2009 Ducati Multistrada Review

Ducati, the Italian motorcycle manufacturer, officially released its Multistrada 1100S in 2005 and revised it substantially in 2007. That model was carried them over without notable changes for 2009; though Ducati makes another model of the bike, the 1100S is the only one imported into the United States. The Multistrada was intended to combine the attributes of a superbike, a sport bike, and a sport tourer—hence the name, which means, literally, ""many roads.""

The Multistrada 1100S has a 1078cc, air-cooled longitudinal V-twin four-stroke Desmodromic engine with a single overhead cam and Marelli EFI fuel injection. It has a six-speed manual transmission, with belt final drive, and a wet multiplate clutch, which has an adjustable lever. An Ohlins inverted fork with adjustable preload and rebound damping—and 6.5 inches of travel—and single-sided swing arm with an adjustable spring preload shock and rebound damping. Brembo four-piston dual hydraulic discs in front and a substantial single disc in back furnish plenty of stopping power.

A flat instrument panel next to the analog tachometer gives you all the information you could need in digital form: speed, time, fuel level, and oil temperature, among other things. As befits its ambitions to be a serviceable touring motorcycle, you can add an intercom system so you can chat with your passenger.

Weighing in at 432 pounds without fuel or oil, the Multistrada 1100S has a lightweight tubular trellis frame and clears the ground by almost seven inches. The wide—but thin—33.3-inch-high seat cants the rider slightly forward within easy reach of the wide handlebars, making for a comfortable and natUral riding position. The upper fairing and the windshield offer decent protection from the wind.

While it is not really a dual-sport bike—it is not designed to take off-roading—but it handles twisting canyon roads with aplomb and has power and torque to spare, tempting riders to speed and to practice wheelies. Equally, it’s not quite a touring bike—it has no hard side cases, no power outlet—but the optional accessories let you tailor the bike in one direction or another. You can add a carbon chain guard, a front mudguard, or a tank protector if you plan on using it on rough roads, and you choose from an assortment of bags for storage.