Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128212
Oucati Multistrada But·perhaps most impressive of all is the fact all this adrenaline-charged fun is delivered in a most remarkably user-friendly package - and that's the key to the entire Multistrada enigma. For a start, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who doesn't think the bike's ride position is anything less than wonderfully comfortable. The lowish footpegs give ample legroom and yet don't impinge on the Multistrada's sportbike-like ground clearance. The trade-off here is that those on the shorter side may find its 33.5 happy to make. At 6'2", that screen - which incidentally is handlebar mounted - saw the windblast hit me square in the upper chest. But having said that, there's plenty of room to tuck in behind it when you're really going for it, and the breeze itself is surprisingly turbulence-free. To address this, there's a "Comfort" screen available for those with more miles on the agenda, as are "Comfort" seats - the latter an investment I'd be making before the former, due to the Multi- " ...the Multistrada's sporting prowess is such that in the right hands it'll be able to see off just about anything on a twisty bit of bumpy public road and a fair few sportbikes on a tight track, too." inch seat height a little too much, but then at least its low weight means that those on their tiptoe limit won't have too much to manage. The bars are really quite wide, and although they might be a bit of pain in really heavy traffic, the steering lock negates this to a point, and in any case, the leverage and control they afford when the race face is on makes this a sacrifice I, for one, am The bike'. front fairing is surely a point of collb oversy. Terblanche i. either way ahead of the styling curve with the MuItistrada, 999 and 749 or he is from another planet. Only time will tell. - together with a generous steering lock and low C of G - it makes tight U-turns a breeze. Those 84 horses (claimed) are more than enough to get the Multistrada's 441 pounds (claimed semi- screwdriver inserted up the bottom of the forks. As such, the Multistrada displays sportbike handling with the ability to soak up potholes and ruts with aplomb, while its 24-degree steering dry weight) moving. The clutch is heavy enough to hint at the name on the tank while not being unmanageable in gridlock conditions, and wheelies - for those inclined - are but a mere flick of a lever away. The gearbox is nice, too - positive and slick, whether you're trundling around town or going for it at your local track day. Yes, track day - the Multistrada's sporting prowess is such that in the right hands it'll be able to see off just head angle strikes the perfect balance of agility and stability. The bike feels very slim underneath you, and very little pressure is required on its superwide bars to see it swoop from full lean to full lean. That low-slung engine is no doubt a factor here, while its steering in general is wonderfully neutral and precise - just point it where you want to go, and you're there, tracking a graceful arc through comers at will. .....in my mind it is nothing less than the ultimate allrounder, and oh so much fun - the perfect blend of sports- bike handling and performance, mated harmoniously with a comfortable ride position and general practicality." Having said that, quick changes of line don't pose any problems either, and I think there are two or three goats, one sleepy dog and a highly strung cat (now one of its nine lives worse off) that will collectively sing the Multistrada's praises in this respect. The brakes are handled by Brembo's "Serie Oro" package - if it's good enough for some of the world's best sportbikes, it's good enough for the Multistrada: awesome power and feel from both ends, enough to get those Pirelli Scorpion Syncs chirping with ease - enough said. about anything on a tight bit of bumpy public road and a fair few sportbikes on tighter tracks, too. That trellis frame feels good and stiff, while its upside-down Showa forks and monoshock package is the same as found on Ducati's Hypersports 999 and 749/7495, with the resulting ride bringing a smile to your face every time. There are some differences, most notably the Multistrada's 6.5 inches of travel, but the compression adjustor has been moved to the outside of the fork legs as well - no more lying on your back on the ground with a 36 MAY 7. 2003· eye • Ie n e ~ s strada's plank-like perch. Another aspect which breaks the monotony of positive comment is the Multistrada's mirrors - the blinker pods might look cool, but the mirrors are too small, and in any case blur everything you see to the point of uselessness. There's also a small glove compartment where you'd normally just have the main right-hand fairing Technicallg ~(§)@fi]!.!ID[JiJ~ooo Wheels/forksjbrakes All new six-spoke alloy rims, with Brembo Gold Series four-piston, twin disc brakes. Steel braided brake lines are used, as they are at the rear for the twin-piston Brembo caliper. Inverted Showa 43 forks are the same as those found in Ducati's hypersports lineup, but with a total of 165mm of travel and a "conventionally" placed compression adjustor, found on the outside of the bottom of the forks. Fairing/screen/headlights The screen is mounted directly to the handlebars and thus moves independently of the bike's small fairing. This allows a greater steering lock, without the rider's hands' being trapped between the clutch/front brake and the upper fairing. The headlights can be electronically adjusted through seven settings by holding one of the trip buttons down when tuming on the ignition, which accesses the light adjustment mode. Instruments An all-new instrument cluster combines an analog style tacho with an LCD speedo. The LCD display aiso features a ride computer, comprising odometer, tripmeter, average speed, average fuel consumption, instant fuel consumption, fuel used, range, and digital fuel level. Tank/glove box The fuel tank is actually the one single piece of molded plastic, which stretches to encompass under the seat and the tailpiece, too. This is possible through new "rotational injecti.on" technology, which allows shapes to be created that simply can't be fashioned with steel. The result gives the bike a decent 5.2 gallon capacity, makes the bike feel slim between the rider's knees and allows a lockable glove compartment storage space to be added on the right-hand side of the fairing. Mirrors/indicators Mirror pods incorporate blinker pods and are adjustable by pushing an outside edge of the mirror's swface. Rear shock/ride height acljustor The rear Showa monoshock is fully adjustable and has 5.64 inches of travel. The shock has an easily accessible wheel-type preload adjustor, where there's also a ride height adjustor that can raise or lower the bike's ride height independently of the spring preload. Frame A tubular steel trellis-type frame has been employed and is constructed from ALS 450 tubing. The engine is employed as a stressed member, saving weight and contributing to rigidity. Engine The Multistrada is powered by Ducati's new 1000DS "Dual Spark" 90-degree L-twin motor, also found in the new 1000S (i.e.: Monster) and SSIOOODS Supersport bikes in virtually the exact same format. Two-valves-per-cylinder and air-cooled, the mixture is handled by Marelli electronic fuel injection, while the new cylinder head is lighter and runs cooler.