Ducati Multistrada 1200 Enduro Review
Bike Tested: Ducati Multistrada 1200 Enduro; Road Test No. 847; Test Location: Rajmachi and Mumbai
Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 21,43,350/-
The Ducati Multistrada Enduro is a beefy, healthy and a mad machine under a leash
Ducatis are the mad motorcycles which whenever they come to our garage, have gained an infinite amount of attention. And we’ve had the pleasure of having a good time for the weekend they arrive. My first riding interaction with a Ducati was with Diavel Carbon. Followed up with the Scrambler Icon which we had for a travelogue and now it was time for the largest Ducati bike, the Multistrada 1200 Enduro. I always had a thing for adventure motorcycles but the moment I was standing next to the Multistrada, I was a little frightened by the amount of mass it carried.
The monstrous front surely will remind you of Transformers
Styling – The design of the Multistrada is very controversial. Many like it for the massiveness, while a few don’t as they find it to have an alien face. However, the design of the Enduro is very similar to the regular Multistrada but differs in quite a few ways. The most noticeable difference is the massive size of the fuel tank with a long fairing beak. The windshield too is huge and the overall mass at the front comprises of almost 50% of the motorcycle. As the media bike is completely accessorised, it gets a steel guard for the front fairing too which gets tiny LED foglamps.
Just looks at the design, there are so many things put together
The hanging mass includes a pair of long travel upside-down forks at the front and a side mounted monoshock suspension holding a dual side swingarm unlike the regular Multistrada which has a single sided swingarm. Both front and rear tyres come with spoke wheels. The rear seat is high and gets a nice grab rail while the rear tail-lamp is an LED unit with a dual boomerang design. Also, you cannot miss the sleek and thin exhaust which goes along with the overall design very well. Our media bike was also ready with the pannier mounts and guards next to it.
The 5.0-inch console displays all the information you would ever need
Instrument Cluster and Switchgear – The switchgear on the right comprises of a starter button next to the ignition switch and a hand warmer button. On the left, the switchgear consists of a high beam switch, fog lamp switch, parking lamp switch, cruise control buttons, horn and indicator switch and a toggle switch to play around with the console and switch the riding modes. The all digital console is huge and displays an insane amount of information. From the basic trip and odometer to fuel consumption, fuel gauge, riding mode, ABS, traction and wheelie control levels. With the speedo in the center, gear position indicator on the right and the top has the tachometer which redlines at 9000 RPM.
All the mass at the front of the motorcycle, it feels heavy
Ergonomics – Adventure motorcycle ergonomics? Yes, it’s comfortable but the main task is getting on to the bike. At a seat height of 870 mm, you would rather think twice. It’s difficult for short as well as tall riders as you can’t help but tip-toe while managing the bike. The seat is very wide for the rider thanks to the wide tank. Even though the tank is huge, the handlebars are placed right and keep the rider close and engaged to the bike. At 254 kgs, the weight of the Multistrada Enduro is too much to handle and I missed my leg once due to gravel and sadly tipped over the Enduro. The pillion, however, stays very comfortable and has room to move around, it is rather comfortable to hold the rider while on the move.
Put the wheelie control off and you can take off to the moon
Performance – 1198.4cc Testastretta L-twin with VVT literally throws all the 160 horses to the rear wheel in no time. This powerful heavyweight champion is under your control only because of the electronics. Although the Ducati L-twins are rev friendly and give a feeling like a turbo boost delivery after spooling up some RPMs, the VVT on the Enduro helps a lot lower down the RPM range. Even at 3000 RPM in any particular gear, the engine does not nudge it, instead delivers a smoother output to the wheel. Redlining all the way to 11,000 RPM, the healthy power and torque band is above 7500 RPM. The power delivery changes exponentially as the revs build up and this Enduro actually scares you.
You could actually go riding long distance with the massive fuel tank
The optional rally tyres would make the Enduro an all-round performer
What’s more interesting is how the power delivery and the way the power is being delivered changes according to the different modes. Although at a default setting, the Enduro and Urban mode would churn out 100 BHP of power, the Sports and Touring modes would put out a massive 160 BHP. However there is a difference in the delivery of that power, the Urban and Touring modes are more mellow while the Enduro and Sports modes have a crisp response to the throttle. These riding modes can be switched on the go while we can even customise the individual modes on standstill. Instead of two levels, there are three power levels – low, medium and high. The medium level of power helps in pulling out 30 extra horses, making it a little more lively.
The performance on or off the road is way too much to handle
The 3 levels of each Ducati Traction Control and Ducati Wheelie Control also come in handy when you gun the throttle and the Enduro shoots itself into the sky! All Ducati engines are known for harshness and vibrations. This Enduro is not the best of the stable in terms of NVH and gives a buzz all along from 2000 RPM. There are no weird noises but the harshness and vibrations increase as we come close to the power band which is almost the redline. The huge tank again creates little issues in heat management from the engine. While on the move or even at standstill, there is no space for the hot air to be let out and everything is sent to the rider’s legs. The revs build up on the Enduro pretty quickly and the thin unique looking exhaust sounds really nice. Rev hard and the L-twin shouts! Honestly, the Multistrada Enduro doesn’t actually require an aftermarket exhaust.
Off the road, the Multistrada Enduro is even more fun
Riding Dynamics – It is difficult to get onto the saddle but once you get the hang of it, you wouldn’t really complain. The Enduro is so much engaging that you forget that you are riding a heavy-weight adventure machine. The characteristics of the bike changes with its modes as the performance of the engine does. The Urban mode at default sets a pre-load level to 4 which is the lowest and was the most comfortable for my height. The Touring lifts it a little but the suspension is softly sprung on both the front and rear. Next comes the Enduro making the suspension a little harder than Touring while the Sports mode lifts the bike to pre-load 14 which left me with just the toe touching the ground. This happens because the seat is a little wider than expected.
Getting wet is no biggie as the Multistrada loves to splash
Touring mode has the best balance of power and comfort but Sports is fun
The tank is scooped out properly for the legs to fit in but it still feels a little wide. The Ducati Skyhook Suspension is a fully adjustable Sachs unit both at the front and rear, and is controlled by the electronics as well as the riding modes. The suspension again has four preset levels which include rider only, rider with luggage, rider with pillion and rider with pillion and luggage. All the modes increase the ride height respectively by increasing the pre-load settings all the way to 24. Making the bike so high from the ground that at 165 cms of height, I was tip-toeing the left leg while the right leg was in the air. The level of comfort on the Multistrada Enduro is amazing for the rider as well as the pillion. Although the pillion sits very high, the seat and the pegs are centre-set for both the rider as well as the pillion who stay comfortable even during a longer ride.
All the Multistrada demands is complete attention while you ride
While riding through the canyons, the weight of the Ducati Multistrada 1200 Enduro is felt as you flick it from one side to the other. But once in the turn, the bike holds the line well and the Pirelli Scorpion Trail II tyres give good feedback. The dual 320 mm discs at the front and the single 265 mm disc at the rear do a great job in stopping the motorcycle from triple digit speeds in no time. The bite and feedback are brilliant, however, the weight is evident and felt on the handlebars under hard braking. The ABS unit with cornering ABS as standard does an amazing job in inspiring confidence while having fun with the Multistrada. The off-road test was a little scary as due to the monsoons, it was slushy and the road tyres gave up in the Enduro mode too. Taking a walking u-turn and there was gravel and slush below my right foot, the next thing I know, I almost sprained my leg and the bike was tipped to the right. The main task later was lifting the massive Multistrada Enduro which again took three attempts and I had lost all my energy.
The Multistrada has the most distinctive character of all the Ducatis
Verdict – The Ducati Multistrada Enduro is the top spec Ducati adventure motorcycle you can opt for in India. Although the competition is cheaper if we compare but this Ducati ticks all the boxes for being a can-do-all superbike. But now as we have the younger brother, the Multistrada 950, the Multistrada 1200 Enduro feels a little extra for everything that you would actually need. The amazing performance from the motor and overall feel is unforgettable. All in all, the time spent with the Enduro was amazing. However, there is an Enduro Pro version in the foreign markets and with a little extra we can opt for the parts here and make it top spec. To be honest, the Ducati Multistrada is a dream bike I would love to have in my garage as my own collection probably in the near future, it’s that desirable and capable a machine.
Each and every light on the Ducati Multistrada is an LED unit
What’s Cool
* Exhilarating performance with loads of electronics and sounds good
* Riding dynamics are spot on once you get the hang of it
* The overall build quality is great
What’s Not So Cool
* The overall styling is a controversy in its own
* The bike is huge for normal riders, you have to tip-toe to manage
This motorcycle is full of performance, electronics and emotions
Ducati Multistrada 1200 Enduro Specifications
* Engine: 1198.4cc, Testastretta L-Twin, 8-valve, Desmodromic, liquid-cooled
* Power: 157.8 BHP @ 9500 RPM
* Torque: 128 Nm @ 7000 RPM
* Transmission: 6-speed hydraulic clutch and slipper action
* 0-100 km/hr: 3.5 seconds
* Top Speed: 250 km/hr
* Fuel Consumption: 14-19 km/l
* Fuel Type: Petrol
* Frame: Tubular Steel Trellis
* Suspension: Sachs 48 mm USD Forks (Front), Sachs off-set Mono-Suspension (Rear), Fully adjustable with Ducati Skyhook Suspension
* Tyres: 120/70/17 (Front), 170/60/17 (Rear), Pirelli Scropion Trail II
* Brakes: 320 mm Dual Disc (Front), 265 mm Disc (Rear), Cornering ABS
Ducati Multistrada 1200 Enduro Dimensions
* Wheelbase: 1594 mm
* Ground Clearance: 160 mm
* Seat height: 850 – 890 mm
* Fuel Tank Capacity: 30-litres
* Kerb weight: 254 kgs