#multistrada

Ducati announced plans to introduce a front and rear radar system for motorcycles and to make cornering ABS available across its entire model range. The two initiatives are part of Ducati’s overall “Safety Road Map 2025” plan, the company’s strategy for motorcycle safety technologies.

The Ducati Multistrada may look relatively unchanged compared to its outgoing predecessor, but the new 2018 Ducati Multistrada 1260 has its own host of upgrades that add to the already versatile package enjoyed by Ducati’s sport-tourer.

I can feel the hair raise on the back of my neck as a smile stretches across my face. The beautiful cacophonous uproar of 20 Ducati Multistradas sitting, waiting to dance their way up the ancient volcano we are standing on. Here we are on Gran Canaria for the introduction of the 2018 Ducati Multistrada and, to be honest, I don’t think the smile has left my face since.

With a long list of upgrades over the last generation of Multistradas, this year’s ’Strada is pretty much all new for 2018. It gets an upgrade with the new Ducati Testastretta DVT (Desmodromic Variable Timing) 1262cc engine, a new chassis, more advanced electronics, and an aesthetic update that includes new fairing panels and lighter, sportier looking wheels.

The Multistrada is getting a bigger engine for 2018, as the California Air Resources Board has released documents certifying a 2018 Ducati Multistrada 1260.

In our Top 10 Disappointing Motorcycles list, Tom nominated the Ducati Multistrada 1100 because he, like many (most?) despised its styling. But none of us could deny that, looks aside, it was a fine motorcycle. So for this week’s Church feature, our pal Yossef Schvetz takes the updated Multistrada 1100 of 2007 vintage for a spin and reminds us that, despite her, well, ugly appearance, the first-gen Multi has a heart of gold. For more photos of the Multi 1100, be sure to visit the photo gallery. 

From the undeniable truth in the blanket statement “Motorcycles Don’t Suck,” one can journey down many a rabbit hole and come to many a contradictory conclusion, depending on what you want from your bike or where you happen to be riding. However, just as much as the answer to ‘Do Choppers Suck?’ tends to be a resounding “Yes!” for most situations, the answer to “Do Adventure Touring Bikes Suck?” almost always tends to be “No!” This is a fact more and more riders are learning first-hand as sales in the category continue to outperform the broader motorcycling landscape. And it’s no mystery why, really, as today’s adventure-touring formula relies on the strengths of several platforms to produce vehicles that can convincingly perform in every non-competition role for which a motorcycle can be used. There be bags, and performance, and comfort, and wind protection and maneuverability, and ground clearance, oh my!

It’s a hat-trick. Last year’s Sport-Touring winner, and this year’s Reader’s Choice Sport-Touring winner makes it three for three by also winning our 2015 selection for Best Sport-Tourer. We guess you could say it’s a foursome for BMW’s R1200RT if you include it winning our 2014 Sport-Touring Final SmackDown + Video.

So, you already like the Ducati Multistrada; now you can switch it to love the Multistrada. How does Desmodromic Variable Timing (DVT) (for a claimed 160 hp at 9500 rpm and 100 lb-ft of torque at 7500 rpm.), cornering ABS (utilizing Ducati’s Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) to factor in lean angle to the ABS function), and Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC) strike you? Now, add in a redesigned frame with a narrower seat to ease the reach to the ground. Of course, other top-shelf features abound – like the Ducati Multimedia System which connects your smartphone to the Duc. Listen in to E-i-C Kevin Duke for more.

Introducing the 2015 Ducati Multistrada 1200; a redesigned Multi featuring an engine with Desmodromic Variable Timing (DVT), cornering ABS, Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC), and a fresh yet familiar look. Everything on the new Multistrada 1200 has been designed for practicality and effectiveness.

The Ducati Multistrada has been getting a little buzz this week, as Ducati announced the Multi would be the first recipient of its new DVT engine with variable valve timing. The Multi has long been a favorite touring bike amongst the MO staff, so for this week’s Church feature, we travel back to 2003 and the original Multistrada. Remember the air-cooled engine? The upper fairing piece that swiveled when you turned the bars? It was a unique bike (this was also the era of the 999 Superbike, remember?), but we liked its quirks. Here, we get Yossef Schvetz’s take on the Multi. The bike, which, at the time, was difficult to place into any pre-existing category. Also, be sure to check out the photo gallery for more pictures.