2017 Ducati Multistrada 950

2017 DUCATI MULTISTRADA 950

IGNITION

FIRST RIDE

With Ducati's downsized adventure road bike, less turns out to be a little more (satisfying)

Ned Suesse

The connection between right wrist and forward motion is the most powerful ingredient in motorcycling. A good bike is one that responds to our desire to move through time and space, and the key is our connection with the engine and the power it produces. Is more power always better? Or is there a point of diminishing returns, where a bike becomes so fast that it requires not only electronic governance but also too much selfrestraint to ride on the road?

I had plenty of time to think about these questions between my snowy home in Colorado and arriving in the Canary Islands to test the 2017 Ducati Multistrada 950.

The 950 Multistrada is an interesting exercise. The 937CC engine is similar to the one in the Hypermotard and Supersport, and the frame is identical

to the other Multistradas.

To achieve the $13,995 asking price, there are a few concessions: No IMU for lean-sensitive ABS or semi-active suspension, though it does have traction control and standard ABS; a double-sided swingarm and Sachs rear shock; and a cable clutch. Suspension is fully adjustable at both ends but not electronically controlled. None of these concessions are the least bit problematic in use. In fact, the simplicity is welcome when compared to the bewildering number of features on other models. The 950’s claimed weight is about 505 pounds with fuel—or about 6 pounds less than the 1200.

First impression? I really enjoyed the bike on my day in the Spanish sun. Our route included a little bit of everything, from divided highway to super-tight and twisty back

roads. The weather was perfect, the pace was spirited, and the traffic minimal—a perfect day to be out on a motorcycle and maybe especially this one.

The 90-degree V-twin desmo engine is smooth and revs freely, and it pulls without hesitation from 3,000 rpm. Fueling is excellent. Claimed output is 113 hp (and 70-plus pound-feet of torque, with 80 percent of peak available from 3,500 to 9,500 rpm), which is plenty to pull out of any corner or make any pass. It is highly satisfying but not intimidating. The brakes are strong but easy to control. The handling is intuitive, turn-in is easy, yet the chassis is stable and stays on your chosen cornering line. The riding position is comfortable, and air management from the manually adjustable windscreen is good, though there is some buffeting in the presence of side wind.

Progressive springs are used front and rear, which creates a supple feel for small bumps that firms up when hitting bigger obstacles. The Kayaba fork was a little soft at the top of its travel in that even small brake inputs could create an excess pitching motion. Adding a few clicks of compression damping helped but did not eliminate this issue. Furthermore, on less-thanperfect pavement (which should be home for a bike like this), the front end gave uncertain feedback on several occasions.

In fairness, I did not personally check preload nor tire pressure, and it only happened when I was pushing pretty hard.

Aside from this, there is very little to complain about. The bike is comfortable—taller riders might want more seat to peg distance, and Ducati will offer a taller seat (and a shorter one as well—32.3 to 33.9 inches).

Ducati claims a level of dirtroad capability, and while I am sure that is justified to a point, this would not be my choice for an off-road bike. I made a few

passes around a dirt parking lot, and the road bias is obvious. The 19-inch front wheel will be helpful off pavement compared to the 17-inch wheel on the 1200 S, but riders with dirty aspirations would be better served by other machines.

For someone who is looking for a bike to ride to work during the week, and for sport on the weekend, with some two-up and touring rides sprinkled in, this would be a great choice. If there’s a dirt road connecting two twisty paved ones, no problem. That’s how 90 percent of adventure bikes are used, and this one is

better at the job than most.

As for my larger question of diminishing returns, the Multistrada 950 makes a strong point that less can be more. For years, the industry has focused on bigger and more powerful engines and the idea that price and features should go up with engine size. That made sense when the fastest bikes were barely fast enough, but going forward I hope the equation will change. To me, the 950 Multistrada is more appealing to ride than the 1200 because I can use it harder within the constraints of the real world. CUM

2017 DUCATI MULTISTRADA 950

Liquid-cooled V-twin

DISPLACEMENT 937cc

SEAT HEIGHT 33.1 in.

FUEL CAPACITY 5.3 gal

CLAIMED WEGHT 505 lb. (wet)

BASE PRICE $13,995

THE HANDLING IS INTUITIVE, TURN-IN IS EASY, YET THE CHASSIS IS STABLE AND STAYS ON YOUR CHOSEN CORNERING LINE.