Ducati has an extensive brand awareness far beyond the Italian company’s actual size, based on its illustrious racing history and lineage of hardcore sportbikes. But the versatile new Multistrada is set to open the Ducati experience to a wide swath of conquest consumers.
“There are a lot of riders out there who are Ducati-curious,” says David James, Ducati international press manager, adding that they may have been intimidated by the firm’s hard-edged reputation.
From our experience testing the new Multistrada 1200 on the varied roads of the Canary Islands, we’re confident that many of the Ducati-curious will really appreciate the flexibility, comfort and performance of this sharp-beaked new bird.
Did we say performance? Hell, yeah! Forget the homely old air-cooled MTS. This one is powered by a revised version of the 1198 superbike V-Twin, cut down from 170 crankshaft horsepower to a still-very-potent 150 hp. The $14,995 versa-bike may have pretentions as a BMW GS competitor, but it, in relative terms, is a racebike in comparison.
Helping keep all those horses reigned in when appropriate is standard traction control and rider-selectable engine mapping among four modes.
The thoroughbred setting is Sport, boasting the full corral of 150 horses and aggressive throttle response. A Touring selection softens throttle reaction while retaining the same peak power. More rider-friendly are the Urban and Enduro modes, limiting throttle openings to 60% to cap power at 100 horses.
The different modes also have an effect on the intervention of the Ducati Traction Control system, which can also be independently set to a rider’s preference.
More electronic trickery can be had by ordering the $19,995 S version of the MTS, which offers Ohlins TTX suspension that can be electronically adjusted on the fly. For example, the Sport mode delivers stiffer damping control, while the Urban setting has lighter damping to soak up the bumps and potholes of city streets. Compression and rebound circuits are separated into respective fork legs.
The Multistrada S – in both Touring and Sport versions – also features a Bosch-Brembo antilock brake system as standard equipment. ABS is a $1500 option for the non-S version which substitutes an ordinary Marzocchi fork and Sachs shock – manually adjustable – in place of the pricey Ohlins electronic suspension. Both models supply a generous 6.7 inches of travel front and rear. The old MTS had 6.3 and 5.5 inches, respectively.
Each electronic parameter, other than ABS (which can be switched off), can also be set independently to a rider’s preference.
Thought was also put into power of the 12-volt variety. The MTS has two outlets for electrifying heated clothing or cell phones or MP3 players, plus a dedicated power outlet for the accessory Garmin GPS that mounts at the center of the bike’s upper triple clamp. Heated grips are a $300 accessory, but they come standard on the Touring version of the Multistrada S.
For detail Information ...motorcycle.com
“There are a lot of riders out there who are Ducati-curious,” says David James, Ducati international press manager, adding that they may have been intimidated by the firm’s hard-edged reputation.
From our experience testing the new Multistrada 1200 on the varied roads of the Canary Islands, we’re confident that many of the Ducati-curious will really appreciate the flexibility, comfort and performance of this sharp-beaked new bird.
Did we say performance? Hell, yeah! Forget the homely old air-cooled MTS. This one is powered by a revised version of the 1198 superbike V-Twin, cut down from 170 crankshaft horsepower to a still-very-potent 150 hp. The $14,995 versa-bike may have pretentions as a BMW GS competitor, but it, in relative terms, is a racebike in comparison.
Helping keep all those horses reigned in when appropriate is standard traction control and rider-selectable engine mapping among four modes.
The thoroughbred setting is Sport, boasting the full corral of 150 horses and aggressive throttle response. A Touring selection softens throttle reaction while retaining the same peak power. More rider-friendly are the Urban and Enduro modes, limiting throttle openings to 60% to cap power at 100 horses.
The different modes also have an effect on the intervention of the Ducati Traction Control system, which can also be independently set to a rider’s preference.
More electronic trickery can be had by ordering the $19,995 S version of the MTS, which offers Ohlins TTX suspension that can be electronically adjusted on the fly. For example, the Sport mode delivers stiffer damping control, while the Urban setting has lighter damping to soak up the bumps and potholes of city streets. Compression and rebound circuits are separated into respective fork legs.
The Multistrada S – in both Touring and Sport versions – also features a Bosch-Brembo antilock brake system as standard equipment. ABS is a $1500 option for the non-S version which substitutes an ordinary Marzocchi fork and Sachs shock – manually adjustable – in place of the pricey Ohlins electronic suspension. Both models supply a generous 6.7 inches of travel front and rear. The old MTS had 6.3 and 5.5 inches, respectively.
Each electronic parameter, other than ABS (which can be switched off), can also be set independently to a rider’s preference.
Thought was also put into power of the 12-volt variety. The MTS has two outlets for electrifying heated clothing or cell phones or MP3 players, plus a dedicated power outlet for the accessory Garmin GPS that mounts at the center of the bike’s upper triple clamp. Heated grips are a $300 accessory, but they come standard on the Touring version of the Multistrada S.
For detail Information ...motorcycle.com
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