Ducati News Today

The Ducati Multistrada 1200 has been subject to so much hype we almost feel we know what to expect before slinging a leg over the saddle. However just as with similarly overly promoted movies, no matter how good it is, it could easily disappoint when you get to see for yourself. Ducati News Today took advantage of the Multistrada 1200 National Premiere weekend and Ducati Motorcycles of Atlanta’s generosity to find out first hand. This is Part 2. You should read Part 1 of our Multistrada 1200 Review first.

So what’s not to love. Well the looks for one. The bike looks so much better in the flesh than in photos and is more compact than you expect but it still has looks that only a mother could love. Amongst its class competitors though it fares better. None of the adventure tourers is exactly runway ready with Triumph’s Tiger being the most attractive to my eye. Let’s just say as accomplished as the Multistrada 1200 is, you are unlikely to be caught stealing glances at it in the garage like you might with many of Ducati’s other models.

Rather ironically given all the excitement over the techno gubbins, it was the basic motorcycle that impressed the heck out of me and the electronics that underwhelmed. I don’t know about you, but my car has all sorts of bells and whistles that you can fiddle with. I read all about them in the tests and brochures I devoured before the purchase but I hardly touch any of these things now. Yes it is true you can adjust everything on the Multistrada 1200 to suit yourself but after fiddling about with all the settings I suspect most owners will choose their optimal settings and leave well enough alone. I know I would.

Your mileage may vary but for me, the urban mode gave a throttle response so sluggish as to be annoying and so much traction control that it sometimes felt like it retarded the thrust just because you had decided to lean over a little bit. Some reviews have said the ‘Sport’ throttle response is too urgent but for me it was as it should be, crisp and responsive to a twist of the wrist. I did notice one problem with the fueling. Whenever you close the throttle and then open it again rapidly like you do when blipping as you change down through the gears, there was a hesitation after opening the throttle before the revs would pick back up. Changing mapping modes didn’t seem to make any difference to this. An artifact of tuning for emissions tests perhaps?

Which brings me back to the slowly rising Multistrada 1200 as I selected ‘Enduro’ mode for my highly scientific speed hump test. I noticed a deserted parking lot so I decided to ride the bike over the speed humps at 22mph first in high riding, all softly setup ‘Enduro’ mode and then in buttoned down, canyon carving ‘Sport’. I couldn’t tell much of a difference. There was a bit of a slap as the front end hit on both. Maybe if I squinted and held my head just so, the ‘Enduro’ mode was a little easier on the bones. Color me skeptical.

ABS worked well. I was brave enough to just trust it and nail the brakes which bite quite strongly but not in the over the top way of the monobloc Brembos on the 1198. ABS activation is announced by a modest, but very rapid vibration through the front lever or rear pedal.

The Ducati Multistrada 1200 is everything the 1100 model wasn’t, a real honest to goodness do it all motorcycle that you can ride every day, keep up or even lead your friends during spirited sports rides and take your gear and loved one (shouldn’t that be the other way around!) with you when you have more than just a few hours to ride your bike. This bike with this engine makes more sense for so many riders I’d even buy one if I wasn’t so besotted with my Monster!

My only reservation is about the overkill technology but luckily Ducati give you the choice whether you want all the über tech or not and I applaud them for that. The Multistrada 1200 is so good because of the fundamentals of the motorcycle, the technology just adds some bling to the mix to what is already an amazing motorcycle.

Ducati News Today buying advice. Get the base model, add ABS if you want and spend some of the $5,000 savings on the hard luggage, and maybe the carbon fiber snout which looks so good against the white paint.

The bikes is for you if:

• You love Superbikes, but can no longer abide the torture rack ergonomics
• You can only have one bike and want to do it all
• You want comfort and a few creature comforts in your ride but don’t want a touring barge

You want to keep looking if:

• You think a Ducati should look like its doing 150mph standing still
• Adventure for you means lots of off-road (buy the BMW R1200GS)
• You prefer your bikes old school sans the techno gear (buy the KTM 990SMT)

Ducati Multistrada 1200S: The next generation of universal motorcycle is no longer Japanese. The Ducati Multistrada 1200 could be the best ‘only’ bike ever.

Thanks to BMW Ducati Motorcycles of Atlanta who supplied The Ducati Multistrada 1200 and fuel.

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