Intro: CAPTIVATING
When the Multistrada was unveiled in 2001, the first question on everyone’s lips was "what have they been drinking at Ducati for them to come out with a design so totally different from what we’re used to."
One is quite taken aback when faced with this machine; we need time to focus, to adjust, and to get used to it. We even wind up really liking this bike so unlike any other.
(by Gilles Della Posta)
Esthetique: WHAT IS IT?
Above and beyond its aesthetic merits, one quickly wonders what kind of machine it really is. A lattice-chassis trail bike? A sports model on stilts? Not easy to figure it out before hopping on.
The idea was to create an unbeatable mountain bike. That’s why it needed to be perched so high for clearance. And that’s thanks to some suspension with lots of travel. And yet they needed rigidity, and that’s thanks to the steel tube lattice frame, and let’s not forget driveability, thanks to the large sized handlebars and the geometric workings of the bike itself.
The dashboard is a remake of the 999 with a digital screen to boot and the analogue rev meter. You still get the same information and its all legible, in other words, business as usual. We wonder if Ducati isn’t try to compete with the Varadéro on the trail segment for on-road driving. The riding position reinforces this feeling. You’ll be sitting real high and you just won’t feel like you’re on a Ducati...
Motorization: A TRUE DUCATI
Now, if you agree that power isn’t everything, you’ll understand why Ducati focused on a 992cc twin cylinder "1000 DS" with 2 valves per cylinder and complete with an air-cooling system. Its 84 hp and its 8.5 mkg guarantee some serious power, if you consider the 200 kg of weight...
The engine is just as flexible as 3 or 4 cylinders in traffic and you’ll have to play a lot with the clutch. Be careful, as well, at the heat generated by the twin-cylinder engine. In the summer it can quickly become a real bummer. Better to wait it out while sipping something cold on the terrace of a strategically placed coffee shop. Guaranteed to make be a big splash.
On the road: SURPRISING
You’ll just have to forget the "T for Trail" word when evoking the Multistrada. It’s energetic and precise behaviour, the firmness of the suspension...close your eyes and you’re on a real sports bike!
The Multistrada really fooled us. With its 43mm reversed fork, you can go wherever you’d like. The Multi is the queen of stability.
Braking reinforces the Multi’s stability and you can even be a little late on the levers, since the Brembo-origin brakes are quite enough to see you through.
International
