ONE BIKE FITS ALL

» Power: 170bhp » Weight: 240kg » Engine: 1158cc 16-valve DOHC V4 » Price: £18,543

The new Multistrada is surely the most versatile bike ever. Plonk it on any road – swoopy Welsh valley, rattly country lane, motorway – and it’ll be within a gnat’s chuff of the best specialist tool. Yes, a Goldwing might have stereo speakers and a tea chest top box, but the Multistrada’s saddle is just as comfy, its 1158cc V4 engine is as buttery, and it’s got radar cruise control (which is a doddle to operate and surprisingly useful). Plus it’s a hell of a lot faster.

If you’re hammering down a Welsh valley doing the motorcycle equivalent of the Mach Loop you want speed, stability and precise steering. If the tarmac is smooth enough, a litre sportsbike would be the weapon of choice. That would pull away from the Multistrada down the straights if its rider had no terror of lurking Gatso vans but it would take an excellent pilot to lose the Multistrada through the corners. It’s not just that the Ducati rider can see over walls – thanks to the clever electronically controlled suspension, the V4 feels reassuringly sure-footed and controlled despite yards of suspension travel. It eggs you on, tempting you to hustle harder and harder. Sure, the 19in front

feels loose when provoked coming out of corners, but it makes you feel heroic rather than nervous. And if you hit a bump at speed, most of the spine-thumping energy is absorbed before it reaches the saddle. The S1000RR rider, meanwhile, is stopping for a lie down before phoning his osteopath.

It’s a similar story on B-roads, except here the Multistrada’s suspension softens to absorb the bumps without making the whole plot feel soggy. You’re living in the engine’s midrange, which although not as raucous and entertaining as a B-road weapon such as the KTM 690 Enduro’s, still has ample clout to fling you between each twist – the Ducati makes a bulging 90 lb.ft at 4000rpm.

Add on a few essential trinkets and a V4S will cost north of £20,000 or £220 a month on PCP with a £5000 deposit. It’s a lot of money, no question. But if you’re wavering, consider this: a Goldwing, S1000RR and 690

Enduro will cost you £57,356…

‘Surely the most versatile bike ever’