Ducati Multistrada

Sometimes it takes me a while to make my mind up about a new bike when sampling it for the first time. On a press launch - where you're riding in a group with an itinerary - you can walk away at the end of the day and still be in two minds about whether you're enamoured with the machine or not.

Not so with Ducati's Multistrada - I was on a high right from the start and as I type this report, days after the launch on the Italian island of Sardinia, the grin has only just faded.

This bike is good. Seriously good - and seriously good fun. And so unlike any other Ducati ever produced, you can't help but be impressed with the end result Ducati's designers and engineers have achieved, in what really is previously unexplored territory for the Bologna-based marque.

The motive behind the machine is simple: Director of Ducati Design, Pierre Terblanche, wanted to build a bike that was fun to ride on the roads he enjoyed - twisting and often bumpy mountain passes. But he also needed the ability to ride around town and tackle the odd long-distance highway jaunt with it.

Little chance for touring or town work in Sardinia, but then we come to the Multistrada's real reason to exist...

PERFECT BLEND
There's no shortage of winding roads in this part of the world, from the sections of tarmac with tightening radius curves hugging the island's sparkling coastline, to the hairpins and sweeping bends of the hilly regions never far away. And although the quality of the surface is often less than ideal - many areas bumpy, rutted or breaking up altogether - it's here the Multistrada truly excels.

Not surprising, since the bike was inspired by Italy's Passo della Futa, which winds from Bologna over the Apennines to Florence, where its myriad turns and surface changes has made it a challenging Mecca for local bikers.

After spending a day on the Multistrada on similar roads, in my mind it's nothing less than the ultimate all-rounder, and oh so much fun - the perfect blend of sportsbike handling and performance with a comfortable ride position, and practical too.

The 1000 DS 'Dual Spark' 90-degree L-twin at the Multistrada's heart offers healthy if not arm-wrenching grunt, while the bike's quality chassis and suspension really lets you get the most out of it.

Also found in the Supersport and Monster Ducati ranges, this powerplant has been criticised as being afflicted with an undue level of vibration, but here in the Multistrada it's never enough to annoy - just enough to let you know you're aboard a Ducati.

It's a torquey engine, with plenty of go from just off idle. It spins up to its 8700rpm redline with ease in most of its six gears, delivering a nice spread of peak torque throughout its meaty midrange. Top gear at a freeway-legal 110kmh sees 4200rpm on the tacho, which hints at relaxed touring potential, while the well thought out gear ratios offer complementary performance over a wide range of riding situations.

WONDERFULLY CRISP
One area I'd been looking forward to appraising in particular was the Marelli fuel injection. Many Ducatis are a little prone to snatchiness at 'around town' speeds, which is a point of some importance to a model pitched like the Multistrada is. Thankfully, it's spot-on, offering a wonderfully crisp response throughout the entire rev range, and - together with generous steering lock and a low centre of gravity - this helps make tight U-turns a breeze.

The 84 horses in the engine are more than enough to get the Multistrada's 200kg (semi dry) going, although cynics will say that a 996, 998 or 999-powered Multi is more an inevitability than a possibility.

The clutch is heavy enough to hint at the name on the tank, but not unmanageable in gridlocked conditions, and wheelies - for those who want them - are a mere flick of the lever away. The gearbox is nice too - positive and slick whether you're trundling around town or going for it at your local track day.

Yes, track day - the Multistrada's sporting prowess is such that in the right hands it'll be able to see off just about anything on a tight bit of bumpy public road, and a fair few sportsbikes on the track too.

That trellis frame feels good and stiff, while the USD Showa forks and monoshock package is the same as found on Ducati's Hypersports 999 and 749/749S, with the resulting ride bringing a smile to my face every time.

There are some differences, most notably the Multistrada's 165mm of travel, and the compression adjustor's moved to the outside of the fork legs too - no more lying on your back on the ground with a screwdriver inserted up the bottom of the forks.

The result is the Multistrada displays sportsbike handling with the ability to soak up potholes and ruts with aplomb, while the 24-degree steering-head angle strikes the perfect balance of agility and stability.

HIGHLY-STRUNG CAT
The bike feels very slim, and very little pressure was required on its super-wide bars to see it swoop side to side, from full lean to full lean. That low-slung engine is no doubt a factor here, while the steering in general is wonderfully neutral and precise - just point it where you want to go and you're there, tracking a graceful arc through corners at will.

Having said that, quick changes of line don't pose any problems either, and I think there are two or three goats, one sleepy dog and one highly-strung cat (now one life worse off) who will sing the Multistrada's praises in this respect.

Braking is handled by Brembo's 'Serie Oro' package - if it's good enough for some of the world's best sportsbikes, it's good enough for the Multistrada. Awesome power and feel from both ends, enough to get those Pirelli Scorpion Sync tyres chirping with ease - 'nuff said.

But most impressive is the fact all this adrenalin-charged fun is delivered in a most remarkably user-friendly package - and that's the key to the entire Multistrada enigma.

For a start, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who doesn't think the bike's ride position is anything less than wonderfully comfortable. The lowish footrests give ample legroom, yet don't impinge on the Multistrada's sportsbike-like ground clearance. The trade-off here is that those on the shorter side may find the 850mm-high seat a little too much, but at least the Multistrada's low weight means those on tiptoes won't have too much to manage.

The bars are quite wide, and although they might be a pain in heavy traffic, the steering lock negates this to a point. In any case the leverage and control they afford when the race face is on makes it a sacrifice I for one am happy to make.

IT'S A BLUR
At 187cm tall, that screen - which incidentally is handlebar mounted - saw the windblast hit me square in the upper chest, although there's plenty of room to tuck in when you're really going for it, and the breeze itself is surprisingly turbulence-free. To address this, there's a 'Comfort' screen available for those with more miles on the agenda, as are 'Comfort' seats - the latter an investment I'd be making before the former, due to the Multistrada's plank-like perch.

Another aspect which breaks the monotony of positive comment is the Multistrada's mirrors - the blinker pods might look cool, but the mirrors are too small, and blur everything you see to the point of uselessness.

There's a small glove compartment where you'd normally just have the main righthand fairing panel. It's lockable, but doesn't really fit more than a wallet and a pair of sunglasses - still, better than not having one at all.

And finally we come to the Multistrada's aesthetics - a point that's polarised the biking public since the bike's debut at the Milan Show in 2001. Personally, I think it looks great - from the rear and sides, at least. That front fairing I'm not so sold on - but since actually riding the bike I'd have to say it's growing on me. It could look a whole lot worse and I'd still want one purely to enjoy the ride it delivers.

The quality of finish is typical modern-day Ducati, and the trick instrumentation underlines the feeling you're aboard a special machine - it may not be the cheapest of biking options around (around $A20,000, yet to be confirmed, with arrival also tbc), but it's worth every cent, even if you're not 100-percent convinced by the distinctive looks.

As designer Pierre Terblanche says: "What is important is that it doesn't pass unnoticed - it must be striking, it must stand out in the crowd, and it must work extremely well."

As far as I'm concerned, it's a case of mission accomplished on all counts. Ducati has gone all-out with the Multistrada, creating a model which will re-define the way people think of Ducati. And for those lucky enough to buy one, perhaps how they think about bikes and riding too.