Took a brave pill. Money-where-my-mouth-is-time… (it's RED!)
Discussion
Sooo, ever since I rode a Ducati Multistrada back in 2013 I've told anyone who'd listen that they should buy one. Three years and several recommendations later, I went out to buy a KTM 1190 Adventure instead because I was scared of how much a Ducati would break down.
But then I came back on this.
It's, erm, a Ducati Multistrada 1200S Touring. From 2013, with 11,600 miles on it. I've put about 400 miles on it over the weekend (12,000 ticked over on the A3 sliproad with the front wheel slightly in the air), and it's as amazing as I remember it being back in 2013. It feels as fast as my old Blackbird, but from 3,000rpm instead of 8,000. Essentially it has enough low-down kick to amuse me, but – and this is the crucial bit – has been rated as 'the most comfortable bike ever' by my girlfriend. We'll see if that continues to be the case when we take our first short bike trip away to the continent next weekend – the furthest she's been is about 150 miles.
It came with the top box, panniers and an aftermarket screen. And a broken fuel sender. And a dirty old chain. And a wobbly crap catcher that fouls the chain. And some scuff marks. And a dead battery in the key. But it rides superbly, and I'd only f
k it up cosmetically anyway (it will live outside under a cover), and I got this one relatively cheaply.
I've not laughed so much in a long time as when riding this – just coming off roundabouts in second gear with the front pawing the air is huge fun. And when it just hooks up and drives cleanly up the road with the throttle pinned in third is just fantastic, with one of the best stock exhaust notes I can remember booming away. It's also nice to leave it in Touring mode for a relatively supple ride on the motorways, but then switch to sport mode for really snappy throttle response as soon as you get to interesting roads – the difference the modes make in engine response is like swapping to a bigger diameter throttle tube on a normal bike.
I don't have any plans to modify it in any way, I'll just keep it in fluids, tyres and brake pads and put the miles on it. It'll be due a desmo service in the next year or so, so I'll put some pennies away for that. Just can't wait to get away to Europe as much as possible on it this year. While giggling like a schoolgirl. And praying that it doesn't suddenly decide to bankrupt me.
So, did I tell you how great the Multistrada is? I'd go and buy one if I were you.
But then I came back on this.
It's, erm, a Ducati Multistrada 1200S Touring. From 2013, with 11,600 miles on it. I've put about 400 miles on it over the weekend (12,000 ticked over on the A3 sliproad with the front wheel slightly in the air), and it's as amazing as I remember it being back in 2013. It feels as fast as my old Blackbird, but from 3,000rpm instead of 8,000. Essentially it has enough low-down kick to amuse me, but – and this is the crucial bit – has been rated as 'the most comfortable bike ever' by my girlfriend. We'll see if that continues to be the case when we take our first short bike trip away to the continent next weekend – the furthest she's been is about 150 miles.
It came with the top box, panniers and an aftermarket screen. And a broken fuel sender. And a dirty old chain. And a wobbly crap catcher that fouls the chain. And some scuff marks. And a dead battery in the key. But it rides superbly, and I'd only f
k it up cosmetically anyway (it will live outside under a cover), and I got this one relatively cheaply.I've not laughed so much in a long time as when riding this – just coming off roundabouts in second gear with the front pawing the air is huge fun. And when it just hooks up and drives cleanly up the road with the throttle pinned in third is just fantastic, with one of the best stock exhaust notes I can remember booming away. It's also nice to leave it in Touring mode for a relatively supple ride on the motorways, but then switch to sport mode for really snappy throttle response as soon as you get to interesting roads – the difference the modes make in engine response is like swapping to a bigger diameter throttle tube on a normal bike.
I don't have any plans to modify it in any way, I'll just keep it in fluids, tyres and brake pads and put the miles on it. It'll be due a desmo service in the next year or so, so I'll put some pennies away for that. Just can't wait to get away to Europe as much as possible on it this year. While giggling like a schoolgirl. And praying that it doesn't suddenly decide to bankrupt me.
So, did I tell you how great the Multistrada is? I'd go and buy one if I were you.
moto_traxport said:
Good on you. I've been circling around them for about 4 years now but every existing owner I spoke to had had woeful stories about things going wrong with them.
Fingers crossed yours stays mostly functional - when they're working that sort of bike is perfect for road use.
Thanks! I agree, it's such a great engine for the road. Just the perfect amount of grunt for punchy overtakes with enough engine braking to avoid having to slam on the anchors when nipping into gaps.Fingers crossed yours stays mostly functional - when they're working that sort of bike is perfect for road use.
I aim to use it as much as possible in the hope that'll keep it healthy. I'm almost tempted to leave the fuel sender as it is – it just means the fuel light is on constantly and the indicated range is 0. Maybe if there's a warning light showing the rest of the bike will behave… in a sort of weird 'pleasing the Italian electronics gods' way. I was put off them by forums too – it seems like it's Ducati's least reliable bike ever, which must take some doing.
Thought I'd do a quick bit of an update for anyone interested in Multistradas (Multistradi?). I've had it just over a week now and so far I've put 1,000 miles on it - most of them two-up. Over the bank holiday weekend I took it and the girlfriend down to Bruges, then on through the Ardennes to Bouillon and back via Arras – about 700 miles in 3 days. It was the girlfriend's first European trip on a bike and she loved it – we did 350 miles yesterday and by the end one of her knees was a bit sore (an old marathon injury) but that was about it in terms of discomfort. Overall she really enjoyed it, the scenery, the acceleration, the fast cornering and my slightly st power wheelies off roundabouts in 2nd.
In terms of things that are broken, I only really have two more things to add to the list – the elastic strap in the top box (easily fixable) and the little plastic retaining strap on the cover for the emergency ignition barrel. Everything else seems solid enough
The panniers are a pain in the arse to get on and off, but after 10 minutes of faffing they're on and can be left there for a trip.
I'm still absolutely loving the way the bike drives off the bottom end of the rev range and the way it rips to the rev limiter – it's such a ferocious feeling. I took delivery of a 959 Panigale this morning from Ducati's press team (delivered by a Mr Crutchlow snr!) and it's a far revvier bike but lacks the low-down wallop of the 1198 motor – no surprise there. The riding position of the 959 made me question whether the Multistrada could really be all things to all men – I mean, apart from track work or off-roading I can't think of any area where it needs improvement. For fast road riding two-up it excelled over the weekend, it tracked fast 100mph+ sweepers more confidently than my old Blackbird, and the fast steering makes tighter switchbacks a piece of cake. And then there's the sense that every single power pulse is going straight to the back tyre to rocket you up the road. Did I mention I love the engine?
Plans now are to get a new chain and sprocket set put on (the current one is probably just about OK on 12,600 miles but looks rusty as) and get the fuel sender fixed. I've also invested in one of those Oxford solar panel trickle chargers to keep the battery topped up during the week.
Some more pics:
t power wheelies off roundabouts in 2nd.In terms of things that are broken, I only really have two more things to add to the list – the elastic strap in the top box (easily fixable) and the little plastic retaining strap on the cover for the emergency ignition barrel. Everything else seems solid enough
The panniers are a pain in the arse to get on and off, but after 10 minutes of faffing they're on and can be left there for a trip.I'm still absolutely loving the way the bike drives off the bottom end of the rev range and the way it rips to the rev limiter – it's such a ferocious feeling. I took delivery of a 959 Panigale this morning from Ducati's press team (delivered by a Mr Crutchlow snr!) and it's a far revvier bike but lacks the low-down wallop of the 1198 motor – no surprise there. The riding position of the 959 made me question whether the Multistrada could really be all things to all men – I mean, apart from track work or off-roading I can't think of any area where it needs improvement. For fast road riding two-up it excelled over the weekend, it tracked fast 100mph+ sweepers more confidently than my old Blackbird, and the fast steering makes tighter switchbacks a piece of cake. And then there's the sense that every single power pulse is going straight to the back tyre to rocket you up the road. Did I mention I love the engine?
Plans now are to get a new chain and sprocket set put on (the current one is probably just about OK on 12,600 miles but looks rusty as) and get the fuel sender fixed. I've also invested in one of those Oxford solar panel trickle chargers to keep the battery topped up during the week.
Some more pics:
Rawwr said:
Coincidentally, I took a new Multistrada S out for a test ride last Saturday as I'm looking for something which isn't a sports bike. I thought it was totally fantastic, with a ride I've never experienced on a bike; it just seemed to smooth out everything with its kooky suspension. I reckon you could happily ride one to the south of France in a single hit - if you were so inclined - without feeling totally bummed-up by the time you got there. Really impressed.
The latest model has slightly smoother-feeling suspension compared to mine, which is one of the original Skyhook bikes from 2013. It feels quite harsh over some bumps, but you really feel it working under braking and acceleration! There's a noticeable difference in general suppleness between Sport and Urban mode, for example. Urban was useful for crawling around cobbled French towns!Steve Bass said:
Cracking 
And you made the right choice. The 1190A is a great bike but more off road biased and not as comfy with the standard issue KTM park bench. I'm tempted by these, especially the new Deep Vein Thrombosis engine..
Yeah, I hadn't ridden a MTS for a few years when I test rode the 1190 the other weekend and bought this one without a test ride. The MTS feels a lot more powerful and, well, racier. I've not tried one of the vein-clogging ones yet, they're still £14-16k over here, mine was a shade under £9k - I couldn't justify the extra cost really, and didn't want to head down the PCP route.And you made the right choice. The 1190A is a great bike but more off road biased and not as comfy with the standard issue KTM park bench. I'm tempted by these, especially the new Deep Vein Thrombosis engine..
Bit of an update to this!
Since getting the bike in April I've done a shade under 3000 miles. In that time it's been on a few two-up runs to Brighton and getting lost in Surrey, up to visit a mate in Leamington and on a nice 300 mile jaunt to ride with a friend and his new S1000R in Essex.
It's been faultless (apart from the existing fuel sensor fault) - all I've done until last week was replace the key in the keyless, erm, key and replace the main battery on the bike to help it crank after a week or two unused.
This week it went in for its 15000 mile service a little early because it's taking me 2500 miles around Europe in a few weeks. On my last ride out I popped the left hand fork seal - a proper soggy left foot sort of pop. So I sourced the fork seals which were replaced at the service. I knew the MTS 15k service is a big one - belts, valves, fork oil etc. But just in case you thought more modern Ducs were reasonable to service, I'll leave this here! To be fair the dealer's customer service was the best I've experienced in seven years of biking and they left a few jobs off the bill. Anyway, it's all set for another 7500 miles! Just need some new tyres before the off.
When I retire in 40 years and have a garage I'll do it myself...
![](http://thumbsnap.com/sc/wX1IBzsA.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="http://thumbsnap.com/wX1IBzsA" Target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[img]http://thumbsnap.com/sc/wX1IBzsA.jpg)
Since getting the bike in April I've done a shade under 3000 miles. In that time it's been on a few two-up runs to Brighton and getting lost in Surrey, up to visit a mate in Leamington and on a nice 300 mile jaunt to ride with a friend and his new S1000R in Essex.
It's been faultless (apart from the existing fuel sensor fault) - all I've done until last week was replace the key in the keyless, erm, key and replace the main battery on the bike to help it crank after a week or two unused.
This week it went in for its 15000 mile service a little early because it's taking me 2500 miles around Europe in a few weeks. On my last ride out I popped the left hand fork seal - a proper soggy left foot sort of pop. So I sourced the fork seals which were replaced at the service. I knew the MTS 15k service is a big one - belts, valves, fork oil etc. But just in case you thought more modern Ducs were reasonable to service, I'll leave this here! To be fair the dealer's customer service was the best I've experienced in seven years of biking and they left a few jobs off the bill. Anyway, it's all set for another 7500 miles! Just need some new tyres before the off.
When I retire in 40 years and have a garage I'll do it myself...
And a fuel sensor. And a quick hand shandy…FezSpider said:
So it seems the Multistrada's nose is some thing thats not talked about, kind of like the emperors clothing. LOL
Cos it looks really adventurey, innit. I've so far resisted the urge to get a carbon one. I think it'd look odd without the beak – the difference between the original Tiger 800 road and XC adventure bikes was noticeable – the adventurey one just looked more 'right' because of the beak.That's for the input Steve – glad to have some interesting Duc servicing wisdom on the thread – I just pays the bills! Then cry. I'm no moneybags by a long shot, but this is the first bike that is so, so much fun I don't mind the bill.
FezSpider said:
One hurdel that the home servicer will come across on a modern ducati. Its the bloody idiot lights that come on when its service time and stay the fk on and stand out like a stood out thing. 
They dont go of until you take it to a ducati dealer and pay the ducati tax to turn them of. Bugger
Ah yes - I had the 15k service done a bit early so I've not had the service due messages pop up yet. The dealer said they'll get rid of them for free if I pop down though.k on and stand out like a stood out thing. They dont go of until you take it to a ducati dealer and pay the ducati tax to turn them of. Bugger
Renn Sport said:
This thread is swaying me toward the KTM 1190! (However I am easily swayed to be fair)
Glad you like your bike and having ridden one can attest is a fantastic machine.
Don't do it! I was hours away from buying an 1190 (head bike) but the buyer sold the fully loaded one near me. Got angry and thought 'fGlad you like your bike and having ridden one can attest is a fantastic machine.
k it' and bought the bike my heart had wanted for 3 years. The one that's plagued by every problem under the sun and costs a small fortune to service. Only 1 out of 2 of those things has been true for me so far. So much punchier than the 1190 and definitely the bike out of the two to pick if you never venture off road. The labour on my bill was £520. 8 hours @ £65/hr. It was in for over a day and they had 3 guys finishing it off by the time I collected it (both forks were still off when I turned up but they stayed until 6pm to get it done.
Now for new tyres. Do I stick with what's on it (Pilot Road 4 GT-for-fatsos) or go for something Roadsmarty/T30-ey? I'm about to do 3000 miles of hopefully fast touring with my mate on his S1000R so I'll need to keep up!
ETA: before the tyre police turn up I know I'll keep up on the PR4s on the road! Just wondering if anyone has experience of similar-but-possibly-cheaper alternatives that are just as good.
Edited by TimmyWimmyWoo on Monday 22 August 19:25
fergus said:
Mr WimmyWoo, how large is the bike? I'm probably considering either one of these or an 1190 for my next bike,but am nearly 6'6", so dwarf most things... I haven't sat on/ridden either, although I'd probably go with an aftermarket seat on either. Do you find the Duc has more low down torque? Who did the servicing? thks
It's pretty large – I'm 6'3" and don't fully flat foot it and it takes a good swing to get my leg over it. Results in a lovely high riding position and you can see over way more stuff than on a sports bike, obviously.I test rode the 1290SA and it's a better long distance bike than the MTS – not just cos of the bigger tank. Its suspension is plusher and it has more torque (it's hilarious - every overtake has the front wheel going very much not on the road) but for me it was just too much money. Especially considering I got this MTS for less than £9k and the nearest 1290 was more like £14k. It's about the only bike I'd consider to replace the Multistrada, but they'll have to lose another £5k. Being a KTM that shouldn't be long…
Went for a new rear tyre today before my tour in a fortnight. Tyre place had to saw my exhaust end can off to get the rear wheel out 
The exhaust end can has to come off to get the rear wheel out but the bolt holding it on was utterly seized and no amount of oxyacetylene could get it off. +£16 to labour bill.
I love this bike.
The exhaust end can has to come off to get the rear wheel out but the bolt holding it on was utterly seized and no amount of oxyacetylene could get it off. +£16 to labour bill.
I love this bike.
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