Wanna buy » Multi or ST3?

[knox]

Hello all, I am a first time visitor to the site.

I am looking for a sport touring bike, and seriously considering the Multi and the ST3. 70% of my riding will be solo, around town stuff. The other 30% will be 2-up with my wife for 1/2 day to all day rides through the mountains here in East TN. (Probably won't do Deal's Gap much anymore - much too crowded with inexperienced riders on more-than-they-can-handle bikes).

I sold my CBRf4i last year due to my 37 year old wrists not liking all the pressure on them. Plus, the CBRs are NOT passenger friendly. I have had a Suziki Bandit as well - BORING BIKE. No personality at all. I have been riding for about 18 years - started off at 19 years old on a Kawasaki KLR.

I had settled on a VFR until I went to my local Duc dealer and saw the Multi and a used ST4. I love the Ducati sound and style - not something I see in any of the big 4 Japanese companies. The other bike I am looking at is the Yamaha FZ1. Major power, less expensive.

Well, there's my history and a bit of my ponderings. How would you rate the Multi against the ST3?

Thank you for your input.

Knox

[lotus54 - Moderator]

Do a search and there has been a couple of threads about this.
I have not ridden an ST3, but have owned a couple of ST2s (very similar).
Overall, I found the ST2 a bit better over constand 80mph speeds and the Multi better under those speeds.
Both bikes do just fine outside of those limits certainly, but comparing them thats how I see it.
The Multi is great even at walking speeds, but I didn't really like the ST2 that much at low speeds, even with 1" bar risers I had too much pressure on the wrists for me. Yeah, if you hold yourself up with your abs, it solves that problem...
I espcially like the Multi better for 2-up slower riding, I don't have a passenger pressing against me, or if they sit upright, goofing up the centre of gravity. My sweetie also likes the small 26L case I have on back with a backrest. I wasn't too sure about it at first, but now I think it is great.

Try an ride both for a fairly long ride, 2-up also if you can. The Multi just jumped out at me when I tried it, and I really liked the ST2- just the Multi was that much better for me. I even had the ST2 all paid off, and the Multi-S I got was quite a bit of cash for a cheapskate like me. But I did it anyway (the 4% interest rate didn't hurt either).

Mark

[knox]

Thank you for the quick response. Nice to hear from someone who has ridden both.

(Sorry about posting in the general forum - I wasn't sure where this should go. Thanks for moving it.)

[Mich748R 2020 1260 Enduro (Red)]

Knox,

This is a tough call... I can imagine... (it hasen't been for me). I came from a Ducati 748R which I loved but realized that this sport bike is best suitable for the race track. In the current situation on the road with traffic lights, round abouts, sunday (f*ckin') drivers, speed bumps, camara's and all that kind of nonsense, I had a go on the Multi for fun during the WDW2004 in Mizano. I came back from that meeting and within a month I had a Multi in my garage.

There is a rather big difference between the two bikes. The ST3 might be considered as the more "tourer" friendly with a three valve two cilinder engine with nice smooth power and torque. The Multi is the more fun bike of the two although very well capable of doing long distances. I've done over a 1000km (625miles) on the bike during a day on the back roads in France and Italy. Also for 2-up the Multi should be OK. I have had once a friend on the back for about 250km and that was still OK. Maybe the ST is a little more friendly in that aspect.

I've had a go on an ST4s a while ago and I have to say that the bike is OK but it doesn't have that ducati emotion that the Multi has and that I'm typically looking for.

In the end I would say, try both bikes for a good spin. Especially on the back roads the two will differ from each other and you'll be able to feel the difference.

There are just three words that I would mention if you concider going back to a Japanese bike; "DON'T DO IT....!!"

Good luck with the challange.

Cheers,

Mich.

[knox]

Once again, thanks for that input. Oh, and I have found several posts using the search engine - great advice there. I sure do love the Multi in Black, by the way .

[garry]

I recently demo'd both bikes (1000s and ST3s) and liked the Multistrada more. The ST3s seemed like a great SPORT-touring bike. Very comfy and composed, but less flickable. The Multistrada was a more fun, engaging ride IMO.

So the MTS "S" sits firmly entrenched at the top of my "short list". Just waiting to see what Triumph is doing with the upcoming revised Tiger. Chances are good that I'll be shopping for a lightly used MTS "S" with the usual goodies (Termi kit, comfort seat, etc) later this summer. I don't think I can swing the $16K plus title, tax and plate a new MTS "S" would cost with the goodies. A smoking deal on regular MTS w/ Showas could turn my head too.

[drifter 2004 1000 DS (Black)]

I needed to get home from the dealership to retrieve the red key for a new dashboard in the Multi, and used a demo ST3 to do that. Wrists hurt inside 3 miles, neck in 5, and 8 miles had me glad to get off.
I used the freeway to go back downtown to see if wind would help. Not a lot. I'll be sticking with the Multi for a while, at least until I can ride the GT in the fall.
I like standards. Very few modifications, and you're down the road.

[907ie 2004 1000 DS (Red)]

For me the biggest difference is the luggage. Much better on the ST3, but the wrist issue favors the Multi. If it helps it is a Multi that will be taking me to Alaska this year.

[bkbjmb 2004 1000 DS (Black)]

+1 for the Multi if you're concerned about wrist strain. I owned an ST3 and now have a Multi. There were times when I was a hurtin' within 30 minutes on the ST3. With the Multi I can ride all day with no wrist discomfort. I also like the handling of the Mutli better. If I had it to do all over again I would have purchased the Multi the first time around.

Good luck!

[chilly_bill]

I own the Multi, some of the most character of any bike I've owned. The seating position has always been a bit odd for me, short front to back.
I spent some time on one of the newer ST3s with the nicer suspension. Outstanding bike. Better wind protection, more stretched out, but definitely less flickable. More top end power too.
Spent some time on the FZ1 as well. The most comfortable seating of all three bikes, in fact the most comfortable bike I think I've ever riden. While the power my be greater in the upper end, this bike feel way more tame than either of the Ducatis. The chasis and suspension are nothing compared to the Ducs either. Less low and mid range, and way less character.

[atwood 2004 1000 DS (Gray)]

Test rode a st3 on thursday while my multi was having the maintenance indicator reset at the dealer. Nice bike, but not as fun as the multi. The st3 had less vibration, but also had a lean surge at 4k. It didn't pull as hard down low. I prefer the aircooled 2v motor for its simplicity and its still more fun to play with, IMHO. The riding position is pretty sporty, especially compared to the dirtbike-like multi. I also don't much like the new st front end, it looks too vfr-like and bland for a ducati.

For your location, the multi would rule on the mountain roads of TN. Hard to find a better bike for them.

Have your wife try out the passenger seat and see what she thinks. The pegs are plenty low, but the fore-aft room is not as spacious as a lot of bikes.

[chebello]

Here in France, I often hear about engine issues with the st3.
The reliability of the mts seems to be much better.

[teros1]

I own an 05 "1000S" and was seriously considering trading it for a ST-3S -- until I test-rode the ST!

I really could not get comfortable on the ST, and I did not think that the 3-valve engine was as responsive in the all-important (on the street) midrange.

This all surprised me as I am also a track rider (GSXR-1000), and accustomed to sporty ergonomics.

BTW, I'm 6'1" and 200#.

YMMV, so I strongly suggest test rides if at all possible.

Bob

[Alaskan]

Resurrecting a moribund thread here, but I am wondering how folks compare the ST3 and the Multi for long days in the saddle. I live in Alaska and want to ride the Alaska Highway to the Pacific Northwest and back at least once a year. That's about 2000 miles (3200 kilometers) each way. Road surface is generally very good with big sweeping corners and some tight stuff around Muncho Lake. Odds are that a rider will run into construction a couple of times with a few sketchy stretches, but the road is surprisingly good overall.

The ST appeals to me for the long highway miles. My impression is that the Multi may be almost as good for touring and better for the rough stretches and around town. Fact is, I really don't know, so I am asking you guys. By the way, the relatively stretched out riding position of the ST isn't an issue for me.

[lotus54 - Moderator]

Gary Egan would be a good person to ask, since he has done extensive miles on both.
I'll email him and see what he says. He is pretty busy, so it may be a bit.

I owned a couple of ST2s befor the multi. The ST3 is very similar so perhaps my comments would be quite applicable to the ST3.

I found the ST2 more comfortable over around 80mph, the MTS better below 80mph. It isn't a hard number changover or anything, just that range. I never really liked the ST2 at really slow speeds, walking to around 40mph. Even with the risers the bars felt too low and it is a bit slower handling. The ST is ok on gravel, but the MTS is much better. At lower speeds the MTS is still really fun to ride, even at walking pace. I like the seating position and the suspension is better. I have an 'S' MTS and my ST2 had the fully adjustable suspension.
The ST has a bit better wind protection, although the MTS with KTM handguards will cover my hands much better and with the Max Protection DP screen the upper part if pretty close. I don't notice the loss of the lowers, but in the rain the ST has better protection.
At higher speeds the MTS is still quite good, but I think the ST2 comes into its own there. The lower bars are better, you have more wind protection and the slower handling requires less precision on input.

The seat on either is fine for me, although the stock ST2 seat wasn't as good as the stock MTS '05 seat for me. Felt fine at first, but not wonderful after 400 miles. I understand the ST3 seat is better, so it may be better than the Multi.

I like doing really tight roads and getting on gravel sometimes. The MTS is much better (for me) for that sort of thing. I really liked the ST2 (and it was paid off) so I had to like the MTS a LOT more to spend that sort of cash.

Oh yeah, where I really noticed the MTS being better at low speeds is with a passenger. I never liked riding with a passenger at low speeds in the ST, but he MTS is great there.
Luggage is similar, perhaps the ST easier to pack. The ST is easier to fit a tankbag to, but the MTS is not really a big deal (I use RKA). It is cheaper to fit different handlebars to the MTS if the ST3 bars won't adjust to where you want. (I fitted Rizoma bars to my MTS, they are much more comfortable to me).

Note, this is all my personl reaction, yours may be a lot different. Certainly you want to ride them both. A long ride on both would be best, but probably not very resonable.

Mark

(I just looked and I already posted a very similar post way back when , but I'll leave this one anyway):oops:

Resurrecting a moribund thread here, but I am wondering how folks compare the ST3 and the Multi for long days in the saddle. I live in Alaska and want to ride the Alaska Highway to the Pacific Northwest and back at least once a year. That's about 2000 miles (3200 kilometers) each way. Road surface is generally very good with big sweeping corners and some tight stuff around Muncho Lake. Odds are that a rider will run into construction a couple of times with a few sketchy stretches, but the road is surprisingly good overall.

The ST appeals to me for the long highway miles. My impression is that the Multi may be almost as good for touring and better for the rough stretches and around town. Fact is, I really don't know, so I am asking you guys. By the way, the relatively stretched out riding position of the ST isn't an issue for me.