Best Stocks For 2018: Review: Ducati Multistrada excels even in the rain

The Multistrada 1200 S Granturismo is Ducati's top-of-the-line motorcycle for adventure touring.

Equipped with huge side cases (73-liter capacity each) and a 48-liter top case with passenger backrest, this 1198 cc, 150 hp beast is made to haul butt while hauling close to a week's worth of luggage.

I recently had the opportunity to test the Multistrada with a weeklong ride topping 3,000 miles. I rode from just outside Baltimore to Key West, Fla., then back again with a few detours, including Fort Myers Beach, Fla., Savannah, Ga., and New Bern, N.C.

The bike is heavy at 540 pounds wet (luggage and tools easily puts it near 600 pounds) and tall (regular seat height is 33.5 inches). Being a short rider, that made it fairly cumbersome for me to maneuver in a parking lot. At only 5 feet, 2 inches, I opted for the lowered seat, but even with that, I was on tip toes at a stop, which meant I had very little leverage to get the bike off its kickstand. I often had to stand next to the bike, push it off the stand, then try to hop on while keeping everything upright.

Once the bike got moving, it was as if there was almost nothing underneath me. Despite having a higher center of gravity because of the L-shape engine, which is only really noticeable when moving the bike around by foot, it is very well-balanced and effortless to maneuver once on the road. There was plenty of clearance between the handlebars and the gas tank, so there was no obstruction when turning lock-to-lock, meaning U-turns and other tight maneuvers were a cinch.

The windscreen is easily adjustable by pinching two levers and sliding it up or down, and it can be done while riding.

On my ride to Florida, I hit a rain band that stretched along Interstate 95. I rode five hours straight in the rain. The standard tires performed well and the bike felt nicely planted on the pavement at all times. Even during braking, the ABS rarely kicked in. The windscreen, fairings and hand guards also did a fine job protecting me from! the elements, but in a steady rain like that, there really is no way to keep rain off. I did manage to stay dry thanks to my Alpinestars Stella New Land Gore-Tex jacket and pants. They were soaked on the outside, but not a drop penetrated through.

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Ducati's top of the line adventure touring bike has 150 hp and 91.8 pound-foot of torque.(Photo: Ducati)

The LED headlights and auxiliary lights were super bright. On the highway, the wide light spread easily lit up three lanes and the shoulder. Riding through Big Cypress National Preserve on U.S. 41 in the pitch black, I could see far enough into the surrounding swamp that I was not afraid of being surprised by wildlife. The downside of the brightness was that it seemed to have blinded a few oncoming cars as I was flashed numerous times. This could be fixed by adjusting the lamps to point down more, but I could only adjust them a bit with the tools carried while riding. Any more adjustment would require tools I didn't carry.

Ducati's electronic Ride-by-Wire system allows riders to switch between four riding modes while riding (as in, motor on, cruising down the road): sport, touring, urban and enduro. Those modes can be further customized by the rider, but only when the bike is stopped. Suspension, throttle response and power output are among adjustable features. I kept it simple and stayed on touring mode, which offers a softer ride, gentler power delivery and more fuel efficiency.

The Skyhook suspension was a very pleasant surprise, performing much better than anticipated. It adjusts automatically to riding and road conditions, absorbing bum! ps and di! ps for a much smoother ride. For example, if you go over a speed bump, coming off the bump the suspension drastically reduces the bounce-back sensation. It worked just as well when I was riding as a passenger, automatically adjusting for the additional weight.

The backrest on the top case was a nice touch when I rode as passenger. The seating position was very upright as well, which made it very comfortable and easy to hang on to the rider. There are even places to grip by hand. Any passenger who has ridden in aggressive, forward-leaning positions knows how uncomfortable it can get after a time, especially when you have to brace yourself on the gas tank when stopping so you don't slam into the rider.

The Multistrada had a few drawbacks. Most annoying was that the gas light comes on after about 130 to 150 miles. For a touring motorcycle, good range is key, and I would expect to get close to 180 miles before seeing the gas light.

When I got back home, I wanted to really push the fuel limits to see how far I can actually get. I kept a small can of fuel with me in the top case and rode the bike around until it quit. The Multistrada actually gets another 50 miles after the light comes on before running out of gas, putting the range closer to 200 miles. I also learned that the fuel light would start blinking when range was about 20 miles.

I had a few quibbles with the controls, which are not very intuitive. On the left handlebar, there is a top switch and a bottom switch. Each one controls separate menus, instead of being used to scroll up or down the same menu, which seems to make more sense.

Also, to turn the heated grips on, you have to hit the start button, which is also the kill switch. I always felt a bit of hesitation when hitting that button while riding, nervous it would shut off the engine. (That never happened.)

The Multistrada will do fine on dirt trails and gravel, but for me, it felt too heavy for serious off-roading. The standard tires are really better suit! ed for pa! vement, anyway.

The bike is great for commuting, too. It's super nimble, especially if you take the panniers off. Those cases, even empty, are heavy and stick out so far to the side that it causes quite a bit of buffeting at higher speeds. With the cases off, the bike is a quick, slick machine.

As for style, Ducati nailed this one. It's tall, aggressive yet lithe looks garnered a lot of attention from passers-by and several thumbs up from drivers.

In short, the Multi is a serious, comfortable touring motorcycle with plenty of power at the ready. You can easily navigate urban rides, long stretches of highway and even jump some curbs if you have to. Shorter riders may find the Multistrada a bit much to handle, though. I personally feel more comfortable on a shorter, lighter machine. Of course, in doing so you may have compromise ground clearance, power and storage capacity, so it really depends on what you are looking to do.

The Multistrada 1200 S Granturismo starts at $22,295 and comes in red or grey. An optional GPS is available for $729. Sure, it's not cheap, but who ever thought keeping an athletic supermodel would be?