Ducati MultiStrada 1200

[NM Ducati]

Originally Posted by marca

Be sure to glue on the rubber thing on your shifter and the rubber things that hold the bottom of the luggage cases before they fall off. My shifter rubber was gone on my trip home from picking up my Multi.

Funny you say that, my shifter rubber was gone after 2nd ride. And the throttle side bag rubber was gone on the 1st ride without bags. So ill 2nd the glueing tip!!

[NM Ducati]

Originally Posted by D.T.

I asked about getting my wee crated up and the salesman said all the B.S. that could happen as far as shipping damage. Of course you have to dispose of the container too or is that refundable?

How do you people get it in the crate? And do you save a bit of money? Warranty problems?

Nice Ti color man.

[bross]

Originally Posted by D.T.

I asked about getting my wee crated up and the salesman said all the B.S. that could happen as far as shipping damage. Of course you have to dispose of the container too or is that refundable?

How do you people get it in the crate? And do you save a bit of money? Warranty problems?

Nice Ti color man.

Um, he took a picture of it at the dealers, as they were un-crating it.

[NorCal_Multi]

Hi All,

Been lurking for a couple of months doing research on the Multistrada. I wanted to properly introduce myself and, of course, post a picture of my new bike.

I live in Northern Cali near Sacramento and ride mostly in the Sierra Nevada region and to the coast. I also use my bike lots to commute to/from work and run errands around town. The best bike I owned previously was a 2001 Honda VFR 800. I put ~40K miles on her before selling her when I had my first kid. I was without a bike for about 4 years and was really itching to get a new one. In June '11 I saw a Diavel and just had to have one. I rode it around town and was totally enamored by the engine and looks. Blown away really - to the point that I overlooked the more obvious issues with the bike and my riding style and uses.

Fast forward to the first half of this year and while I still love the looks and engine of the Diavel I have to get something more practical and comfortable for me. Enter the Multi. I put the Diavel up for sale and negotiated for a brand new '12 Ti Touring S. I picked her up a week and a half ago and have about 400 miles on her now. I have to call my dealer on Tuesday to schedule my 600 mile service (hear they run 2 weeks behind).

A couple of comments about my bike:

• Fueling - compared to the Diavel my Multi has no issues with surging in the low RPM range. This was one of my biggest complaints with the Diavel early on and, while the did and ECU flash, it was still bad. Compared to the Diavel the Multi is smooth as butter but I think part of it is I am now used to riding the big Ducati Twin as opposed to the smooth as butter Honda V4 (from the VFR). It was a tough transition that I learned on the Diavel but the Multi is worlds better. I have absolutely no complaints.
• Transmission - I've had 2 shifts from 4-5 pop into Neutral (when I'm rushing her). I'm having to short shift when in a hurry to keep the revs down during break-in. I can't wait to be done with break-in and really open her up and use the full RPM range. This is mostly used in the Sierra Nevadas as this amount of power around town isn't generally needed (heck, who needs it other than to put a smile on your face - shit eating grin actually).
• Windscreen - Well, I"m 6'1" with a 32 inseam and I am getting blown around on the highway with the stock screen in the low or high position. I PM'd aztec on the ducati.ms board and will try his spacers first. If that doesn't work I'll look into one of the wider screens - either the MRA or the VStream.
• Seat - For short rides I find it find but for longer rides it seems to cut into my thighs. Maybe I'm just turning into a riding wuss as I near 40. I road the VFR from Sac to North Carolina (rode the Dragon!) with a Sargeant seat in '01 and never had an issue with the saddle. So not sure if it's the seat or just my ass not being used to sitting for so long now. Will need to research options.
• Fuel Economy - Awesome. But keep in mind I'm coming off a Diavel where they didn't even include a fuel gauge and the bike regularly got <32MPG! I went 170 miles on my first tank and 200 on the second before filling up. The low fuel light was on but the fuel mileage counter wasn't counting. On the Diavel the counter starts when the light comes on. Does the Multi do the counter?

I think that's enough for now. Awesome bike. I think it's the perfect bike for me. The only item it's missing, in my opinion, is cruise control. I'd love that for the slab riding I always wind up having to do. It would help me keep my speed down and license in tact!

Now some pics...

[mfaoro]

Originally Posted by NorCal_Multi

[*]Windscreen - Well, I"m 6'1" with a 32 inseam and I am getting blown around on the highway with the stock screen in the low or high position. I PM'd aztec on the ducati.ms board and will try his spacers first. If that doesn't work I'll look into one of the wider screens - either the MRA or the VStream.

Hi Norcal,

Beautiful bike! Thanks for sharing the pics. A question on your windshield choices: you mentiond MRA and Vstream. Did you consider the Cee Bailey Windscreen?

Trying to understand if there is something superior about the Vstream over the Cee Bailey. I am 6'4" and need something better than the stocker and the Palmer Products one I have tried. Mainly trying to reduce road noise.

Thanks,
Michael

[Bails]

My take on the screens are :- Barn door look stops wind but spoils the bike look ! Also looking through a screen is a Hardly type bike ride. There needs to be an aerodynamic approach, which should have been attended to at production level.

[expatbrit]

Originally Posted by mfaoro

Hi Norcal,

Beautiful bike! Thanks for sharing the pics. A question on your windshield choices: you mentiond MRA and Vstream. Did you consider the Cee Bailey Windscreen?

Trying to understand if there is something superior about the Vstream over the Cee Bailey. I am 6'4" and need something better than the stocker and the Palmer Products one I have tried. Mainly trying to reduce road noise.

Thanks,
Michael

I've been heading the opposite route on the windscreen; lower rather than higher. Aztec spacers on the stock are a definite improvement, but noisier than the shorter windscreens.

Best I've found is the Puig sport screen; that's what I'll be running for a bit, I think.

[NorCal_Multi]

Originally Posted by Bails

My take on the screens are :- Barn door look stops wind but spoils the bike look ! Also looking through a screen is a Hardly type bike ride. There needs to be an aerodynamic approach, which should have been attended to at production level.

I hear ya and I'm worried about the looks too. I was going to get the Aztec spacers but they are almost 50% the cost of a new screen. I've been reading a lot about screens and it looking like wider at the top as opposed to much taller might help. Ideally, with the adjsutments to,screen hight possible I could put it down to look over it and up for full wind protection I'd also like to get one that is slightly tinted. Good news is ere are lots of choices, bad news is its some what subjective or at least not easy to compare.

After my ~200 mile ride yesterday though, I do know I need a solution. Hopefully I can find one in the next few weeks that works for me. Might be time to create a spreadsheet of all options with specs and cost. Too many too keep straight!

[mfaoro]

A couple years back I bought the Palmer products screen adapter:

http://s410372035.initial-website.co...ducati-ms1200/

I think this does the same basic thing as the spacers. It certainly helped but did not solve the problem. I also bought one of PP's screens which is wider but not much taller - no difference at all.

RE: lower screen: I took my fairing off my S2R and was surprised by how much better the buffeting was. Maybe I would see similar results with the Multi. That said, I didnt put the miles on the S2R that I regularly put on the Multi and doubt I would like the wind blast.

The Puig looks interesting. I will have to look for pictures of it on a bike.

For the most part it sounds like I just need to buy a couple more and see what happens :(.

Michael

[Sideout]

I have also gone the shorter screen route and installed the MRA sport screen on my MTS. Works alright for me. I am 6' tall.

[unlucky1]

Originally Posted by expatbrit

I've been heading the opposite route on the windscreen; lower rather than higher.

I think lower is good, too. I prefer the constant clean wind to choppy helmet-buffeting wind. Less shelter keeps my speed down, too. I don't need to be going 90mph+ everywhere.

My brother and a friend got our beasts dirty last weekend:

[bross]

I don't have a Multi but went through this with my CBF1000. It was the noisiest bike I have ever owned, no buffeting but just deafening wind noise. I tried a bunch of things, spacers, add-ons, shields you name it, before settling on a CalSci medium shield which was a huge improvement over stock or any other shield. They do make one for the Multi as well. Not quite a barn door but bigger than some of you may like. And no I don't have any affiliation, just a satisfied customer.

http://www.calsci.com/motorcycleinfo/Stradaprod.html



I actually thought there was something wrong with my brand new Shoei RF1000, normally a very quiet helmet, just after buying my CBF. It was that loud. What twigged for me was when I went for a ride on my Scrambler and all of a sudden my helmet was really quiet again.

The best solution for the CBF was to simply remove the shield completely, but it looked like sh!t so that's what started my quest for a shield that worked. My "acid test" or "litmus test" when trying things would be to stand on the pegs for awhile and that's what the wind noise should be like, then I'd sit in my normal riding position and see how much worse it was. Good luck. I just gave up on the CBF and bought a Tiger, much better.

[ChrisK7]

I bought the largest one Cal Sci had and cut it down a couple inches so I could see over the top in the full up position. I like it but the trouble with the Multi's is the cut outs for the bars let a lot of air through to your chest when in the up position.
I also spaced my windshield out about 3/8 inch with spacers on the top two mounting bolts to give the windshield a bit more upright angle.

[Tubulchain]

Anyone buy the new GIVI windshield? If so, is it any good?

[oalvarez]

so far i'm liking the short V Stream screen.....with the proper foam ear plugs it works almost magically for my 5'10/30" inseam frame. prior to this one i was using Aztec spacers with a MRA Touring screen and it worked most definitely better than the stock Ducati one. i plan on purchasing a V Stream medium screen for the winter season. the only time that i'm not pleased with the wind noise/buffeting on the MTS12 is when it's gusty out.