Ducati Multistrada MTS1200

It is simple, correct air pressure! What did you get from the OME tyres? What do you call worn out? The MTS IS LIGHT and high mileage from tyres seems the go.

Hi guys back from the trip, so time for a quick update.

Fabrri screen. Well it looks the part, but I won't be using it again. It looks wider at the bottom but the wide bits are actually bent back, so seem to do bugger all. It is also flatter than the standard screen. IMO it isno better than the standard screen, and in some cases is worse !
I found that the noise was distracting, and my visor was being pulled open. Also, there was so much turbulence that the autocom intercom was switching on it's box at anything above 85mph (cruising speed).
My mates had the calsci screens and in comparison had no issues. I am yet to try one of their screens.
As an aside they did however complain that riding behind their screens in 30 degree heat meant they cooked :-)

Now the gyres.
Well I have to say the pr3s performed very well in terms of grip and confidence. The front tyre looks in great shape. Wish I could say the same for the rear :-/
We did just on 3k miles in the end, and it has probably less than 500 left in it, depending on how I ride. I guess it might see 4k miles at a push.
The sides gripped well, but the shoulders of the tread blocks are severely worn. There is still a few mm above the wear bars. The centre has maybe 1mm at most above the wear bars.
I will certainly use them again.

Between us we had a few issues (to be fair every bike in our group did, not just the mts's).
We all suffered from soft clutch lever, and had to release air out of the master cylinder on a number of occasions.
We also all ended up with next to no rear brake (that is 4 mts's). That is a big deal for 2 up riding, and is now the new big focus to get fixed.
the only other 'funny' was that my bike developed a hideous rattly engine noise one day. We were in the middle of nowhere so I had no choice but to nurse it to a safe spot a mile or two on. When I stopped and restarted the engine, the noise had gone !
I took the following day off and headed to the dealer for them to check it. Plugging it in showed no fault codes, so all I could do was continue. I am not convinced that ducati have yet managed to build a self healing engine, so that will be investigated soon. If anyone else has had a similar experience though, I would really like to hear about it.

Other than that, we had a great trip, did some amazing roads, and already thinking about the next one :-)

@ Johnw - surprised that you got through a rear PR3 in 3.5k - I've had mine on for 2.5k miles now and very little sign of wear. I have however just had the best possible test for the PR3s - a track evening at Knockhill yesterday, where it absolutely tipped down, to the point where there were rivers of mud flowing across the lower parts of the track (and there was flooding on all the roads in the area). By the end, there were only about 5 of us on track, so plenty of opportunity to try out the tyres in truly foul conditions. In short, stunningly good - only one small slide on the way into turn 1 when I arrived about 10mph too fast, having spent too long on the start/finish straight listening to the exhaust echoing off the pit wall ;-) I've never ridden anything that feels so utterly planted in the wet - in fact the police instructor who was out with us on his K1300S on PR2s, was impressed that he couldn't get anywhere near the 'strada, despite his extra bhp. So I'll repeat my earlier opinion that, in warm, dry conditions I think I get better front-end feel from the Diablo Rosso Corsas but on the other 364 days of the year in Scotland, the rapid warm-up, wet grip and neutrality of the PR3s get my vote...

technomad. Interesting comments on the PR3's. I have put them on both my bikes including the BIG K. They are almost instantly grippy and I wonder if this is why they some riders report overheating on warm track days? So far I really like the feedback and tracking combined with ride smoothness. The only thing I dislike is the price premium!

Will Ducaudi make an 848 Multistrada? If they don't castrate the 130 bhp too much and keep it floaty-light, then it could be a revelation methinks? What say yee?

Around here the taxes are hitting the 1200 rather hard. But I believe that as long as the sales figures are met, they will milk the cow as it is. A 110hp MTS848 could easily be a chart topper for Ducati.. But the bike might feel under powered as the chassis is strong?

Around here the taxes are hitting the 1200 rather hard. But I believe that as long as the sales figures are met, they will milk the cow as it is. A 110hp MTS848 could easily be a chart topper for Ducati.. But the bike might feel under powered as the chassis is strong?

There's a new Hyper 848 for sure, following in the steps of the 848 StreetFighter but Ducaudi will be keen to expand the portfolio wider I'm sure.

I think, in the UK at least, the Tiger 800 is out-selling all the heavier weighted 1200 Adventure bikes, and I think it would be fairly safe to assume Ducati could match or better the weight of the T8, but easily have both more power (maybe 20hp?) and more torque too.

I also think both the tech and market are there, but will they be able to compete price point wise? It'll obviously cost more than the Triumph, but by how much will be the key differentiator as to whether a size-able amount of people will plump for it or not?

Well if you are all going to ignore John's group's problems with having to release air from their clutch systems on a number of occasions while on tour not to mention them all experiencing next to no rear brake, then I'll raise it.
Come on chaps, this is really bad news and is very off-putting for potential buyers or those contemplating riding abroad.
Please don't reply with the usual 'it compensates in so many other ways and mine's been perfect etc etc'.
My MTS 1100 also completely lost use of it's clutch lever in traffic in Budapest which I thought was a feature of hot air cooled engines and now the water cooled version is also suffering from the same problem, losing me faith in it as a long distance tourer since who needs this sort of basic design fault while abroad. It stretches our Ducati enthusiasm a bit too far. Do they think we'll put up with anything to ride a bike with a Ducati badge?
Will many of the GS refugees who moved to the MTS 1200 go back to the next model water cooled GS for next year's touring? I think so, don't you? If so they'd better get their deposits down asap because the queue will be long. Discuss.

This bike compensates in so many other ways, besides that, mine has been perfect!

Well if you expected a true GS copy, this bike is probably not for you. I had a R1200GS before this, and the only times I miss it, is when I do the long haul to and from my vacation spots, where I ride the mountains in alps. So that's between 2 and 4 days a year out of 365. I've had break issues, wind protection lacks a bit, some rubber melted off the exhaust valve cable, my fuel gauge died, and some other small bits.
The GS was a fine bike, but it was too heavy, and slightly underpowered for what I like my bike to do. So if I were to consider a GS, it would have to lose some weight, and gain some power. It would also be nice if they could make it sound less like a tractor, but I guess it's the nature of the engine. My friends used to tease me that I was driving some unspecified farm equipment. :)
Still with that being said, a new GS would probably be my second choice after the Multi. The Yamaha, Honda and Triumph just seem a bit sad to me, just GS copycats, they bring nothing new to the table.

This is my first Ducati, since all others have been too small (Or too ugly like the old multi). I had expected a lot more problems from a Ducati, so me personally I'm happy.

I'm absolutely sure that the new GS will be an excellent machine but, like pretty much all bikes, it won't be problem free - I've spent too long hunting around rural France for parts and oil for mates' GS's to imagine that would be the case. I like the GS very much but a GS has never made me laugh out loud as the MTS does or had me marvel at its abilities on foul weather track days. Yes, it's rear brake has - with the update - gone from being completely useless most of the time to merely nearly useless all of the time, the rear number plate flaps around like baggy pants on a washing line and the exhaust valve requires regular TLC to avoid seizing up, but I wouldn't swap.

I usually bite if you're phising ;-D

I sat on the eXplorer, Tenere and MTS back-to-back yesterday. I was surprised that the eXplorer felt the tallest and carried it's weight the highest, making it feel more top-heavy at a stand still, a trait apparently shared with the CrossTourer. Like riding a race rep, they all feel good until you ride them alongside each other where little nuances show themselves.

Surprisingly the Tenere didn't really feel much heavier or taller than the MTS, but it's over-seat measurement is greater due to it's flat slab rather than triangulated seat. The Yamaha needs ABS you can turn off via a switch (have to put it on it's centre stand, run it and brake to confuse the system and cause it to turn off - reset with ignition on/off) and it's low gears artificial restrictors removed, some World Crosser graphics and then lowly (by current standards) 110 hp or not, it'd be right in the running, especially for anyone valuing hassle free ownership over kudos.

Despite many of you owners bemoaning the lack of compression strength on the the MTS's rear shock, it actually felt noticeably the firmest seating position of all three by quite some margin. Not Aprilia Tuono plank like or anything, it's just noticeable which race company makes production bikes. It's the only one I'd really want to track day on in anger. If you want a comfy, practical sports bike the MTS is still it. It's not perfect, but as techno points out, few bikes are even the volume sellers.

Whatever you ride, it's got to do it for your heart and head, else you might as well jump in the car. Which is mainly where I've been this weekend as temps have soared beyond 100F in my neck of the woods.

Hi guys,
Bait more of an update for you.

I understand from a couple of guys who know these things, that the clutch air is a symptom that not only ducati suffer from. It seems most bikes using the brembo master cylinder do the same (aprilia etc). I got told this from Two mechanics. Maybe it is no coincidence that the master cylinders have a bleed nipple to release the air...

With regard to the rear brake, one of the guys has now found out that despite his bike going to the dealers for the update, it wasn't actually fitted !!!
We are now considering sending letters about the rear brakes to ducati, because in reality for most of the year (and most of our trip) this renders the bike unroadworthy (no way would it pass an mot). The more of you that do this, the more chance we have of getting it rectified once and for all.

I had a couple of test rides on some Harleys yesterday (curiosity), and by comparison their screens are appalling. There was so much turbulence that I couldn't see at 75mph :-) at least the rear brakes worked though.

Hi Richard,
Yes and yes, but I removed them again. The reason being that I didn't want this to be the excuse as to why the brakes weren't working. I did this prior to the rear update last year, and just not got round to refitting them.
I ordered a set of custom pipes from venhill.

They make a great improvement over the standard (848) callipers the bike is fitted with.

Mine and mike davidsons rear pedal goes to the end stop, so no feel at all and doesn't come back even if pumped. Jeremy and Quentins rear brakes sort of work, but with long pedal travel that nearly needs a double jointed ankle to use.

I am Thinking about fitting some banjos with bleed nipples to the abs pump, see if I can get air out in the same way as the clutch.
I think the problem is at the master cylinder really, and might do the same there too. Basically a bit of. Experimenting is called for.