets pulled. Commute would be 8 to ten miles in urban /downtown traffic. Thanks for the feedback
car not care sorry
Its going to be huge with the guys trying to look legit.
Euro-Motards are good on the kind of twisties they have over there: bumpy, poorly maintained back roads that snake over the tops of passes in the Alps – and especially those in what was Eastern Europe: Slovenia and such…
Suzuki made this 11 years ago…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzuki_GSX1400
STIG:)
150 mph with no fairing, you know the bike has some power.
Mr Ogre,
$11,999 minus $8,999 is three thousand. The non-ABS version of the NC700X is $6,999, which ends up being $5000 less, so I don’t see what the point of comparing the two bikes is. Cost of ownership of the two bikes will be very unequal. A valve adjustment on a desmo valve machine is fairly costly. The Honda is intended for someone who is interested in two-wheeled transportation. That is the rare rider in these United States.
I was looking at a 2010 model, one of which I found used for 6500. The 2013 model is a lot more.
I think this is the best bike out there. Bar none. As soon as I get 23 k. I’m getting one. Seriously. This bike has not one shortcoming. I like glocks and sigs. Neither one is perfect. Both leave something to be desired. But that Ducati has it all.
I think your right.
Ducati had a problem recently. They had bikes with plastic gas tanks, saved weight, were corrosion resistant, yada,yada. Then the mandated ethanol gas came along and the tanks started melting. So it was back to metal tanks. Thank you EPA.
And you can’t find any regular unleaded gasoline anywhere around here… everything is Ethanol around here… and it pisses me off.