2016 Ducati Multistrada 1200 Enduro

Ignition

SAFETY FIRST: New aluminum side panels are intended to keep the 1200 Enduro's larger fuel load protected.

2016 DUCATI MULTISTRADA 1200 ENDURO

CW FIRST RIDE

BY THE NUMBERS

266 NEW OR UPDATED PARTS: Used to make the Multistrada 1200 Enduro more dirt-oriented (not including various nuts, bolts, and washers)

40/4S CAPACITY (IN LITERS): Of the optional right/left panniers, developed in close collaboration with Touratech

6 2 15 OFF-ROAD MILES: Spent testing the 1200 Enduro during the development period

Ducati gets down and dirty

Bradley Adams

Two years ago, whilst plowing through a section of whooped-out jeep trails on a Ducati Multistrada 1200 S, I was taken back to high school wood shop and a grouchy, gray-haired teacher who "kindly" demanded the class “always use the right tool for the job.” The Multistrada 1200 S was one hell of a tool, but it definitely wasn’t the right tool for this job. An error code for the Skyhook suspension that flashed up as I returned the bike to Ducati reminded me of that. Stick to the pavement please, sir, thank you very much.

With its 2016 Multistrada 1200 Enduro, Ducati promises there won’t be any such issues, regardless of how far off the beaten path you decide to go. Along list of updates back up that claim, the biggest being a 19inch spoked front wheel and 17-inch spoked rear wheel, plus updated suspension with an additional 1.2 inches of travel front and rear. More relaxed geometry and a longer, stiffer, double-sided swingarm are intended to add stability in the dirt, while a reshaped seat and taller handlebar are aimed at increased comfort as you stand up and navigate those far-away dirt roads.

Proving that it was serious about the whole adventuring thing, Ducati increased the wading depth by 3.0 inches via a raised exhaust silencer, extended and reinforced the skid plate, outfitted the bike with sturdier steel levers (the brake pedal is heightadjustable), and even grew the fuel tank by 2.6 gallons to 7.9.

Electronics are intended to help you down the road, the Enduro featuring everything from traction control and antilock brakes (level one of which allows the rear wheel to lock up) to wheelie control and Vehicle Hold Control, a system that gradually releases brake pressure so you can more easily start on a slope. As with other Ducatis, the Enduro also features four ride modes (Touring, Enduro, Sport, and Urban) that can be customized in terms of power output or electronic rider-aid settings.

Each of these changes contributes to an entirely different riding experience, and it doesn’t take more than a few miles in the Enduro’s reshaped saddle to realize how far Ducati has gone toward making a better tool for any job that includes dirt riding.

The suspension contributes most to this newfound feel, the updated Skyhook algorithm and new dual-rate fork springs (versus straight-rate on the standard Multistrada) providing a softer feel in the initial part of travel. Movement slows when you turn suspension damping settings to Hardest via the 5-inch TFT display (Harder, Default, Softer, and Softest are the other options), but even still, the bike feels relatively soft and moves around quite a bit on pavement. Fortunately, once leaned over, the bike is very stable, a likely result of the new geometry.

Ducati’s Multistrada 1200 Enduro can be upgraded with four optional “packs,” those being a Touring Pack, Enduro Pack, Sport Pack, and Urban Pack. Arguably, the more lustworthy packages will be the Touring Pack and Enduro Pack, the former coming complete with aluminum panniers, handlebar bag, and heated hand grips, and the latter with crashbars, oil cooler and radiator covers, fog lights, a lower chain guide, and rear disc brake protector. The Touring Pack will also enable you to upgrade to the optional Pirelli Scorpion Rally tires, which oddly enough are not included as an option in the Enduro Pack.

GOT GRUNT? The Multistrada 1200 Enduro’s engine is mostly the same but gets an updated transmission with shorter first-gear ratio for easier riding in slow, more technical off-road sections. Combined with a shorter final gear ratio (43/15 sprocket setup versus 40/15), this allows the Enduro to grunt off corners and up hills with a little more ease.

Ducati’s Testastretta DVT engine with variable valve timing (with updated EFI mapping) pulls from as low as 2,000 rpm without any chugging, and its wider powerband keeps you from having to continually shift in some mad attempt to keep it happy. Throttle response is silver-tongued, with the bike pulling noticeably harder at around 6,000 rpm—a secondary benefit of that variable valve timing. Still, in the dirt, I opted to customize the ride mode I was using with the power level set to Low, which limits output to “just” too hp. With power output reduced, I was able to turn the Enduro’s traction-control system (and thus wheelie-control system) off and worry less about lawn-darting myself into the trail-side bushes. Earlier, on the street, those systems went pretty much unnoticed when set to a lower setting (less intervention), but in the dirt they made themselves more known. And while I appreciated the helping hand, I did feel like the TC system wasn’t entirely consistent. In some corners it would allow me to slide the rear around nicely and finish the turn, yet in others it would cut power dramatically. Meanwhile,

IT DOESN’T TAKE MORE THAN A FEW MILES IN THE ENDURO’S RESHAPED SADDLE TO REALIZE HOW FAR DUCATI HAS GONE TOWARD MAKING A BETTERTOOL FOR ANY JOB THAT INCLUDES DIRT RIDING.

I always ran with ABS set to level one, which allowed me to slide the rear into a corner and square it up but prevented the front wheel from locking up—something I didn’t want to do on a bike with a claimed 560-pound curb weight (versus 518 for the Multistrada S).

Speaking of weight, the Enduro mostly carries its size well, even if in small acts such as lifting it up off the sidestand you feel the added heft. Try to dab your foot for better feel and control in the dirt and you’ll realize how tall the seat is too.

All that is to say the Multistrada 1200 Enduro is still no dirt bike. It is, however, more dirtthan streetoriented, and for the rider who really wants to put the “adventure” in adventure touring, it’s a much better tool for the job.

2016 DUCATI MULTISTRADA 1200 ENDURO

ENGINE TYPE DOHC 90° V-twin

DISPLACEMENT 1198cc

SEAT HEIGHT 34.3 in.

FUEL CAPACITY 7.9 gal.

CLAIMED WEIGHT 560 lb.

BASE PRICE $21,295 (red)/$21,495 (gray/white)