Menus
- From 950 to 1200, from 113 to 152 hp, from 13,890 € to 23,390 €
- A close match to find the best proposition of the range…
- Discovery
- In the saddle
- Engine and transmission
- In the city
- On motorways and main roads
- On departmental
- Off-road
- Part-cycle
- Brakes
- Comfort and duo
- Consumption & autonomy
- Conclusion
From 950 to 1200, from 113 to 152 hp, from 13,890 € to 23,390 €
A close match to find the best proposition of the range…
The big trail is in fashion: that’s good, Ducati has 5 in its range, 7 even if we take into account the 1200 SD / Air versions (pre-equipped with the Dainese Airbag) and 1200 Pikes Peak, which we do not did not have during this comparison. But, even limited to five motorcycles, the skill set is already wide enough..
Indeed, the experience begins with the 950 Multistrada (113 hp, € 13,890, price in September 2017), continues with the 1200 DVT (152 hp, € 17,990), the 1200 S (152 hp, € 20,290), the 1200 Enduro (152 hp, € 21,390) then, a recent novelty in the range, the 1200 Enduro Pro (152 hp, € 23,390).
So, in order to help the potential buyer find their way around, we brought the motorcycles to the Hautes-Alpes for the Alpes Aventure Motofestival, which was enriching enough to be able to portray almost the whole family. In addition, to find more complete tests of each of the models, do not hesitate to browse on Le Repaire the Ducati tests tab..
Discovery
It is often said that a trail is ugly. Leggy and aesthetically unbalanced, they objectively appeal less than sports cars, customs and other categories of machines. It is true that some trails could have been unsightly: we think of the Honda 750 XLV and its "fireman" color or the first Suzuki DR 750, especially the orange! Oh my god: what horrors !
Nevertheless and although admitting that the tastes and the colors, it is debatable, it is clear that, given the specifications which require space on board, ground clearance and protection, the he aesthetic of the Multistrada is rather neat. Slender, relatively thin at the crotch, this family of machines presents well.
And the little one of the band draws an advantage here: apart from single-sided arm (it has a traditional swinging arm), it can fart almost as much as the 1200 and 1200 S, in particular because it also offers a table digital dashboard, an adjustable screen, driving modes and a safety pack (traction control, etc.). Admittedly, the 1200 is a little better equipped, by offering in addition a cruise control, a hill start assist system, a more sophisticated ABS with cornering function, a keyless start as well as more sophisticated electronics with levels. rear wheel control !
At the same time, if you like the trail spirit, how not to fall for one of the Enduro versions? They impress with their large engine spoiler, the different LED lights at the front (the look is even more piercing!) With cornering light function, the large 30-liter tank and even more careful surface treatments, especially the sides. satin tank. The Enduro Pro goes even further, with crankcases, a low screen, a specific "sand" livery.
Come on, since we’re talking about trail running, on this section: Enduro Pro victory.
In the saddle
Despite their size which is not small, the Multistrada 950 and 1200 have the merit of being quite thin, at the level of the crotch and thus being within the reach of a wide range of sizes, garden gnomes. set apart. Against all expectations, the 1200 pulls out of the game: where the 950 makes its saddle perch at 840 mm, the 1200 can vary it from 825 to 845 mm. Here, the Enduro versions are clearly more elitist. With the saddle at 870 mm and the 30-liter tank, it becomes a hell of a piece, not easy to step over, not to mention that the suitcases take up space and that you also have to deal with the weight which is close to 260 kilos ( the 950 makes 229, or 3 less than the 1200).
The digital screens are readable and the selection of driving modes and all the settings is quite easy: equality for everyone on this point.
In the end, it is therefore the 1200 that wins.
Engine and transmission
Logic: the 1200 is more powerful (152 hp against 113), more torque (13.1 m / kg against 9.8 m / kg), nothing illogical about that. It is also more sophisticated, with variable distribution. However, unless you are very demanding, it is difficult not to recognize in the 950 real qualities which allow it not to lower your eyes to the 1200: its sound is nice, the power is present, the torque is rather generous and driven at a good pace on demanding mountain roads, the 950 was not really taken down by others. If its engine is more flexible than that of the others, we could possibly blame it for vibrating in the towers..
In terms of transmission, gearbox 6 for everyone.
So, on this chapter: equality.
In the city
The lightest and most flexible in engine: in this area, difficult not to give victory to the 950. The others are not doing so badly, but the flexibility of the 1200 is a bit less to very low speed, while the Enduro version, tall and wide with its suitcases, is still bulky and intimidating.
Suddenly, there is no debate: victory 950.
On motorways and main roads
We could do as with Jacques Martin and say that everyone has won: it is true that there is no bad choice and that carving the (big) road in Multistrada is rather a source of joy, whatever either the frame chosen in the catalog. Even with the most modest engine, the presence of the engine is already largely sufficient to take plums, full. It is true that at the usual speeds, the small and the large are almost equal in times, the 120 making speak the power beyond 140 km / h in times and therefore in our well radarized universe, one could almost wonder what is the power of the fat ones for? To have fun, maybe ?
Ah yes, that’s it, the pleasure! A fundamentally important value in the motorcycling world, history of forgetting the pangs of a society that is day by day more gray and liberticidal. In fact, the extension and acceleration of the 1200 is still very heartwarming. And then in the logic of cutting the terminal in the best possible conditions, how can we not have a weakness for the Enduro version? With its high screen, its soft saddle, its 30 liters of gasoline, it is to the motorcycle what the Range Rover Supercharged V8 is to the Twingo. And then, in Germany, you can take almost 250 km / h with a trail, which is remarkable. Of course, you have to have the template to.
On departmental
This part of the game has some nice surprises in store. First, exit the 1200 and 1200 S: at a walking pace, they are a little firmer than the 950 and in attack mode, we quickly find the limits of the ground clearance while the machine was very sensitive to the settings of suspension (we had two S’s, one red and one gray, which did not behave the same despite similarly tuned electronics). The 950 does the job in most cases, except when we take out the big attack, when the mass transfers are sensitive and less well managed than on the other two..
And that’s where the Enduro models come in, against all odds. Already, we must salute Ducati for the prowess of having defined a machine capable of evolving in TT and which, despite everything, is capable of holding such a rhythm on the road: we come back to the fundamentals of trail running, or even here, of the ‘hypertrail. Victory: Enduro.
Off-road
There too, victory for the Enduro model, or even the Enduro Pro, which offers the total, even if its dimensions, once again, do not intend it for the most puny of us. That said, a small internship at the Ducati Riding Experience, under the leadership of Beppe Gualini, multiple participant in the Dakar and record holder for participation in Rally-Raid: with him and his good advice, the Multistrada Enduro Pro, becomes almost light, agile and easy. to handle. Like what, with a little method, his 261 kilos are forgotten.
However, this Enduro Pro version, with its side protections, low screen and specific saddle, is the best suited for this type of exercise. It shares specific electronic settings with the basic "Enduro" version: Enduro Riding Mode reduces the power of the V2 to 100 horsepower. The DTC system is configured to provide maximum grip and acceleration over all types of terrain with Ducati Wheelie Control disabled. The intervention level of the ABS is level 1, the most suitable for off-road driving on low-grip terrain. ABS is therefore kept on the front wheel for more safety, but the "corner" function and the ABS on the rear wheel are deactivated..
Part-cycle
Only the 1200 and 1200 S sport a very nice single-sided arm, the 950 and the two Enduro versions have a traditional swingarm. Of course, the 1200s are more sophisticated than the 950, including the possibility of the Skyhook, these electronically adjustable suspensions. However, in this chapter, given the pricing positioning of each motorcycle and the specifications specific to each model in this range, we cannot say that a particular model has been treated at a discount. Moral of the story: equality.
Brakes
There again, it is really difficult to decide, because if the device of the 1200 is more generous, it is also to go hand in hand with the more copious power. However, a well-tuned 1200 S corrects one of the specific points of the 950 and Enduro, namely more generous mass transfers. Victoire 1200 S, therefore, with its 330 mm discs clamped by Brembo radial M50 calipers and its ABS with corner function, which marks a plus compared to the standard 1200, with its 320 mm discs and its monobloc calipers and its ABS standard. Although: already, it slows down hell…
Victory 1200 S, therefore.
Comfort and duo
Here again, it is the bulkier and silkiest that wins: the Enduro version, with its very thick saddle, its high screen, its generous reservoir which offers good protection, its suspensions with high travel and remarkable operation. softness and progressiveness, which matters. The others do not demerit, of course, but the Enduro will bring a little more in the matter..
Victory: Enduro.
Consumption & autonomy
All have a relatively reasonable consumption which can be between 5 l / 100 (on the 950 in ride mode) to 7 l / 100 by already pulling well in it. With their 30-liter tank, the two Enduro versions stand out by offering nearly 500 kilometers of autonomy. Anyone looking to take long steps will be sensitive to this argument..
Equality: Enduro and Enduro Pro.
Conclusion
What is the Multistrada enthusiast looking for? A trail? A Ducati? A machine of character easy and versatile enough to provide pleasure and efficiency in all circumstances? If we put all these assumptions together and count the points, then it looks like the Enduro Pro model wins the showdown. Admittedly, it can be a little intimidating in static and not necessarily easy to move if you do not have the adequate build. But once underway, the Multistrada Enduro Pro is a testament to a truly breathtaking range of skills. Remarkably agile compared to its size, comfortable, well suspended, equipped with an engine of character, but who knows how to be docile on the gas net, it even knows how to give pleasure on small country road traveled at a good pace.
Without a doubt, it constitutes the flagship of a range which is oh so relevant, since it has become extremely important for Ducati. In this sense, approaching it by the 950 is far from constituting a strategic error. It is even a winning act, especially from the point of view of the quality / price ratio..
Strong points
- Full range
- Neat aesthetics
- Full equipment
- Versatility
- Enduro autonomy
- Remarkable comfort of Enduro
- Character Engines
- Wide range of skills
Weak points
- Seat height for Enduro
- Price of Enduro which begins to touch the upper echelons
- A little lack of rigor of the 950 on the attack
The technical sheet of the Ducati Multistrada 950
Ducati Multistrada 1200 technical sheet
The technical sheet of the Ducati Multistrada 1200 Enduro and Enduro Pro
Test conditions
- Itinerary: 300 km and a beautiful day’s drive between Valence and Barcelonnette
- Motorcycle mileage: 45,000 km (around 5,000 per motorcycle and we had 9 machines available!)
- Problem encountered: succeed in finding the money to pay me a 1200 Enduro Pro. Mission impossible, alas !
The competition: BMW F800 GS, R 1200 GS, R 1200 GS Rally, R 1200 GS Adventure, KTM 1090 Adventure & 1290 Super Adventure, Honda CRF 1000 L Africa Twin, Triumph 800 Tiger and 1200 Tiger Explorer, Yamaha XTZ 1200 Super Tenere
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