SummerLove
Tired SRE
So this has been a very busy week that has completely ruined my sleep schedule; however, I got a lot done and learned a whole hell of a lot.
2012 Multistrada ABS
Holy hell, let me sum my feelings on the new Multi up succinctly. It is a faster, more refined, better thought out version of my current Multistrada. It delivers on the same concepts and ideas that made me fall in love with my current bike but turns everything up to 11, actually let's go with to 12. It's a comfortable, practical sport bike at least for the real world. Granted I've not ridden an actual sport bike since I rode an S1000R in 2011 so take that with a grain of salt.
The first time I sat on one in a showroom it felt really good. That was in 2011. That didn't really prepare me for what happened when I tossed a leg over one for real and got to ride it. First off, until this bike I have never gotten on a bike I've never ridden, spent a minute or two adjusting the mirrors and levers then felt completely at ease. As soon as I started her up and put her in first then eased the clutch out and began rolling on the throttle everything felt right.
By the time we pulled off onto the road I felt completely at home and natural on this bike. I don't know how or why that is but I did. The seated position is a lot different than my current Multistrada, the bars are closer and wider, the seat hugs your hips and ass, the tank shape is perfect, pegs felt just right. I've always felt a little perched off my Multistrada and like I was going to slide off it if I got too far off the seat. The new one it felt more like I was part of the bike. Oh and the seat design at least for me completely eliminated the slamming crotch against tank issues under sudden hard braking that every other Ducati (even my monster) I've ever ridden has.
The stock mirrors are completely useable. The opposite my experience with my Multistrada which I ended up putting the DP mirrors by FAR on. My ass could probably deal with that seat for 3-4 hours with out a break. Handlebars were nice, good riding position for my funky body shape. I doubt I'd replace them. The levers.. I didn't like by I have short fingers, I have a set of CRG adjustable on my current Multistrada that I really like. I'd probably put a set on the new one too. Because it would be silly to put cheap Chinese shit on a twenty thousand dollar motorcycle.
So on the subject of other concerns about the Multistrada. Low rpm fueling, maybe I'm just bad at this or my newb with around only somewhere between 25-30k miles of riding on the street is showing but I really have no complaints about the fueling. I didn't feel the throttle was snatchy below 4k rpm and it certainly wasn't trying physical throw me from the saddle like my air cooled Multistrada (or any of the other air cooled, FI duc's I've ridden) does if you try to hold the throttle steady at say 2k rpm without slipping the clutch. So personally, I am going to chalk the low rpm fueling complaints, at least on 12+ models, to people coming from other other engine configurations and makes. Especially since according to Ducati, for 70% of Multistrada purchasers it is their first Ducati.
On the windscreen problems. So I'm short, I have a stock screen on my current Multistrada which a ton of people hated and works great for me. With the screen in the lowest position dirty air off the screen was hitting me in the temples and it was LOUD at 70mph, for reference I was wearing a Shoei Qwest with all the vents closed and visor locked. I didn't get a chance to see if raising the screen would make a difference; however, loudness can be dealt with. I was wearing NR22 ear plugs, 33s would probably make me not care. It's also possible just raising the screen would work for me. Screens seem to be something factories always have issues with on adventure bikes. It's not as bad as the stock screen on the Tiger 800 were at 70mph my head was being tossed around like a polo ball.
On the stock suspension, I'm not a suspension expert or anything, I can set sag and stuff like that but generally when I buy a new bike I call Rob at Evolution up and let the do the basic setup and go from there. For example my current Multistrada is very good, close enough for me I didn't feel it was worth the cost of redoing the front end, neither did Rob. Rob did feel if I was going to be doing any two up riding or riding the bike with all the bags on and fully loaded that respringing and valving the rear would be necessary. It was actually still on my list of things to do before I made this decision.
So with that in mind the suspension on demo bikes and test rides is never set up for my fat ass. I'm definitely not the rider Ducati had in mind for this bike.
That being said it performed quite well and during my demo ride was looking for every ripple, rough patch, pothole, crack, seam and gravelly spot I could find. Much to the consternation of the person escorting me because he was an R6.. and not to happy with dealing with crappy, bumpy roads while I was giggling and grinning. I felt it was a little soft and little under dampened. Turning the preload nob all the way up on the rear at a light helped that lot. Even if I had to respring everything (I doubt I would) that wouldn't be too bad. It felt planted, predictable even with a little too much squish. If that makes any sense. It was definitely more touring oriented compared to my bike and a lot of that is probably just how it was set up from the factory.
Handling wise? It did what I asked, it transitions quickly and it's just fun. This bike is just insanely easy to ride. The weight is well balanced, I was able to bust out a few 16ft u-turns easily on it in the parking lot and a few very tight circles with ease. I was thoroughly impressed with it's low speed handling and at speed it feels very.. stable, controlled and confidence inspiring.
So what's left? I guess I could talk about the ABS and DTC.. oh and that motor! I found the ABS and DTC to be not intrusive even in Urban mode. I had to try hard to trigger either one. Granted this was on dry pavement. I have been able to out brake some ABS systems on clean pavement with practice but I don't think I could out brake this one. It's damn good.
So the engine? It feels right, sounds not bad.. that's not big deal to me. I can't hear the exhaust note on my current Multi over the drive train and clutch anyway. It has the same vibes and I like them.. but everything is more muted, it's less.. chatty, smoother. I'm not talking about the power or anything like, just the vibes and noise from the engine while riding it. Now the power, oh my god. The powerplant is brilliant, it pulls hard pretty much from the get go and just keeps on going. It's fun, opening the throttle pretty much any time would put a huge grin on my face. I don't know how anyone could not enjoy the way this bike makes and puts down it's pretty much amount of power. Big torque is fun.
2013 Multistrada ABS
So pretty much everything I said above still stands. I actually had a hard time telling these two bikes apart from the saddle. The 2013 is marginally smoother at low rpm, I mean it was noticeable but only barely. The roar off the screen was a little more quiet and less noticeable but it's not a huge improvement. In person there are tiny physical differences. The 2013's nose is a little flatter, fairings more steeply sloped and the screen is more vertical but from 30-40 feet away you can't tell them apart easily. Personally? After riding them both I would be very happy on either. I'm keeping an eye on some left over 2012s and if I can snag one (with free bags on both the 12 and 13 base models until 6/30) for 2-3k less than a new 2013 than I see no reason not to do so.
2013 Hyperstrada
So I got a decent test ride one of these as well. About 45-60 minutes in the saddle around SF thanks to Monroe, mix of freeway, city and a little ride up and down twin peaks at around 10am on a weekday. Part of why I wanted to ride one is that it appeared very close to what I wanted to do with a bike and I was curious if it would meet my needs instead of the more pricey Multistrada. Mind you since the Hyperstrada has non-adjustable forks I was considering the SP and then sticking bags and stuff on it.
So a little primer, I rode a Hyper 796 back in summer of 2012 and I thought it was a lot of fun but not something I would want as my only bike. The upright position and freeway speed don't mix well for very long but it was lots of fun around town and in the hills.
When I first sat down on the Hyperstrada I noticed some definite differences. You sit further back on the bike than on the old hyper, the bars come much further back, riding two you so you aren't leaned forward at all. It very much reduces to the sitting over the front wheel sensation of the old hyper. The seat is okay, after an hour I was starting to notice some pressure points and I didn't like that my thighs were almost over the tank so I couldn't squeeze it much more to support myself under heavy braking. The biggest thing was that you are very much locked into one riding position or at least someone my size is. There is no room to scoot forward or back, leaning off is easy enough but that's about all the movement you are going to be doing in that saddle.
I was rather impressed when we got onto 101. I didn't expect that tiny screen to make much of a difference but it really did. I was very comfortable on the freeway at 70mph. The screen deflected a good deal of the wind off my chest and there was clean air on my helmet, shoulders and arms. I'd probably be happy to ride the Hyperstrada until the tank ran out of fuel even on the freeway. It's very light though so a firm gust of wind will blow you all over the place if you don't expect it.
One of the things that really stood out to me about the Hyperstrada is just how easy it is to ride. It is so plaint, eager to be pushed around, you can steer it easily with a single finger on the bars. It's almost telepathic. The downside to this is that you have to keep your eyes where you want to go. I don't mind that personally. I don't like wrestling bikes into doing what I want them to do. It's so light, it flicks back and forth so easily. That lightness and ease of transition made it a lot of fun and very easy to ride in the craziness of SF. I don't go up to SF often, I don't like riding in SF much at all because it's chaotic and filled with unexpected idiocy. Like the person that nearly nailed me trying to rush through a yellow to make an unprotected left turn, the 5 drunk people that came stumbling out from between parked vans, trucks or in one case leaped out at me from between a cement truck and a box truck.
The suspension was definitely not designed with my fat ass in mind. That being said it was.. adequate. If I was going to buy a hyper I'd start with the SP and turn it into what I wanted. Either that or plan on completely gutting and rebuilding the internals. Lighter people may have very different opinions.
I found the motor was very different from what I was expecting. It was very revvy! It liked to rev and didn't really get on it until between 6-7k rpm and from there it just kept pulling strong. That's not say it didn't have plenty get up and go across most of the rpm band but it seemed the most fun and happy between 7k and 9k rpm. The trade off in torque for horsepower makes it feel less hooligan and more refined but it's still an absurd amount of fun. It will probably still power wheelie in first.. It's not my bike so I didn't go there.
Personally I don't feel it would be a good -only- bike for me. I'd love to have it as a second or third bike. Well the SP anyway. It does quite meet the needs and wants I have for a new bike when I'm bike only and only have bike which is what I'd be committing to doing. Though now that I think about it could swing buying one and keeping my current Multistrada but riding the new Multistrada has but a fiery passion for it in my heart that I don't think its going to be easily evicted. Now if I lived in SF or somewhere liked that? I think the Hyper would be a much better choice in daily rider but I don't. I live in San Jose (and work in Sunnyvale) and things are little less insane so the trade in comfort for agility doesn't quite work as well for me. Also I work night shift and hyper's lights are not nearly as good.
So in summary. The Multistrada 1200 is fucking amazing bike, I'm going to buy one. I fell in love with it. I don't feel like the 2013 is that enormous of an improvement over the 2012 unless you really want Skyhook. I also know I'm the minority there because I want a base model not an ST or PP or GT and the S Touring is the best selling model. For me the 3 things the ST had that I wanted were bags, heated grips and a centerstand. Bags are free right now with a base model which is 1100 of price difference. The centerstand is 240.. and I might have talked someone into including that for free if I bought a leftover 2012. Factory heated grips are 300~ aftermarkt are 50-100 bucks.. Skyhook doesn't interest me because I have huge concerns about being able to set it up to my satisfaction as a fatty. I don't know what parts are going to be available for it. I don't know how much tuning and adjusting you'll be able to do with it. I know respringing the DES Ohlins on the older models was a huge pain and you have very limited options for doing so. If the bags were not free right now.. I'd be seriously reconsidering a S Touring but they are and the base model does everything I want.
Oh.. and no photos because I derped and forgot my DSLR and it was misting the day I rode the Hyperstrada.
2012 Multistrada ABS
Holy hell, let me sum my feelings on the new Multi up succinctly. It is a faster, more refined, better thought out version of my current Multistrada. It delivers on the same concepts and ideas that made me fall in love with my current bike but turns everything up to 11, actually let's go with to 12. It's a comfortable, practical sport bike at least for the real world. Granted I've not ridden an actual sport bike since I rode an S1000R in 2011 so take that with a grain of salt.
The first time I sat on one in a showroom it felt really good. That was in 2011. That didn't really prepare me for what happened when I tossed a leg over one for real and got to ride it. First off, until this bike I have never gotten on a bike I've never ridden, spent a minute or two adjusting the mirrors and levers then felt completely at ease. As soon as I started her up and put her in first then eased the clutch out and began rolling on the throttle everything felt right.
By the time we pulled off onto the road I felt completely at home and natural on this bike. I don't know how or why that is but I did. The seated position is a lot different than my current Multistrada, the bars are closer and wider, the seat hugs your hips and ass, the tank shape is perfect, pegs felt just right. I've always felt a little perched off my Multistrada and like I was going to slide off it if I got too far off the seat. The new one it felt more like I was part of the bike. Oh and the seat design at least for me completely eliminated the slamming crotch against tank issues under sudden hard braking that every other Ducati (even my monster) I've ever ridden has.
The stock mirrors are completely useable. The opposite my experience with my Multistrada which I ended up putting the DP mirrors by FAR on. My ass could probably deal with that seat for 3-4 hours with out a break. Handlebars were nice, good riding position for my funky body shape. I doubt I'd replace them. The levers.. I didn't like by I have short fingers, I have a set of CRG adjustable on my current Multistrada that I really like. I'd probably put a set on the new one too. Because it would be silly to put cheap Chinese shit on a twenty thousand dollar motorcycle.
So on the subject of other concerns about the Multistrada. Low rpm fueling, maybe I'm just bad at this or my newb with around only somewhere between 25-30k miles of riding on the street is showing but I really have no complaints about the fueling. I didn't feel the throttle was snatchy below 4k rpm and it certainly wasn't trying physical throw me from the saddle like my air cooled Multistrada (or any of the other air cooled, FI duc's I've ridden) does if you try to hold the throttle steady at say 2k rpm without slipping the clutch. So personally, I am going to chalk the low rpm fueling complaints, at least on 12+ models, to people coming from other other engine configurations and makes. Especially since according to Ducati, for 70% of Multistrada purchasers it is their first Ducati.
On the windscreen problems. So I'm short, I have a stock screen on my current Multistrada which a ton of people hated and works great for me. With the screen in the lowest position dirty air off the screen was hitting me in the temples and it was LOUD at 70mph, for reference I was wearing a Shoei Qwest with all the vents closed and visor locked. I didn't get a chance to see if raising the screen would make a difference; however, loudness can be dealt with. I was wearing NR22 ear plugs, 33s would probably make me not care. It's also possible just raising the screen would work for me. Screens seem to be something factories always have issues with on adventure bikes. It's not as bad as the stock screen on the Tiger 800 were at 70mph my head was being tossed around like a polo ball.
On the stock suspension, I'm not a suspension expert or anything, I can set sag and stuff like that but generally when I buy a new bike I call Rob at Evolution up and let the do the basic setup and go from there. For example my current Multistrada is very good, close enough for me I didn't feel it was worth the cost of redoing the front end, neither did Rob. Rob did feel if I was going to be doing any two up riding or riding the bike with all the bags on and fully loaded that respringing and valving the rear would be necessary. It was actually still on my list of things to do before I made this decision.
So with that in mind the suspension on demo bikes and test rides is never set up for my fat ass. I'm definitely not the rider Ducati had in mind for this bike.
That being said it performed quite well and during my demo ride was looking for every ripple, rough patch, pothole, crack, seam and gravelly spot I could find. Much to the consternation of the person escorting me because he was an R6.. and not to happy with dealing with crappy, bumpy roads while I was giggling and grinning. I felt it was a little soft and little under dampened. Turning the preload nob all the way up on the rear at a light helped that lot. Even if I had to respring everything (I doubt I would) that wouldn't be too bad. It felt planted, predictable even with a little too much squish. If that makes any sense. It was definitely more touring oriented compared to my bike and a lot of that is probably just how it was set up from the factory.
Handling wise? It did what I asked, it transitions quickly and it's just fun. This bike is just insanely easy to ride. The weight is well balanced, I was able to bust out a few 16ft u-turns easily on it in the parking lot and a few very tight circles with ease. I was thoroughly impressed with it's low speed handling and at speed it feels very.. stable, controlled and confidence inspiring.
So what's left? I guess I could talk about the ABS and DTC.. oh and that motor! I found the ABS and DTC to be not intrusive even in Urban mode. I had to try hard to trigger either one. Granted this was on dry pavement. I have been able to out brake some ABS systems on clean pavement with practice but I don't think I could out brake this one. It's damn good.
So the engine? It feels right, sounds not bad.. that's not big deal to me. I can't hear the exhaust note on my current Multi over the drive train and clutch anyway. It has the same vibes and I like them.. but everything is more muted, it's less.. chatty, smoother. I'm not talking about the power or anything like, just the vibes and noise from the engine while riding it. Now the power, oh my god. The powerplant is brilliant, it pulls hard pretty much from the get go and just keeps on going. It's fun, opening the throttle pretty much any time would put a huge grin on my face. I don't know how anyone could not enjoy the way this bike makes and puts down it's pretty much amount of power. Big torque is fun.
2013 Multistrada ABS
So pretty much everything I said above still stands. I actually had a hard time telling these two bikes apart from the saddle. The 2013 is marginally smoother at low rpm, I mean it was noticeable but only barely. The roar off the screen was a little more quiet and less noticeable but it's not a huge improvement. In person there are tiny physical differences. The 2013's nose is a little flatter, fairings more steeply sloped and the screen is more vertical but from 30-40 feet away you can't tell them apart easily. Personally? After riding them both I would be very happy on either. I'm keeping an eye on some left over 2012s and if I can snag one (with free bags on both the 12 and 13 base models until 6/30) for 2-3k less than a new 2013 than I see no reason not to do so.
2013 Hyperstrada
So I got a decent test ride one of these as well. About 45-60 minutes in the saddle around SF thanks to Monroe, mix of freeway, city and a little ride up and down twin peaks at around 10am on a weekday. Part of why I wanted to ride one is that it appeared very close to what I wanted to do with a bike and I was curious if it would meet my needs instead of the more pricey Multistrada. Mind you since the Hyperstrada has non-adjustable forks I was considering the SP and then sticking bags and stuff on it.
So a little primer, I rode a Hyper 796 back in summer of 2012 and I thought it was a lot of fun but not something I would want as my only bike. The upright position and freeway speed don't mix well for very long but it was lots of fun around town and in the hills.
When I first sat down on the Hyperstrada I noticed some definite differences. You sit further back on the bike than on the old hyper, the bars come much further back, riding two you so you aren't leaned forward at all. It very much reduces to the sitting over the front wheel sensation of the old hyper. The seat is okay, after an hour I was starting to notice some pressure points and I didn't like that my thighs were almost over the tank so I couldn't squeeze it much more to support myself under heavy braking. The biggest thing was that you are very much locked into one riding position or at least someone my size is. There is no room to scoot forward or back, leaning off is easy enough but that's about all the movement you are going to be doing in that saddle.
I was rather impressed when we got onto 101. I didn't expect that tiny screen to make much of a difference but it really did. I was very comfortable on the freeway at 70mph. The screen deflected a good deal of the wind off my chest and there was clean air on my helmet, shoulders and arms. I'd probably be happy to ride the Hyperstrada until the tank ran out of fuel even on the freeway. It's very light though so a firm gust of wind will blow you all over the place if you don't expect it.
One of the things that really stood out to me about the Hyperstrada is just how easy it is to ride. It is so plaint, eager to be pushed around, you can steer it easily with a single finger on the bars. It's almost telepathic. The downside to this is that you have to keep your eyes where you want to go. I don't mind that personally. I don't like wrestling bikes into doing what I want them to do. It's so light, it flicks back and forth so easily. That lightness and ease of transition made it a lot of fun and very easy to ride in the craziness of SF. I don't go up to SF often, I don't like riding in SF much at all because it's chaotic and filled with unexpected idiocy. Like the person that nearly nailed me trying to rush through a yellow to make an unprotected left turn, the 5 drunk people that came stumbling out from between parked vans, trucks or in one case leaped out at me from between a cement truck and a box truck.
The suspension was definitely not designed with my fat ass in mind. That being said it was.. adequate. If I was going to buy a hyper I'd start with the SP and turn it into what I wanted. Either that or plan on completely gutting and rebuilding the internals. Lighter people may have very different opinions.
I found the motor was very different from what I was expecting. It was very revvy! It liked to rev and didn't really get on it until between 6-7k rpm and from there it just kept pulling strong. That's not say it didn't have plenty get up and go across most of the rpm band but it seemed the most fun and happy between 7k and 9k rpm. The trade off in torque for horsepower makes it feel less hooligan and more refined but it's still an absurd amount of fun. It will probably still power wheelie in first.. It's not my bike so I didn't go there.
Personally I don't feel it would be a good -only- bike for me. I'd love to have it as a second or third bike. Well the SP anyway. It does quite meet the needs and wants I have for a new bike when I'm bike only and only have bike which is what I'd be committing to doing. Though now that I think about it could swing buying one and keeping my current Multistrada but riding the new Multistrada has but a fiery passion for it in my heart that I don't think its going to be easily evicted. Now if I lived in SF or somewhere liked that? I think the Hyper would be a much better choice in daily rider but I don't. I live in San Jose (and work in Sunnyvale) and things are little less insane so the trade in comfort for agility doesn't quite work as well for me. Also I work night shift and hyper's lights are not nearly as good.
So in summary. The Multistrada 1200 is fucking amazing bike, I'm going to buy one. I fell in love with it. I don't feel like the 2013 is that enormous of an improvement over the 2012 unless you really want Skyhook. I also know I'm the minority there because I want a base model not an ST or PP or GT and the S Touring is the best selling model. For me the 3 things the ST had that I wanted were bags, heated grips and a centerstand. Bags are free right now with a base model which is 1100 of price difference. The centerstand is 240.. and I might have talked someone into including that for free if I bought a leftover 2012. Factory heated grips are 300~ aftermarkt are 50-100 bucks.. Skyhook doesn't interest me because I have huge concerns about being able to set it up to my satisfaction as a fatty. I don't know what parts are going to be available for it. I don't know how much tuning and adjusting you'll be able to do with it. I know respringing the DES Ohlins on the older models was a huge pain and you have very limited options for doing so. If the bags were not free right now.. I'd be seriously reconsidering a S Touring but they are and the base model does everything I want.
Oh.. and no photos because I derped and forgot my DSLR and it was misting the day I rode the Hyperstrada.
