If someone told me ten years ago that Ducati would be
building seriously desirable bikes that have everyday practicality and ease of
use, I would have told them to keep quiet and sit in the corner. However in
2015 this Italian motorcycle brand is churning out some seriously stunning
bikes. The new Panigale in both forms, 899 and now 1299 are stunning, easy to
use bikes. Gone are the days of hoping your Ducati would swing when you pushed
the starter button. These bikes have really come a long way which is possibly
due to the Audi influence, but we won’t mention that to the red blooded
Ducatisti.
Over my motorcycling years I have been incredibly fortunate
to have ridden some very special exotica, and whenever I hop on a bike I try to
get over my excitement and be critical about the machine I’m on. I read so many
good reviews on bikes where they only state what an amazing bike it is, and
seem to point out the faults with the outgoing model, only as the new one is
coming in. This is possibly due to journalists being held captive by
manufacturers that won’t invite them to the next launch if they have nasty
things to say. But back to my actual point.
In 2003 Ducati released the 1000DS Multistrada with the idea
that expanding into the “dual sport” market would bring them some new
customers. Pierre Terblanche designed a bike which to me was one of the ugliest
bikes ever made. The “split screen” Multistrada never really caught on possibly
due to the fact that Ducati isn’t a name to be trusted for crossing continents.
In 2010 Ducati reinvented the model and gave the bike better looks, and a
stonking 1198 motor borrowed from their superbikes.
A few days ago I got a call from Anston asking if I wouldn’t mind helping run in the latest DVT Multistrada. I jumped at the opportunity as always and popped down to grab some saddle time. Since the newer shaped Multistrada looks miles better than the old, and has proved itself with some trophies at Pikes Peak, I was actually really excited to try this brute out.
On arriving at Superbike Solutions, Anston handed me the
keys pointing out that it was an S model. Having done some late night research
on YouTube the night before I knew all about the extras fitted to the bike.
When asking him how far I could go I was told the tank is full, bring it back
empty. I popped the key in my pocket, got shown around all the goodies and was
on my way.
The route I had planned was a bit of a hit and miss due to
the weather. I headed out to Franschhoek with a friend with the idea of doing
the usual circular route to include several stunning mountain passes. Once in
Franschhoek the weather was a little damp and drizzly. Rather than risking the
notoriously dangerous Franschhoek pass on someone else's bike, we headed out
towards Riebeek West.
For a big lump of Italian beauty this bike really loves the
twisty stuff. Coming from a sport bike background the height made judging where
exactly the wheels were difficult, but my confidence grew very quickly once the
kilometres started piling on. The bike feels incredibly light and nimble once
rolling, and this is due to the weight being kept down low. The claimed wet
weight is 235kg, which can be felt wheeling the bike around the garage.
Moving onto the braking, the Multistrada stops on a dime.
Grab a handful of the front and the bike sorts it out for you. The braking is
strong, and has really good feel. Often strong brakes lack on-road feel, but
this bike keeps the rider connected. The brakes are the same Brembo M50
callipers up front, on huge 330mm disk as found on the Panigale. The ABS is not
intrusive and is a must have on any modern road bike in my opinion.
The 1200 L-twin Testastretta motor is liquid cooled and new
for 2015. When I say new, what I really mean is the DVT is new. The DVT or
Desmodromic Variable Timing which works by changing the camshaft relative to
the crankshaft and allows an engine to be tuned for low end grunt as well as
high-rpm pull. There is more horsepower throughout the rev range and a claimed
10hp at peak, bumping up the claimed maximum to 160hp.
The engine is punchy,
smooth and the electronics package allows the rider to adjust various settings
and modes on the fly. The L-twin sounds great as always, with a few pops and
crackles on the over run.
The electronics package comes with four different rider modes.
These are:
- Sport riding mode, which provides the rider with full power and torque. The suspension is adjusted and the traction and wheelie controls are set to a minimum. The ABS is also set to a lower setting and the cornering ABS is maintained.
- Touring mode softens up the bike while retaining maximum power. The throttle response is less direct and the traction and wheelie control are bumped into higher settings. The suspension is set for carrying additional weight and the ABS is also more intrusive.
- Urban mode restricts the output of the bike to 100hp and the suspension is set up for more agility. The ABS, traction and wheelie control are all in a high setting to avoid any spills while pulling up to you favourite coffee shop to pick up girls.
- Enduro is the final setting and is supposed to be used for off road. I’m not going to go into it as I feel this bike is not about that sort of riding, and I personally don’t know why Ducati have bothered with it. But that rant is coming later.
Onto the positives about the bike. I got to spend a good
300km’s on the bike and found my 6ft7 frame to be fairly comfortable. The
cruising speeds on the open roads were comfortable with ample wind protection
once the screen was in the fully upright position. The seat was a tad low for
me, but it was on the lowest setting. This can be adjusted but I forgot to ask
about it. The foot position is great with plenty of leg room. I could have
honestly have done triple the mileage without a single complaint.
The headlights are phenomenal, the S comes with LED
headlights which emit a seriously bright, white light. The headlights also move
according to the corners to help with night riding. I didn’t get to experience
any riding in the dark, but morning traffic made way for me which means these
lights work!
I must commend Ducati on their switchgear and layout.
Everything is where it should be. I was never looking for a switch or pressing
the wrong thing. The riding modes are easy to use and toggle through. Cruise
control works like a bomb, and so do the heated grips. The information cluster
is easy to read and has all the information you would ever need. The bars are
nice and wide which help manoeuvring the bike around town and have a
comfortable position for long open road stretches.
So here are some dislikes. In touring mode, I found the
suspension to be a bit too wobbly. Granted I was doing the speed limit plus
plenty of VAT for a bit and the bike developed a slight weave. Nothing scary or
unpleasant, but just a comment to pick up on. The centre stand was in the way
of my foot and kept rubbing the heel of my boot. This however can be removed
fairly easily and if it was my bike, I would. Modern bikes need quickshifters,
BMW add it to all their bikes, and I personally love them. Maybe I’m a spoilt
brat, but I feel this bike was missing one. I also felt like the bike was
missing a steering damper, I might be wrong but feel that this would aid in
making the bike more surefooted when really pushing on. These are really small
niggles, on what is a VERY good bike and can be sorted out easily.
Ducati are determined about this bike being a four in one
bike, which to me puts a dampener on things. It is a touring bike, it is
a sport bike, it is an urban bike,
but it is not an enduro bike. This is nothing to be ashamed about. Dual sport
bikes to me always have a fundamental flaw. They are all too fat to be taken
off-road, and do not excel at one particular thing (Road/Dirt). To me they are
a Jack of all trades, but master of none. Ducati, keep this bike as a sport
tourer. It’s excellent. For those that want an off-road bike, buy a scrambler.
Thanks to Anston from Ducati Cape Town for this great
experience. One more bike to add to my ever growing list!
Thanks to Redandblack for the photos.
