ULEWZ
Well-known member
Warning, this is long winded, so I apologize in advance.
So I finally got permission from the finance minister to get my dream bike, a 2013 Ducati Multistrada S. What's better than to find a motorcycle that has lots of gadgets (suspension, traction control, etc.), a decent range (5.2 gallon tank), is lighter than the FJR (by about 100 pounds), and can handle touring as well as the occasional track day? Plus it is a sexy, great looking Italian.
I found a used 2013 for sale that had some minor damage from a tip over. After reviewing the pictures the guy sent me, I looked up the cost of replacement parts at Pro Italia’s online parts site. The cost, $1,705, but as all the damage was cosmetic, I could fix them in time. Problem one averted.
So I go to look at the bike and he advised me that the skyhook suspension system is malfunctioning (DSS error) and there is a recall, but it will be fixed under warranty. He also said it just came out of the shop for another warranty issue for a chaffing wire, and there was a third recall for some fuel tank issue, but parts were not yet available. (So this is a 2013 model with these problems?). So I tell myself, no problem, it will all be fixed (remember this is my dream bike).
Then came the test ride. I immediately notice the vibration at idle through my hands. No problem, I don’t sit at stop lights much right? Then I take off. Not bad at first as I twist the throttle, then all of a sudden an 800 pound gorilla throws the bike forward at warp speed and nearly rips my arms out of their socket. Did I mention that the front end gets light really easy?
Not a smooth delivery at all, but I can manage me thinks.
Then I used the now patented one handed mechanism to set the windscreen height on the fly. It basically involves squeezing two levers together and moving the screen up or down. Sounds easy, but I needed to wiggle the squeezed handles fore and aft to get it to move. An annoyance, but I can manage. So did the windscreen block any wind, heck no. I was better off with it all the way down than up. I can buy an aftermarket windscreen though, so all is good.
Then I hit the brakes, and the front end dove down. I thought this skyhook thingy was supposed to keep that from happening (must be the broken accelerometer in the recall?). I can always put more fluid or heavier springs in right?
The seat was not too comfortable, but neither was my FJR when I first got it, so an aftermarket seat would be required. No biggie, I do that for all my bike when I first get them.
But my FJR has cruise control that I really like. No problem, there is a company called TuneBoy that has a $400 dollar mod to enable a makeshift, but functional cruise control using the starter button. Another problem averted.
Then the real test. I like to hang off in the twisties, moving side to side in my seat. So how was that? Not good. This seat is made for Lilliputians, not someone of my height of 6 feet tall. It was very difficult to move around, as the front to back seat distance is very limited.
So why my interest in this Multistrada. BTSOM.
I will be keeping my 2007 FJR1300 for some time until the mood strikes or something is so good, I can not resist.
My FJR with Penski shock, and racetech fork internals, handles better than the Multi, it is way more comfortable, has greater range, an electric wind screen that actually blocks the wind, and a VERY smooth power delivery. I didn’t use to think so, but after riding the multi, it definitely does.
So I finally got permission from the finance minister to get my dream bike, a 2013 Ducati Multistrada S. What's better than to find a motorcycle that has lots of gadgets (suspension, traction control, etc.), a decent range (5.2 gallon tank), is lighter than the FJR (by about 100 pounds), and can handle touring as well as the occasional track day? Plus it is a sexy, great looking Italian.
I found a used 2013 for sale that had some minor damage from a tip over. After reviewing the pictures the guy sent me, I looked up the cost of replacement parts at Pro Italia’s online parts site. The cost, $1,705, but as all the damage was cosmetic, I could fix them in time. Problem one averted.
So I go to look at the bike and he advised me that the skyhook suspension system is malfunctioning (DSS error) and there is a recall, but it will be fixed under warranty. He also said it just came out of the shop for another warranty issue for a chaffing wire, and there was a third recall for some fuel tank issue, but parts were not yet available. (So this is a 2013 model with these problems?). So I tell myself, no problem, it will all be fixed (remember this is my dream bike).
Then came the test ride. I immediately notice the vibration at idle through my hands. No problem, I don’t sit at stop lights much right? Then I take off. Not bad at first as I twist the throttle, then all of a sudden an 800 pound gorilla throws the bike forward at warp speed and nearly rips my arms out of their socket. Did I mention that the front end gets light really easy?
Not a smooth delivery at all, but I can manage me thinks.
Then I used the now patented one handed mechanism to set the windscreen height on the fly. It basically involves squeezing two levers together and moving the screen up or down. Sounds easy, but I needed to wiggle the squeezed handles fore and aft to get it to move. An annoyance, but I can manage. So did the windscreen block any wind, heck no. I was better off with it all the way down than up. I can buy an aftermarket windscreen though, so all is good.
Then I hit the brakes, and the front end dove down. I thought this skyhook thingy was supposed to keep that from happening (must be the broken accelerometer in the recall?). I can always put more fluid or heavier springs in right?
The seat was not too comfortable, but neither was my FJR when I first got it, so an aftermarket seat would be required. No biggie, I do that for all my bike when I first get them.
But my FJR has cruise control that I really like. No problem, there is a company called TuneBoy that has a $400 dollar mod to enable a makeshift, but functional cruise control using the starter button. Another problem averted.
Then the real test. I like to hang off in the twisties, moving side to side in my seat. So how was that? Not good. This seat is made for Lilliputians, not someone of my height of 6 feet tall. It was very difficult to move around, as the front to back seat distance is very limited.
So why my interest in this Multistrada. BTSOM.
I will be keeping my 2007 FJR1300 for some time until the mood strikes or something is so good, I can not resist.
My FJR with Penski shock, and racetech fork internals, handles better than the Multi, it is way more comfortable, has greater range, an electric wind screen that actually blocks the wind, and a VERY smooth power delivery. I didn’t use to think so, but after riding the multi, it definitely does.
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