Four years with a Multistrada.

[bikeama]

Thoughts on almost 4 years with a Multistrada.

• Riding the Ducati always put a smile on my face.
• It will be a motorcycle I will have good memories of riding.
• The best electronics for adjustment of any motorcycle I have owned.
• In the shop more than any motorcycle I have owned.
• I would not want to own without an extended warranty.
• Normal maintenance costs were more than any motorcycle I have owned.
• Ducatis in the area are bargains used, low resale value.
• The Desmo service cost is so high I made a financial decision to sell. Spend $2K to keep another year and have a motorcycle worth $2K less than it is worth now. With the upcoming V4 may be worth even less.
• The engine light came and went without saving a code.
• First motorcycle ever that I thought about trading in. Wow, low trade-in $6,500 high just under $10,000. I guess that is why some people call then stealers.
• I will always be glad I rode one for 4 years.

 

[GPzPop]

and your next steed is ...????...

 

[bikeama]

and your next steed is ...????...

Just so I don't have withdrawals on spending money.

 

[sckego]

I've had mine for 5 years and 30k+ miles (bought at 3 yrs old / 25k). Truly a terrific bike, just so competent in so many situations, and manages to play both responsible tourer and backroad hooligan with ease. 3 different people who I've let ride it have gone out and bought their own.

It was by far the most expensive bike I'd ever bought - even used, it was twice as expensive as any other, including new bikes! - and the desmo service does hit the pocketbook every 25k - but still, totally worth it IMO.

I've played with the idea of buying a newer model, but mine has depreciated so much it's probably not worth it... I'll ride it until it blows up, or so much stuff breaks that it's not worth fixing.

 

[budman]

Cool Stuff Bill.
I am on year 5 of mine.
I bolded the stuff I agree with and added notes on others.

Thoughts on almost 4 years with a Multistrada.

• Riding the Ducati always put a smile on my face.
• It will be a motorcycle I will have good memories of riding.
• The best electronics for adjustment of any motorcycle I have owned.
• In the shop more than any motorcycle I have owned. I have managed to avoid that except for the wiring harness.
• I would not want to own without an extended warranty. While it probably would have helped with the wiring harness I have not needed it beyond that.
• Normal maintenance costs were more than any motorcycle I have owned. I found ways around that by having a small race shop do general things vs going to the Dealer. I believe I saved about 1/2 of those costs and was able to get a exhaust on it and...more!
• Ducatis in the area are bargains used, low resale value.
• The Desmo service cost is so high I made a financial decision to sell. Spend $2K to keep another year and have a motorcycle worth $2K less than it is worth now. With the upcoming V4 may be worth even less. I got mine done for under $1200 bux.
• The engine light came and went without saving a code.
• First motorcycle ever that I thought about trading in. Wow, low trade-in $6,500 high just under $10,000. I guess that is why some people call then stealers. Perhaps you would have gotten more if buying another Ducati. When I traded in my '12 for the '15 I got 10K. I was happy with that.
• I will always be glad I rode one for 4 years.

You had 4 good years with the Italian Mistress. Wish you fun with your new German Mistress.

I've had mine for 5 years and 30k+ miles (bought at 3 yrs old / 25k). Truly a terrific bike, just so competent in so many situations, and manages to play both responsible tourer and backroad hooligan with ease. 3 different people who I've let ride it have gone out and bought their own.

It was by far the most expensive bike I'd ever bought - even used, it was twice as expensive as any other, including new bikes! - and the desmo service does hit the pocketbook every 25k - but still, totally worth it IMO.

I've played with the idea of buying a newer model, but mine has depreciated so much it's probably not worth it... I'll ride it until it blows up, or so much stuff breaks that it's not worth fixing.

I agree on the terrific bike the, bold part in particular. That is why I have had two and planning to upgrade to the V4 in 2021. If I was into more adventure riding I would probably buy something else but 95% of my life on two wheels is pavement. The twister the better and bumpy crappy does not make much of a difference.

 

[chrisweir.com]

Thanks for sharing your impressions guys. I love love love the color of the new bike. Congratulations!

 

[3B43]

7+ years on my MTS and 105,000+ miles! By far, the best bike I’ve ever ridden....sport bike when I ‘want’ a sport bike, all day tourer when I ‘want’ a tourer. And yes, I’ve ridden just about everything that interests me.

Cost: first, I do all my own maintenance. My nearest dealer is 300 miles away + with as much as I ride, 2 services/year.....

Issues: heated grips went at 33,000; gear shift return spring broke at 66,000; fuel sensor at 81,000 and I replaced it and it still doesn’t work. Other then that......

 

[Gary856]

I bought my '13 with 200 miles (and some rust on the hardware) in Jan 2017 at an incredible price, and it has 8,400 miles now.

- It's a base model, and the non-electronic suspension feels good and handles great. The bike feels great. There's nothing I don't like. If I had to nitpick, the electronic throttle feels just a little artificial when you crack it open from idle, with a tiny but perceptible delay in engine response.
- Compared to the '04 air-cooled model which wasn't happy crawling below 20mph, the '13 is much smoother at lower speed, and is very long legged to handle high speed too.
- No issue other than the annoying errand fuel sensor reading, and maintenance cost seems normal.
- It already has so much performance I have zero desire for the newer models with fancier electronics.
- It's not a small bike, but it feels compact compared to a BMW R1200GS or KTM 1190/1290.

 

[musiclucho]

I remember the day that I found a guy with his new toy (used) Ducati Multistrada on the side of the road bc the back wheel was stuck. I managed to help him to release the brake so he went home and hopefully got his bike fixed.

I feel that they are not are reliable as the Japanese but they are certainly desirable! My dream is to built mechanic skills (so I can do the maintenance) and then go for a Monster.

 

[Shaggy]

I have a ‘13 Pikes Peak. First and last Ducati I’ll ever own. I should have saved the money and bought an FZ-1...

 

[N4teTheGreat]

Y'all are so practical! I bought a used Hypermotard 4 years ago and liked it so much I bought a brand new SP two years later on my 40th. I've done 500 mile days on this thing just fine and it also is the perfect weapon for all California backroads. Wind protection and luggage? Who needs 'em? (I probably need them both but I prefer to live in hooligany ignorance).

Had that bike for two years and I'm nearing the dreaded Desmo service with 16k on the clock. Bike fried an O2 sensor early in it's life and it devours rear tires but it's otherwise been trouble free. Replaced the chain, added a performance intake and a fuel map recently and I don't know why I waited so long. I'll pay the dealer for service for now, and maybe in the next two years / 18k miles I'll have the nerve to try it myself.

 

[sportbiker929]

I miss my Multi everyday!

 

[nakedape]

I have a ‘13 Pikes Peak. First and last Ducati I’ll ever own. I should have saved the money and bought an FZ-1...

Wait a minute pal, what roads are you driving on? One of these has 3" more suspension travel than the other.

 

[kuksul08]

Just so I don't have withdrawals on spending money.

Anxiously awaiting review

 

[Velocess]

Rule 1 when owning a Ducati: Stay AWAY from the dealer. Find a competent shop or do it yourself. Sorry to read the OP experience but sadly that is to be expected.

20+ years of Ducati ownership and consistent happy riding, never saw a dealer service bay outside of warranty work.

 

[sjuels]

Well, I do not claim to be sane, but I love my Multi.
There are many idiotic things that I do not like, and it sucks around town, but as a touring and sport bike, for a large person - it puts a fat smile on my face every time I ride it.

I do all my own maintenance and it is unnecessarily difficult on a Multi, compared to old 2V Monsters or German mistresses, and I have had to do quite a bit more work than on any other bike.

It's a '13 with well over 100k mi on it, but still runs strong.
I would not take it around the world, because of all the proprietary electronics but it is the bike I ride most often.

/Soren

 

[doc4216]

Anxiously awaiting review

I second this statement!

 

[PrincessFalafal]

Sad to hear that you've moved on and that your reliability experience wasn't ideal, but glad to hear you enjoyed the machine while you had it.

I bought my '16 Pikes Peak a year and a half ago with 12k, now have 26k on it. It's a silly motorcycle that sucks down gas and has stupid gearing and and makes too much noise and looks ridiculous and I love it with every fiber of my being.

The Desmo service sure does sting something awful tho.

 

[bikeama]

Well, I do not claim to be sane, but I love my Multi.
There are many idiotic things that I do not like, and it sucks around town, but as a touring and sport bike, for a large person - it puts a fat smile on my face every time I ride it.

I do all my own maintenance and it is unnecessarily difficult on a Multi, compared to old 2V Monsters or German mistresses, and I have had to do quite a bit more work than on any other bike.

It's a '13 with well over 100k mi on it, but still runs strong.
I would not take it around the world, because of all the proprietary electronics but it is the bike I ride most often.

/Soren

Looks like a standard Ducati Lube and oil change.

 

[budman]

Mine performed quite well today.
Over 300 miles of smiles. 198 was awesome.

Lunch on the side of the road not as much.
My Sammich got wet. Kind of looked like sjuels bike when I pulled it out