Multistrada Test Ride

G'Day All,
Today I had the opportunity to have a 30Km test ride, on the Multistrada
demo bike at my local dealer, as it has been on my wish list of rides for a
while and new bike time is near again ( maybe next week).
I was surprised that it was so over geared, as was the old 900 series
motor, I thought that it would be better in dual spark form as the main
reason for the high gearing was to pass noise reg's.

I spent most time in 3 rd gear to keep it spinning around 4000/5000
rev's, were it was a lot smoother and less snatchy. This bike was 150 Km
old, and was tight as a drum, and I wondered about how 10 000Km under the
wheels would improve it for the better.

The bike was fuelled with standard unleaded petrol,(92) and I think that
a diet of premium (98 octane) would have been better in the 1000 cc motor.
There was no sticker asking for it on the tank.

The ride position was like a trail/scrambler bike, very up and down, and
with plenty of leg room for my 1800 mm (6 foot) frame. The seat was formed
as thought it was cast from my own posterior, so comfortable was the initial
impression, but it come a bit hard after 10 minutes time, but didn't get
worse in the 90 minutes I had it all to myself.
The is a 'Comfort Seat' available as an accessory, so it may not be so good
as a tourer.

Cornering was a low point compared to the Monsters I have ridden, in
that weighting the foot pegs, didn't have any bearing on making the bike
fall into the corner, in a pos or neg sense.
If the handle bar was not leaned on or counter steered, nothing happened
(caught me out big time !)
The front fork springs are typically European hard, and with the low weight
on the bars, a road lump is felt strongly through the steering and spoilt
the feedback (no sign of tankslappers).

Summary feeling was this is a good bike that was spoilt by the 1000cc
motor being toooo overgeared, so the bike did not operate as a whole.
I think the 800 cc SS/Monster motor would really suit this bike, and I would
not be surprised if it was offered sooner than later.

This 1000DS motor was in Australian spec. and the noise figure was 90
Db.
And rules it out for me as a Monster model, that I would now consider, so
it is between the 620 & 800i.e., to fight it out, if I buy Ducati for the
first time, over Suz & Honda.
I am keen on the 620, but my dealer can only get the Dark model till the
next shipment, (2 on the floor) but has a red one in 800cc trim, so I may go
for that ( no demo in either at this time).

Kel, I have the 2004 Gold Wing for the Anzac weekend, and I am tempted to
wonder what a Monster with a 1800cc Boxer 6 would go like !!!!! This thing
pulls hard.


Rob.

Rob,
Who keeps loaning you all these demo bikes!!
Anyway, do yourself a favour and buy the 620 S.
Let me know.
(its a wonder you don't get booted from this newsgroup using the GW word!!)
Kel

"Getting Slower & Slower !" <xxxx.DeleteThis@beer.com> wrote in message
news:w8ric.7649$qq6.5743@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
 > G'Day All,
 > Today I had the opportunity to have a 30Km test ride, on the Multistrada
 > demo bike at my local dealer, as it has been on my wish list of rides for
a
 > while and new bike time is near again ( maybe next week).
 > I was surprised that it was so over geared, as was the old 900 series
 > motor, I thought that it would be better in dual spark form as the main
 > reason for the high gearing was to pass noise reg's.
 >
 > I spent most time in 3 rd gear to keep it spinning around 4000/5000
 > rev's, were it was a lot smoother and less snatchy. This bike was 150 Km
 > old, and was tight as a drum, and I wondered about how 10 000Km under the
 > wheels would improve it for the better.
 >
 > The bike was fuelled with standard unleaded petrol,(92) and I think
that
 > a diet of premium (98 octane) would have been better in the 1000 cc motor.
 > There was no sticker asking for it on the tank.
 >
 > The ride position was like a trail/scrambler bike, very up and down,
and
 > with plenty of leg room for my 1800 mm (6 foot) frame. The seat was formed
 > as thought it was cast from my own posterior, so comfortable was the
initial
 > impression, but it come a bit hard after 10 minutes time, but didn't get
 > worse in the 90 minutes I had it all to myself.
 > The is a 'Comfort Seat' available as an accessory, so it may not be so
good
 > as a tourer.
 >
 > Cornering was a low point compared to the Monsters I have ridden, in
 > that weighting the foot pegs, didn't have any bearing on making the bike
 > fall into the corner, in a pos or neg sense.
 > If the handle bar was not leaned on or counter steered, nothing happened
 > (caught me out big time !)
 > The front fork springs are typically European hard, and with the low
weight
 > on the bars, a road lump is felt strongly through the steering and spoilt
 > the feedback (no sign of tankslappers).
 >
 > Summary feeling was this is a good bike that was spoilt by the 1000cc
 > motor being toooo overgeared, so the bike did not operate as a whole.
 > I think the 800 cc SS/Monster motor would really suit this bike, and I
would
 > not be surprised if it was offered sooner than later.
 >
 > This 1000DS motor was in Australian spec. and the noise figure was 90
 > Db.
 > And rules it out for me as a Monster model, that I would now consider, so
 > it is between the 620 & 800i.e., to fight it out, if I buy Ducati for the
 > first time, over Suz & Honda.
 > I am keen on the 620, but my dealer can only get the Dark model till the
 > next shipment, (2 on the floor) but has a red one in 800cc trim, so I may
go
 > for that ( no demo in either at this time).
 >
 > Kel, I have the 2004 Gold Wing for the Anzac weekend, and I am tempted to
 > wonder what a Monster with a 1800cc Boxer 6 would go like !!!!! This thing
 > pulls hard.
 >
 >
 > Rob.
 >
 >
 >
 ><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->