Ducati Multistrada
Encyclopedia
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
introduced by Ducati in 2003. The word Multistrada is Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
for "many roads" as the bike is designed to handle asphalt as well as some unpaved surfaces. Essentially the bike is a hybrid of a supermoto
Supermoto
Supermoto is motorcycle racing on a circuit that alternates between three types of track: flat track, motocross and road racing, using motorcycles designed for that purpose...
and a sport touring motorcycle. Its upright riding position gives it a stronger appeal for those who like touring but want something lighter than a touring bike. The Multistrada competes in the same niche market as do other multi-purpose and dual-sport
Dual-sport
A dual-sport, colloquially known as "dualie" or an "on-off road bike" is a type of street-legal motorcycle that is designed for both on and off-road use. The terms All-road and Dual-purpose are also used...
motorcycles such as the BMW GS, but even according to the owners manual the Multistrada is not intended for off-road use despite its off-road inspired design.
Designed by Pierre Terblanche
Pierre Terblanche
Pierre Terblanche is a South African motorcycle designer born in 1956 in Uitenhage, Eastern Cape. He started his career in advertising but felt the need to move into the design world. After moving to Germany and working with Volkswagen design he worked at Cagiva's Research Center at San Marino...
as an evolution to Terblanche's previous design the Cagiva Gran Canyon, the Multistrada has always received mixed reviews for its aesthetics. One magazine reviewer said the bike looked like a "wet cat with a large forehead".
Models
The Multistrada 1000DS was released in 2003. There were two basic Ducati MultistradaDucati Multistrada
The Multistrada is a model of motorcycle introduced by Ducati in 2003. The word Multistrada is Italian for "many roads" as the bike is designed to handle asphalt as well as some unpaved surfaces. Essentially the bike is a hybrid of a supermoto and a sport touring motorcycle...
models in 2005, the 1000DS and the 620. There was also the 620 Dark entry model. For 2007 there are the Multistrada 1100 and 1100S models.
Ducati Multistrada 1000DS
The 2005 DucatiDucati Motor Holding
Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. is a motorcycle manufacturer in Bologna, Italy. It produces motorcycles for both road use and motorcycle racing.- History :...
Multistrada 1000DS has a 992 cc air cooled 90° V-Twin with a 40 degree included valve angle, based on Ducati's existing engines, with twin-spark plug heads, pressure fed plain camshaft
Camshaft
A camshaft is a shaft to which a cam is fastened or of which a cam forms an integral part.-History:An early cam was built into Hellenistic water-driven automata from the 3rd century BC. The camshaft was later described in Iraq by Al-Jazari in 1206. He employed it as part of his automata,...
bearings, redesigned crankshaft
Crankshaft
The crankshaft, sometimes casually abbreviated to crank, is the part of an engine which translates reciprocating linear piston motion into rotation...
, higher oil pressure and volume, and new alloy clutch basket, drive and driven plates. The 2006 1000DS uses Ducati's signature trellis frame with fully adjustable 165 mm travel Showa forks up front, and a single-sided swingarm, with an Öhlins
Öhlins
Öhlins or Öhlins Racing AB, is a manufacturer of high-performance suspension systems for automotive, motorcycle, snowmobile, and ATV use. It is based in Upplands Väsby just north of Stockholm, Sweden...
fully adjustable rear shock coupled with a rising rate, height-adjustable suspension system at the rear. Brembo
Brembo
Brembo S.p.A. is a manufacturer of automotive brake systems, especially for high-performance cars and motorcycles. It was established in Bergamo, Italy in 1961. Soon after the company was formed, it specialised in disc brakes, which were exclusively imported from the United Kingdom at the time...
"Serie Oro" four piston brake callipers are used in the front and rear disc brakes. Front 320 mm discs, single 245 mm rear disc, and steel-braided brake lines are used throughout. The discs are now mounted directly to oversized hubs, eliminating the disc carriers.
Ducati Multistrada 620
Entry level Multistradas feature a number of individual components, like the double sided "Monster" style swing arm, the integrated die cast front and rear footrests, and the three spoke alloy wheels. The cheapest Multistrada is the 620 Dark, with its matt black colour scheme and single 320 mm front disk. There are also parts that look the same, but aren't, like the smaller fuel tank that holds 15 litres, and the simpler instrument panel without on-board computer functions.The frame is as big as the Multistrada 1000 DS frame, but is different at the rear, where the single sided swing arm has been replaced by a double sided swing arm. Suspension
Suspension (motorcycle)
A motorcycle's suspension serves a dual purpose: contributing to the vehicle's handling and braking, and providing safety and comfort by keeping the vehicle's passengers comfortably isolated from road noise, bumps and vibrations....
features Marzocchi 43 mm upside down front forks and a Sachs rear monoshock with adjustable preload and rebound. The braking system has a rear disk and two 300 mm front disks with floating callipers operated by a new front master cylinder.
The 620 has an APTC wet clutch. According to Ducati, the wet clutch reduces lever operating effort, ensuring gradual engagement, and incorporates a racing derived "slipper" device to reduce the tendency for the rear wheel to lock-up or chatter during aggressive downshifting.
2003–2004
The first version to be sold in 2003 had a 1,000 cc engineMotorcycle engine
A motorcycle engine is an engine that powers a motorcycle.Motorcycle engines may be two-stroke or four-stroke, reciprocating or Wankel, single-cylinder or multicylinder , or single-rotor or twin-rotor . The engine typically drives the rear wheel, but some small bikes such as the Velosolex have a...
, but a smaller Multistrada 620 cc version was introduced in 2005. The 2003 model Multistrada received most of its criticisms because of its seat, described as "a vinyl covered sheet of plywood" by Motorcyclist magazine, and windscreen that caused undue buffeting.
2005–2006
In 2005, the 1000DS Multistrada received an improved side stand (the 2003–2004 side stand was too short and made the bike prone to accidental tip-over), redesigned seats with softer padding and less angular shapes, improved mirrors with longer stems for better visibility and the optional touring screen from the 2003–2004 model year became standard. 2005 also saw the introduction of the 1000DS S model that came with ÖhlinsÖhlins
Öhlins or Öhlins Racing AB, is a manufacturer of high-performance suspension systems for automotive, motorcycle, snowmobile, and ATV use. It is based in Upplands Väsby just north of Stockholm, Sweden...
suspension, black wheels and carbon fiber belt covers and front fender. The S-model also came with an aluminum oversized handlebar that was said to reduce vibration and improve handling.
2007
In 2007, the 1,000 cc engine was replaced with a 1,100 cc engine that was claimed to produce an extra 5 ft.lbf of torque and the 620 model was dropped. Both the S and standard models came with black wheels but the suspension on the standard model was changed from the Showa components of previous years to a MarzocchiMarzocchi
Marzocchi is an Italian manufacturer founded in 1949 by the two brothers Stefano and Guglielmo Marzocchi. The company profile includes hydraulic industrial pumps and suspension components for motorcycles and bicycles...
front fork and a Sachs rear shock in order to make the S-model more appealing. Ducati also claimed to have improvied fuel gauge accuracy, improved vibration isolated handlebars were introduced to reduce rider fatigue. A closed loop fuel injection system replaced the open loop FI system on the 1,000 cc models and the characteristic dry clutch was replaced with a conventional wet-clutch. Ducati also increased the valve adjust interval from 6000 to 7000 mi (9,656 to 11,265.4 ) for a claimed 50% reduction in maintenance costs.
2008
In 2008, the bike received minor tweaks to the decals changing to a font that closer resembles the graphics on the Ducati 1098Ducati 1098
The Ducati 1098 is a sport bike manufactured by the Italian motorcycle company Ducati since 2007. There were three different versions, called the 1098, 1098S, and 1098R...
and Marchesini stickers adorn the lip of the wheels (although the wheels are still made by Brembo and are unchanged from previous years). The closed loop FI systems also got some fine tuning to make it more refined. Finally a small sticker proclaiming "Moto GP Campioni Del Mondo" (Champion of the World) was added to the top of the fuel tank in honor of Casey Stoner
Casey Stoner
Casey Stoner is an Australian professional motorcycle racer. Born in Kurri Kurri, New South Wales, Australia and raised in Southport, Queensland, Stoner raced from a young age and moved to the United Kingdom to pursue a racing career...
's Desmosedici Moto GP Championship in 2007.
2010
A new model called the Multistrada 1200Ducati Multistrada 1200
The Multistrada 1200 is a motorcycle manufactured by Ducati since 2010. The engine is a retuned version of the Testastretta from the 1198 superbike, now called the Testastretta 11° for its 11° valve overlap...
was presented at 2009 EICMA
EICMA
EICMA , or the Milan Motorcycle Show is an annual trade show in Milan, Italy featuring motorcycles. The 2008 show drew over half a million visitors. The show is frequently used by manufacturers to debut new models....
in Milan. It includes throttle by wire, a detuned version of the 1,200 cc liquid-cooled engine from the Ducati 1198
Ducati 1198
The Ducati 1198 is a sport bike made by Ducati since 2009. For the 2011 model year there are two models: the 1198 and 1198SP . The 1198 shares design elements with its predecessor 1098, but has more power and torque, redesigned wheels, lighter headlights, traction control, and lighter fairings ,...
sportbike, and optional electronically adjustable suspension.