Ducati Multistrada 950
Ducati’s smallest Multistada the 950 may be, but it delivers in big handfuls…
YAMAHA, MV AGUSTA, Ducati. All three bikes are stacked up in front of Mt Snowdon, on a thin strip of tarmac next to the A498. Big scenery suits these motorcycles. They promise big miles done in comfort, with tank capacities to suit. They provide waterproof hold-alls for pants and Welsh Cakes and there are big screens to keepthe wind off. Or that should keep the wind off. The slice of plastic on this handsome Ducati is the only one that works. Ride at 80mph on the Yamaha, and you’ll be battered into submission. The experience is similar on the MV, unless you hunker next to the dashboard. But the Multistrada does this kind of speed in comfort. There’s absolute stability from the chassis, too, and a stubby angular beak splits the air and bats it over your head. Hugo Wilson, Bike’s editor, is mad for it. ‘That screen is fantastic. The fact this single part works so well goes a long way to making the Ducati the best bike here.’ There’s less comfort at walking pace. Pushing the Multistrada around the Pen-y-gwyrd Hotel car park is disconcerting. It feels top-heavy, unstable and quick to unbalance on uneven ground. Even taking it off its sidestand is stressful. The stand sweeps downwards meaning you have to lean the bike over. Precarious? You bet. Ride around at toppling speed and the top-heavy feeling is back. It’s the most difficult bike here to U-turn – even compared with the MV’S wacky automatic clutch. It feels like a combination of riding position, softly damped suspension and the 19-inch front wheel. 170mm of suspension travel sets the Multi bouncing between a sportsbike and proper adventure bikes. Sub-10mph control is hampered even more by a biting point that interjects sharply when the clutch lever is only a centimetre from the handle. But above 10mph the Multistrada blossoms into a proper gent. The suspension balances road holding, bump management with accurate steering. Plus it’s fully-adjustable. Carrying a pillion? No need to break out the C-spanner. Like the other two bikes here, the 950 sports a preload adjuster knob. Fling the red fairing along a quiet A5 between Capel Curig and Betws-y-coed and you can’t help but feel involved: the deep engine burbles and glugs, the large 19in front wheel tracks wide lines across bridges and through flat corners. It feels best at these legal speeds, where the triples would be begging for 20mph more. Handling is calm compared with the hammering Yamaha, but it’s more precise in the tight bits than the MV. That’s thanks in to the 170-section rear – 20mm slimmer than the Turismo. Theoretically, the thinner the rear tyre the more precise the steering feels. Hugo nods sagely: ‘That’s a standard Ducati trick to make their smaller-cc bikes steer beautifully. They did it on the 750 SS and Sport compared with the big 1000. Exactly the same chassis – even the same wheel rim – but a different section. Can you feel it at speed on the Multi? Not so much.’ Above 60mph, the slim rear’s steering benefit is lost due to the 19-inch front and long-travel suspension. It’s slower to lean than the Tracer, and steam-train lethargic compared with the MV and its counter-rotating crank. The Multi’s happiest on wandering B-roads, where the wide ’bar gives you control and the long fork and soft seat soak up the bumpy surface. It’s also behind the others when you compare goodies. Conventional twin headlights blind cars but lack the power and spread of the LED competition. There’s no cruise control, and heated grips are a £246 option. Want panniers and a sidestand? That’s £705 for the touring pack, plus £120 for coloured pannier panels. Total price: £12,606. The MV is so expensive you expect it to arrive with everything imaginable, but that’s not the same for the Yamaha. This Tracer 900 is the pricey GT version, but it’s still £500 cheaper than the base Ducati. Value for money the Multistrada isn’t. The Multi’s the only bike here without a quickshifter, but it’s not a worry. The engine’s slight power lag and elastic delivery means clutchless upshifts don’t break thrust. Brake hard for a corner, downshift without the clutch, and the gearbox performs flawlessly. Try the same trick on the Tracer and the quick fuelling would jolt the rear wheel. And that’s where the Ducati impresses most: in the easy-going quality of its core mechanics. There’s the elastic engine, wide handlebar, surefooted handling and the brilliant screen. It’s well-suited for long-distance, laid back touring. And it’s hard to imagine the other two delivering as well as the Ducati does.
‘Elastic engine, wide handlebar, surefooted handling…’