Ducati MultiStrada 1200

[Pampero]

Originally Posted by Dr. Greg

I've just sold my Kaoko throttle lock............ .

--Doc

I don't think the new owner paid too much, so if you're happy, he'll be happy

[Ramv]

Originally Posted by NMEXPAT

Ramv, I've always thought there might have been something wrong with your bike from the start. I've ridden mine at high altitudes in Utah and it didn't have any problems with spinning or wheelies. I'd keep an eye out on your gas mileage. I know in the past you always reported great gas mileage, it may be affected now.

Thanks for the input, we'll definitely see. City riding has been mid 30s (about the same as my SUper Hawk and KTM) but highway I had a lot of tanks mid 40s to near 50. My bike has always had lots of power above about 100 mph, (the Superhawk had a higher top speed but aerodynamics are likely the difference) but below 100 not so much. Never even considered any of the riding modes since they were all tame.

[FALCONSEYE]

Originally Posted by aceonthebeach3

Wow. I never said 2012, I said that price is for a 2013. If all else fails, go back & read what I POSTED.

Yo ace, I am looking for a red 13 multi touring s as well. Can you hook me up with your dealer? $17k is an awesome pri e for this machine. Let me know. Thank



Hadi canim yandan yandan. Biz korkmayiz ondan bundan...

[aceonthebeach3]

He said he can't move the multistrada. He still had 2012s. He said I am in a GS area (they sell bmw&ducatis) the dealer is
http://www.championhondabmw.com/ They are in charleston South Carolina. I called & talked to the manager & asked him if he would sell me 1 @ invoice & he said yes. I then looked around for the invoice=17k.

Originally Posted by FALCONSEYE

Yo ace, I am looking for a red 13 multi touring s as well. Can you hook me up with your dealer? $17k is an awesome pri e for this machine. Let me know. Thank



Hadi canim yandan yandan. Biz korkmayiz ondan bundan...

[tonymorr]

Originally Posted by aceonthebeach3

He said he can't move the multistrada. He still had 2012s. He said I am in a GS area (they sell bmw&ducatis) the dealer is
http://www.championhondabmw.com/ They are in charleston South Carolina. I called & talked to the manager & asked him if he would sell me 1 @ invoice & he said yes. I then looked around for the invoice=17k.

He still has a new 2010 Multi Standard in White! (at least he does according to his website)

[aceonthebeach3]

Originally Posted by tonymorr

He still has a new 2010 Multi Standard in White! (at least he does according to his website)

Not when I was there in October & November. He had two 2012s...Unless they were in the back & I asked him if this was all they had & he said yes. I think their website needs a update but It would still be worth a call

[FALCONSEYE]

Originally Posted by aceonthebeach3

Not when I was there in October & November. He had two 2012s...Unless they were in the back & I asked him if this was all they had & he said yes. I think their website needs a update but It would still be worth a call

Awesome. I will contact them on Monday. Hope they will ship it to where I am right now, denver, co.

[aceonthebeach3]

Originally Posted by FALCONSEYE

Awesome. I will contact them on Monday. Hope they will ship it to where I am right now, denver, co.

Ummm good luck with shipping cross county. What are your local dealers offering you?

[FALCONSEYE]

Originally Posted by aceonthebeach3

Not when I was there in October & November. He had two 2012s...Unless they were in the back & I asked him if this was all they had & he said yes. I think their website needs a update but It would still be worth a call

I just sent an email with my phone number. Hope it works out!

[FALCONSEYE]

Originally Posted by aceonthebeach3

Ummm good luck with shipping cross county. What are your local dealers offering you?

There are two in denver. Fgay myers and erico. Fay myers is asking 17k for a 2010 multi. They are the high end store in denver area as I was told once by one of their salesman. It was kind of funny since I went there twice to purchase bikes in the past but ended up getting somewhere else. First one was a 2009 kawasaki ninja 250, then 2011 ninja 1000. There are one or two sales guys who knows what they have but the rest are total jokesters. On those two bikes, i saved about $5k by buying them from other dealers in denver area. What a joke. One of them said multi would do 75 mpg among other amazing facts that I never heard before. I loled quietly. Erico is better. They dont tell stories as far as I know. However, i am sure they wont let go the first 2013 multi touring s they got at that price.
So, even though I pay for the shipping, I am quite sure it will be cheaper than buying here.

[aceonthebeach3]

Originally Posted by FALCONSEYE

There are two in denver. Fgay myers and erico. Fay myers is asking 17k for a 2010 multi. They are the high end store in denver area as I was told once by one of their salesman. It was kind of funny since I went there twice to purchase bikes in the past but ended up getting somewhere else. First one was a 2009 kawasaki ninja 250, then 2011 ninja 1000. There are one or two sales guys who knows what they have but the rest are total jokesters. On those two bikes, i saved about $5k by buying them from other dealers in denver area. What a joke. One of them said multi would do 75 mpg among other amazing facts that I never heard before. I loled quietly. Erico is better. They dont tell stories as far as I know. However, i am sure they wont let go the first 2013 multi touring s they got at that price.
So, even though I pay for the shipping, I am quite sure it will be cheaper than buying here.

Funny about the attitude of that dealer. We have 1 locally that is the same way but they only sell Japanese bikes. Last year when my father inlaw gave me his Harley (the Harley was in Missouri & I am in South Carolina) I looked into shipping & I think the cheapest I could find was $500 before taxes & such. I ended up driving my truck the 2,000 mile round trip because it was way cheaper. Maybe different with new bikes. Good luck.

[NMEXPAT]

Originally Posted by Moronic

...BTW: What can you tell me about the Marzocchi fork? I've heard it's very good, and I've heard it's not so good. Is a cartridge kit (Matris, say) a necessity, or a luxury?...

I've been very happy with the Marzocchis. I've yet to replace the front springs due to my weight, since I'm not a light Italian. I have only two compliants, which could be easily fixed with some mild effort. The factory settings for preload, compression and rebound damping are way too light. I've adjusted everything to suit my weight, riding style and riding typical conditions.

Since I haven't updated the spring rates, I've increased the preload and adjusted the compression damping. The changes have resulted in less pitching (squat and dive) but then made the fork much more harsh over small but sharp bumps that seem so prevalent in Houston. The sharp bumps are due to the road heaving up, really are transmitted up to the rider with my current set up. The good part is that the excessive fork dive problem when braking has been fixed. I'll take short jarring bumps every once in awhile over diving at every brake application. I've also increased the fork oil weight, to I think to 10wt instead of 7wt to help resist the forks blowing through the entire stroke when coming down from wheelies. The change in oil weight helped, it doesn't blow through as often now.

With some effort, I could correct these problems at the next service by installing the correct fork springs for my weight and increasing the amount of oil, by about 10mm. I'm on the fence about the oil weight 10 or 7. I just need more oil so it firms up for the last half of travel. At least this what I seem to remember what adding oil does to front suspensions.

I would say a cartridge kit is more of a luxury. I've given it serious though, but when it comes time to but my money where my mind is I always back out.

Please keep in mind most of my usual miles are commuting. For touring, the changes I've made are more than sufficient. For washboard gravel roads, they are too harsh. But then again that's less than 1% of my riding.

I've been very happy with the BASE shock, a sachs unit? I only need to update the spring rate as well. I've increased the preload and rebound damping.

[NMEXPAT]

Originally Posted by Dr. Greg

The thread discussing this over on Ducati.ms got shut down (commercialism?). Anyway, I purchased the "no-tune" package from Tuneboy, since all I wanted was the cruise control.

After a bit of confusion about getting the correct files, I installed the package using their WiFi box (had to try a couple times to finally get it completed). I believe the map that Wayne supplies with the "no-tune" packge is a little bit richer than original, since the engine seems to run a bit smoother and the fuel mileage has dropped slightly (range still over 200 miles). I ride like an old lady so I wouldn't know about power...

Although I installed it about a month ago, the combination of family vacations and COLD New Mexico weather (hey, I'm from SoCal) has prevented me from doing much riding. Finally got in a 200-mile ride a couple days ago, and was able to give the cruise control a "real" test.

I think the PID gains are tuned a little more aggressively than would be my choice; there is a slight amount of "hunting" after the speed is disturbed. But all in all it works quite well. I've just sold my Kaoko throttle lock, so that says that I like it, I guess .

I'll be taking the bike in to the dealer for the 30K mile service soon; hope they don't do a reflash cuz I'll have to reinstall the CC (and I'm afraid to tell them since it might void my extended warranty?) Oh, well...it wasn't that hard to install.

Since I've been griping about the lack of a cruise control since day one (all the hardware is already there), I simply had to try Tuneboy's offering...I think he did a great job.

--Doc

Dr. Greg,

Thanks for the response and write up. I was only mildly interested in a cruise control, which I would use only for my true long distance rides, for getting out of Texas and going some place fun.

Since I have the full race termi's the reflashing the ECU might cause a problem for me. Perhaps, the map Waynes supplies is better? I'd have to contact them about this.

Anyways, how do you actually activate and control the CC? Do you use the stock handle bars controls? Does anything show up on the dash?

Thanks again!

[Dr. Greg]

I was gonna write up an article documenting my Tuneboy cruise control install, but the fact that I had to wait a week to get the correct files kind of bummed me out, so I didn't. Now I'm getting enough questions about it that maybe I should write it up...

You activate the CC using the "start" button. Yep, the same one that controls the heated grips. And yes, the CC and heated grips "interact" in a sense, but everything works OK.

No display of any kind.

--Doc

Originally Posted by NMEXPAT

Dr. Greg,

Thanks for the response and write up. I was only mildly interested in a cruise control, which I would use only for my true long distance rides, for getting out of Texas and going some place fun.

Since I have the full race termi's the reflashing the ECU might cause a problem for me. Perhaps, the map Waynes supplies is better? I'd have to contact them about this.

Anyways, how do you actually activate and control the CC? Do you use the stock handle bars controls? Does anything show up on the dash?

Thanks again!

[Moronic]

Hi NMEXPAT, thanks for your comments on the stock fork. Sounds like it works quite well.

I am leaning more and more towards picking up a 2013 base model. If the suspension is okay or better then I could ride it around quite happily while waiting for the Ohlins semi-active kit to come out. Then could decide whether to go for that package, or fit a manual Ohlins shock and a fork kit, or just the manual shock, or simply leave it alone (at least until the stock shock wears out).

The full Ohlins package obviously will be very good (even if not Skyhook), and of course could be removed and sold separately at new bike time, or likely removed and fitted to another Multi if/when Ducati releases a fresh upgrade.

BTW: from Ducati's promotional material on the web, it appears the 2013 base model will come with the same 85-125N/mm progressive rear spring that they are fitting to the Skyhook bikes. If they make that available as a spare part, it could be a good upgrade for prior-year base models.

On your fork dive thing, if it were me, I think I'd be going up a size on the front springs and sticking with the standard weight oil.

And I'd be simply riding around what brake dive remained. It is built into the design.

Sure, you can control it by adding so much spring that the fork behaves like a short-travel sport bike fork, but then you've got the height of the long-travel Multi without the plushness that the long travel provides. Or you can firm up the low-speed damping by adding viscosity, as you have, with a similar effect: less brake dive but harsh high-speed damping that jars you on sharpish hits.

As you have likely worked out, that is one conflict that Skyhook helps resolve.

Originally Posted by NMEXPAT

I've been very happy with the Marzocchis. I've yet to replace the front springs due to my weight, since I'm not a light Italian. I have only two compliants, which could be easily fixed with some mild effort. The factory settings for preload, compression and rebound damping are way too light. I've adjusted everything to suit my weight, riding style and riding typical conditions.

Since I haven't updated the spring rates, I've increased the preload and adjusted the compression damping. The changes have resulted in less pitching (squat and dive) but then made the fork much more harsh over small but sharp bumps that seem so prevalent in Houston. The sharp bumps are due to the road heaving up, really are transmitted up to the rider with my current set up. The good part is that the excessive fork dive problem when braking has been fixed. I'll take short jarring bumps every once in awhile over diving at every brake application. I've also increased the fork oil weight, to I think to 10wt instead of 7wt to help resist the forks blowing through the entire stroke when coming down from wheelies. The change in oil weight helped, it doesn't blow through as often now.

With some effort, I could correct these problems at the next service by installing the correct fork springs for my weight and increasing the amount of oil, by about 10mm. I'm on the fence about the oil weight 10 or 7. I just need more oil so it firms up for the last half of travel. At least this what I seem to remember what adding oil does to front suspensions.

I would say a cartridge kit is more of a luxury. I've given it serious though, but when it comes time to but my money where my mind is I always back out.

Please keep in mind most of my usual miles are commuting. For touring, the changes I've made are more than sufficient. For washboard gravel roads, they are too harsh. But then again that's less than 1% of my riding.

I've been very happy with the BASE shock, a sachs unit? I only need to update the spring rate as well. I've increased the preload and rebound damping.