Wanna buy » Does the MTS need an upgrade to it's off road capabilities?

[cagiva900gc]

Hi I am new here at the forum, and trying to decide on whether the Multistrada can work for me. I used to ride the Cagiva Elefant 750, then upgraded to the Cagiva Gran Canyon with the 900cc Ducati EFI engine. Really the forerunner of the MS. The GC was great, on the pavement, and adequate off road. 19 inch front wheel, 6 inch suspension travel front and back, very comfortable street warrior.

I managed to go pretty much most places with my friends on their 650GS BMW's and KTM 640 LC4. I sometimes had to take it a bit slower than them in the really rough places, due to less suspension travel, but man, I caught up to them so quickly when we hit a small patch of good road.

Can some of you please comment on how the MTS run on the dirt. I am looking at the 620 Dark, and would of course change the tyres right away, but would like to hear from you all on how it runs in dual sport or Adventure rider mode.

Thanks[/b]

[lotus54 - Moderator]

Do a search, there has been a lot of discussion on this.

The MTS is a road bike, but I personally find it does quite well on gravel roads. Not too hot on mud. I don't know how it would be on tighter stuff- with different tyres it might be a lot better. But it wasn't designed for that sort of use.
I have a 1000 S, so the suspension is a lot better than the 620, but it is also heavier and taller.

With a few mods I think it could do pretty well.

Mark

[cagiva900gc 2004 1000 DS (Red)]

Mark

Thanks for the reply. I read through a lot of other posts in the meantime.

I decided that the Multistrada is a bit too road oriented for me. Many will agree that tires can make a world of difference, and with a 17inch front wheel, the options for a dual sport tire is just non existent.

So I have decided just to keep riding my old Cagiva elefant 650, it has the Ducati 650 Pantah engine, long travel Ohlins shocks and fork, as well as 21 inch front wheel.

In my opinion Ducati would do well to upgrade the Multi a bit. Similar to the BMW F650ST and the F650 GS scenario. Similar bike, but with slightly different setup for a wider audience.

By the way I agree with you that the 1000DS is the one to get not the 620. Reducing the engine is one thing, but the downgraded suspension and other hardware, makes the 620 just too timid for me.

I don't think Ducati can really challenge the KTM 950, (they could do it, but I don't think they will) but a Multistrada (GS) would certainly wipe out the 650GS, F800 GS, Firestorm, Africa twin, Transalp, Super Tenere, Varadero, Pegaso, Caponord, Tiger, all these dual purpose, chain drive bikes. Leaving only the BMW 1200GS at the top, because the big GS is not an off road bike, and people buy the big guy because of the shaft drive. If you want to drive accross the continent and not have problems, get a big GS, load up 300lb of stuff, stay on the Tar road, and enjoy the trip.

The fact that the Multistrada has done well in sales, must show them, like the very popular SUV market, vehicles that have some off road ability, but will not necessarily compete with a Jeep TJ or dune buggy, nor will they ever actually see off road action, does not mean that people won't buy them. Look at the RAV4, CRV, ML Merc, X5 and X3 and others, those are not off roaders, they are big sellers.

So I will just keep my money in my pocket untill I have enough for the KTM 990, if Ducati comes up with a real dual purpose bike in the meantime, I'll be the first in line to buy one.

The pics of the Desert multis in the photo section are cool, but see the pic of the front wheel planted in the sand, the Multi as it is at the moment is just not quite there, bigger wheel and longer legs, and I think it is going to be one amazing bike.

Feel free to comment, and please do, but that is my view of the situation as it is now.

[bone 2006 1000S DS (Red)]

I can't say I disagree, although from my little hardpack dirt- and off-road experience the Multi's done perfectly well. And I don't know how much importance you place on long-distance road comfort either, but perhaps the Hypermotard will be more suited to your needs...?

[cagiva900gc 2004 1000 DS (Red)]

Bone

Good and comfortable on road performance is very important. I am just thinking that even a very off road oriented bike like the KTM950 will eat up the highway with minimal pain, plus give a great ride off road. The opposite scenario, using a Multistrada, will certainly give a great ride on road, perhaps better than the KTM?, but when the road gets rough and off, then the KTM is going to take the prize.

So really, similar to the SUV scenario, more rugged ability than is needed is always good.

A good friend of mine once gave me the definition of a Motorcycle:
1, Must have two wheels, anything more is too many.
2, Must have 2 cylinders, no less, preferable not more.
3, must be made in Europe, preferred, definitely not Japan

Everything else is just transport.

I really like the Multi, and I am strongly considering buying one, but I think with the 17 inch front wheel it really limits the options.

I see you are also from Toronto, we should get together via PM and go for a ride.

[lotus54 - Moderator]

A good friend of mine once gave me the definition of a Motorcycle:
1, Must have two wheels, anything more is too many.
2, Must have 2 cylinders, no less, preferable not more.
3, must be made in Europe, preferred, definitely not Japan

Everything else is just transport.

Dang, guess I'll have to give a pass on that SuperMono http://tinyurl.com/oem8b

heck, I have three singles in the garage.
'66 Benelli Sprite
'68 Benelli Dynamo Trail
'70 OSSA Pioneer

Mark

[archkevinbrown]

Mark

The fact that the Multistrada has done well in sales, must show them, like the very popular SUV market, vehicles that have some off road ability, but will not necessarily compete with a Jeep TJ or dune buggy, nor will they ever actually see off road action, does not mean that people won't buy them. Look at the RAV4, CRV, ML Merc, X5 and X3 and others, those are not off roaders, they are big sellers.

As a sensitive new owner, I have to take exception to the analogy of a Multistrada to a RAV4 or an X3. This analogy isn't like comparing apples and oranges, it's like comparing apples and frisbees!
Pretense of offroad abilities aside, most SUVs are simply oversized cars or overstuffed trucks. A Multistrada, however, isn't a bigger or fancier anything; and if it's ever perceived as having any real "offroad capabilities," that's just gravy, and not something it ever pretended to.

[Wolfie1]

Well said KB! Agree 100%.

-Wolfie

[cagiva900gc 2004 1000 DS (Red)]

Mark

I think an exception to the rule is in order, that supermono is cool, All Ducatis are real motorcycles.

This friend of mine who came up with the formulation of the rule, owned a couple of BMW's R100, and GS, as well as a Moto Guzzi Quota 1100ES, and a Ducati 748R.

[shalbleibmts 2007 1100S (Black)]

if the mts were an suv it would be the prosche cayenne!

[txlongrider 2005 1000 DS (Red)]

Will be interesting to see what the HyperMotard people will do in the next couple of years to convert that bike for the dirt. It won't take much imagination, effort , or money to do so.