[Craig]

I haven't read anything in this forum about the mts offroad capabilities. Has anyone used this bike on rough gravel roads?

[Motogpfan]

I'm going out on a limb here but probably not the best idea.

[JohnB]

I wouldn't attempt anything other than smooth dirt roads with the MTS. The "DS" is for dual-spark, not dual-sport.

[lotus54]

There has been a lot of discussion about this in the past.
Do a search and you'll be able to read what other have said.

Here is my take.

Ducati designed it for roads, not off road.
I've used it on gravel roads, it works quite well.
I'm not certain how strong the wheels are, I'd be reluctant to really hammer it over big pot-holes etc.
The 17" front wheel isn't great in mud.

I think one could make modified to be a great 'Adventure' bike, but it would take a bit of doing. Perhaps some KTM wheels, better fenders, different tyres...

Mark

[falcofred]

I did 6.5 miles of dirt on the way to a BMW Airhead rally at http://www.highcountrymotorcyclecamp.com/
The dirt road isn't the only way in but it is the shortest, and we were following my GPS.
My Multi did fine, probably due to the fact that I also ride dirt and dual sport bikes. On the other hand my friend on a ST2 was not a happy camper He doesn't ride off road, never has, and I was zipping ahead and then turning around and riding back to check on him and then zipping off again. He repeadedly told me that I sucked for leading him down this road.
True it is not a dual sport, and the 17 inch front wheel is street oriented, it will do the occasional dirt or gravel road. If your planning on a lot of dirt roads you'd be better off on a dual sport or adventure tourer. BMW GS, KTM 950, even a V-strom would do better on longer dirt or gravel.

[lotus54]

After reading falco's post- perhaps I should put it into perspective also.
I have owned a couple of ST2's also- I thought they were ok on the gravel also. But the MTS is much better (in my opinion).
I grew up riding in the dirt and used to race motocross in the mid-70s. So for me, the first ride on the Multi reminded me a lot of a large version of my old OSSA GPII Phantom race bike.

Mark

[jbcaddy]

I've done lots of miles on dirt and gravel roads with my multi. like others have said, previous dirtbike experience helps. recently while coming up out of a canyon i met two riders on matching Beemer GS's that were turning around due to the road being too rough for them. just like the folks with 4WD trucks that commute on the freeway and never go off road, bikes are much the same. I had a KLR 650 and found it to be the wrong choice for me. way to heavy, poor suspension and geared wrong for the dirt or the hwy with brakes that faded quickly on the windy mtn roads where I live. really, one bike is not enough. get a multi for back roads and a street legal dirtbike for the real rough stuff. not a gs or vstrom, but a real dirt bike like a 450KTM.

I just posted a photo of my bike on a fairly rough dirt road that goes between Foresthill and Donner Pass in the California Sierras.

[dnldfte]

A motorcycle magazine did a side by side test on the Multistrada, Vstrom, Buell, Aprilia, and other bikes set up as dual sport rides. The Multi rated as the best street bike but it wasn't last in the dirt category.

[Adventure Rider]

I've ridden some pretty hairy places with my GS, and I still don't care for it off-road or even just off-pavement. It is, and always will be, a too heavy street bike with an inch or two more travel. Ditto for the Oilhead GSes, although they are getting better. The best one liter "dual sport" adventure bike out there is the KTM, and it is still too heavy, but at least it is a bike designed to go off-road and has the best suspension there is for that size of a bike.

I would not take my MTS off-road. Off-pavement for short distances maybe - if I had to get somewhere - but I probably wouldn't enjoy it much. This is my street bike. My DR is my off-road bike.

[wayward]