Ducati Multistrada 1260

Built:2018-20201820192020

Photos: Motorradtest.de

Ducati's corporate philosophy is moderately complicated: the Italians always want to be the first and build the sportiest bikes of the respective class. Now adventure bikes are more suited to comfortable travel with a shot of off-road suitability, how should the combination with a super athlete fit? By buying the Multistrada 1260 S, Ducati says. The test clarifies it.

By model maintenance to the top

Before we clarify whether the Ducati Multistrada is an uncontrollable adventure, let's take a look at the wider range of models. Because when it comes to sportiness, the enemy often lurks in his own stable. Example Triumph: The 1200 s are pure with itself, its kilos and the rich torque and does not have to win a curve duel with the far more bubbly 900 tiger. Not quite as clear, but also noticeable, it goes between the Suzuki V-Strom 650 and 1050 – the smaller one is always the sport gun in direct comparison.

And at Ducati? The 230 kilo light Multistrada 950 is ready to take the crown from the 251 kilogram 1260. To start with, she can't. The 950 is the more balanced machine, but the 1260 always drives around your ears, positioning itself differently from the competition in the model range.

The Ducati Multistrada is another example of how targeted model care can keep an old bike modern. The extreme example of this is the Monster series, which has been on the market since 1993. The Multi doesn't exist for so long, because at first glance an adventure bike does not fit the image of the Italians, who have grown up with super athletes. The first Multistrada series was not necessarily a success in 2003, which was also due to the design with the partly handlebar-resistant cladding. Today's second series started in 2010. After several revisions, it now stands with variable valve control and drilled V2 with 1261 cubic meters and 158 hp.

It's progressing mightily

Let's clarify one thing in advance: Anything that goes beyond a gravel road is forbidden terrain for the Ducati Multistrada 1260 S. It simply cannot, neither the engine below is blessed with a good torque, nor do the tyres participate or the ground clearance.

Off with the Duc on the street. And there is joy. Even when idle, the V2 makes it clear where the frog has the curls. Although the KTM 1290 has a whole 2 hp more, the red-cheeked nature of the Multi is simply unbelievable. Despite all the competition, the Duc is still the department's best in terms of Rabatz and aggressive athleticism. Quick a glance at the clear, clearly structured display: Everything set correctly? If not: Ducati shines with previously rather unfamiliar skills, because for the operation of all functions it only needs a switch, which can be operated with one finger. One wonders: why don't the others get there?

The thought only circles briefly in the brain, because the horizon is racing towards us. This may be due to the fact that we put in the first gear and made a sporty start. As a result, the multi-fired car stormed off, forgetting its weight and turning on the afterburner from 4,000, both in terms of performance and sound. It could be breathtaking if you hadn't stopped them in terror. With an impeccably functioning quickshifter we load the gears through and could stay on the gas up to the top speed of 251 km/h.

Incidentally, this is done with an excellent windscreen. Best of all, aerodynamically optimized bikes are usually sensitive to crosswinds. During comparison rides with other motorcycles, their riders complained of strong crosswinds, the Ducati driver had not noticed anything.

The magnificent V2 shapes the ride with the Duc like no other adventure bike. Performance-hungry goes in the right direction, but it describes the quick-living sportiness, even aggressiveness, insufficiently. Ducati attests to the highest torque of all competing bikes at 4,000 rpm. But grey, as always, is all theory. It may be that the multi is better than the rest here, but despite Shift Cam technology, it is still not good. Yes, 90 km/h in the big gear, which corresponds to about 3,100 tours. 100 km/h, important nowadays thanks to ever more extensive speed limits, also go in the sixth gear with around 3,500 tours. In reality, however, if you don't look at the rev counter, you drive in the fifth. The Ducati can do it, but it doesn't like low-speed driving at all.

Fitting definitely does the chassis, especially in the S version with the semi-active damper scare in the positions touring or sport. A total of 400 parameters can be set on the Multistrada spacecraft, but one thing should be left behind: to set all parameters in the direction of comfort. This does not make the Duc spongy, but the ultra-precise Ducati feel has eaten up the bits and bytes. In the sportier modes, the Multi feels much more comfortable, to which also the small 17-inch front wheel contributes its part (Multistrada 950: 19 inches).

This shows the best side of model maintenance. Those who ordered a main stand in the first 1200 Multistradas had a big problem with appropriate movement. The main stand set up first in curves. And if it got stuck on an edge, a double salto departure would not have been preventable. As you can see (picture gallery) the main stand is now integrated in shape and position so that it can no longer occur. Where we are at the top of our praise: Over several thousand fast test kilometres, the enormously powerful bike consumed only 5.4 liters of the finest super on average.

The front-wheel-oriented seat position of the perfectly integrated driver has a confidence-inspiring effect, so that the Ducati actually picks up the sporty-oriented rider.

All peace, joy, egg cake? No. In addition, a short excursion into the realm of prejudice, which refers to this test, is that BMW builds the thick toads, while Ducati builds the delicate athletes. Well, the boring thing about prejudice is that they never vote. In this case: the Multi weighs a whopping 232 kilos, in the Enduro version even 254 kilos, the BMW R 1250 GS five kilos less.