2015 Ducati Multistrada

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.

Ducati 899 Review

Yesterday I had the opportunity to ride the Ducati 899 courtesy of Ducati Cape Town. For those interested here are some quick notes on the bike. I must begin by saying this was a dream experience, I’ve ridden loads of different bikes but very few “dream machines”. Ducati are bikes that motorcycle riders desire to own, they’re recognized as something special by non-motorcyclists and are hung on walls as posters. No one can deny the emotion these bikes bring with them.

Starting with the good; the 899 is incredibly striking, it’s a spitting image of its bigger brothers but has a conventional rear swing arm. It attracted plenty of looks from people and it does make the rider feel extraordinarily special. It’s like owning an exotic car, people notice you. The aesthetic details throughout the bike are incredible, and following one on my ride I couldn’t stop looking at those rear lights, truly spectacular.

The 899 motor is very sweet for a middle of the range sport bike. It’s a lot meatier then a 600, and fills in what a 600 lacks in bottom end grunt. But if you’re used to 1000cc sport bikes, you will be left underwhelmed by the claimed 148 hp pull of the bike. That being said, I wasn’t expecting it to be a monster so was very surprised and pleased by the 899. It is all the motor you will ever need. The V-twin sounds great and has something special about it. It is rough in the lower RPM range compared to a conventional in-line four but it adds so much character, and levels out at riding speeds.
The brakes on this bike are some of the best I’ve ever felt, riding through town they weren’t snappy but in the mountain passes they gave great feedback and feel. The bike felt planted, the front end and brakes were confidence inspiring.

The whole bike is incredibly small and narrow, the seat is half the size of a Japanese counterpart which is both a negative and positive. I would categorize the size of the bike as similar to a 600. The foot pegs are very far back which made it incredibly comfortable for me. I am rather tall, and my legs are usually an issue on superbikes. The small dimensions of the bike again leave it feeling nimble, which through a mountain pass is great. The 899 is light bike weighing in at only 169kg dry. This is 5kg more than the 1199, but that isn’t an issue in my opinion.

Build quality and switch gear is generally an issue on European bikes, but I must say I was impressed with everything on the 899. The panel gaps were all right, the switches were where I wanted them, and the interface was easy to use. This is usually something the Japanese bikes excel at but this Ducati is a nicely built piece of kit. Not totally sure how it would age as the bike I rode was brand new. It's got all the electronics and rider aids you could want. Doubt you would need them all though, I rode the bike in Race mode with all the electronic interventions set to their lowest settings. The 899 is fitted with a quickshifter and I found it to be a great, considering it is stock from the factory. Comparing it to the BMW’s rough standard shifter, this was smooth and easy to use.

Now on to the issues and criticisms I had with the bike. I must say I had to sit down and really think about what my issues with the 899 were. I was buzzing with excitement the whole time, and did try and climb onto the bike with an open mind. The exhaust comes up under the seat and you can really feel it cooking your ass going through town at lower speeds. Once up to more… um… exciting speeds, it cools down substantially and disappears.

The side stand is an exquisite piece of art, but is impossible to get to with your boot. You’ll need to stretch down to reach it with your hand. Doesn’t sound like a massive gripe, but you could look a bit silly pulling up to a café in Camps Bay while being watched by some attractive models.

The same can be said for the foot pegs, they look great but lack some grip. I found myself second guessing my foot placement in case the ball of my foot were to slip off at speed or mid-corner. As stated before, they are correctly placed for me but shorter riders did comment on them being too far back.

The 899 isn’t cheap, no Ducati is, but if you have the money lying around and want something special to take out on a Sunday morning and thrash through the passes, this could well be it. It is a great motorcycle, but it’s a special bike to be taken out for an occasion rather than an everyday event.

Thanks to Anston Collins from Ducati Cape Town for the opportunity to ride the bike.

Mike Hopkins Track Day 11 January 2014 - Cape Town Riders

Here's a video made over a year a go of the Mike Hopkins Track day at Killarney.

For anyone interested in improving their riding ability it is highly recommended.

Further information:

• R450 for 4 x 20 minute track sessions with Marshals. No need to book, just rock up.
• Everyone starts in the slow group the first time, you'll also have class sessions in between should you wish to attend.
• Fuel to your own cost, be prepaired for one tank on the track.
• Food and drinks are able to be bought at the track on the day.
• Take note you should inform your insurance company to see if the provide track insurance. Do inform them it is a track school, and not a racing event.

For further information, feel free to contact Mike Hopkins Motorcycles in Cape Town.