[MATRID]

Hi all. This was posted before under general as I had not seen this forum, so apologies for the duplicate!

I have owned a Ducati Multistrada 1000 for the past 5 years, and it is time for a change. The Duke has served me very well, though an "off" at the track and too many dirt roads ending up with the need for a steering head bearing replacement means the bike will be off the road for a while as it will take me a while to fix it up (as a track bike).

I have always had a V-Strom in mind as a bike-to-own, and now I am having a serious look at the 2010 1000 it as it seems GREAT value for money.

The Duke had some shortcomings that I would have liked to have known about beforehand, and if I had looked at the forums pre-purchase I would have (e.g valve guides wearing out, fuel guage inaccurate, filling the tank problematic and the fuel tanks reacting to E10 fuel.....)

So I am now reaching out to the experts to ask:
1. Are the 2009 and 2010 models exactly the same apart from the colour choices?
2. Are there any shortcomings for this 2010 model?
3. What are the servicing costs like?
4. There appears to be an ABS offering for the 650 but not the 1000. Is that correct and if yes, any idea why not for the 1000?
5. Any owner with Multistrada experience able to comment on the differences?
6. I would specifically like to hear from off-road riders on their impressions. I note the V has a 19 inch front (multi had a 17)....yet the wheels are not wire, so curious on this one.
7. And I would like to get an impression from anyone who has used the V on the track.

Thanks V-Stromers!

 

[Midnullarbor]

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On your point #6, the 19-inch wheel is one of the big plusses of the V-Strom, for those times when you want to leave the bitumen behind.

Look through the tyre-makers offerings. You will find almost nothing in a 17-inch front tyre, having the semi-open / semi-knobbly tread that you want for gravel roads / dirt tracks. There are perhaps about half a dozen semi-knobblies in 19-inch with speed ratings from Q up to H.
Nowhere near the choice available in a 21-inch, granted, but the 19-ers offer a reasonable footprint on sand, and reasonable grip on hard and/or sealed surfaces. And have that tubeless "quickie" advantage in puncture repair.

Also, should you have the perverted desire to restrict your riding mostly to sealed roads, then you can fit high-grip 19-inch road tyres from Michelin, Continental, Pirelli, etcetera - that have much the same road-grip as the sporty 17-inchers (similar footprint area & rubber, although I'm not talking about semi-racing / supersports rubber - which anyway you wouldn't wish to be using at legal speeds in cold weather).
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[MATRID]

Hi Midnullarbor.
Thanks for your reply. I am definitely looking to replace the Multi with a bike that is more suited to the dirt, so it will definitely be getting off-road use! And I don't mean just hard-packed fire trails but more adventurous back-roads....but without the cost of a BMW or new Multi.
With a name like yours I am sure you have done a lot of such miles. ...Is the suspension also adjustable enough to handle the dirt/bitumen mix? Any shortcomings....I have read elsewhere a fork brace really helps.....anything else?
All comments re the V will be appreciated!!

Cheers

 

[Midnullarbor]

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Matrid, if you still have the '06 aircooled Multistrada 1000cc, then you have something fairly comparable to the 1000cc V-Strom. Fairly similar power & torque, fuel tank capacity (20 vs 22 litres), and similar suspension travel.
Haven't ridden the Multistrada myself - but I figure the end result rather resembles the Strom, but with quicker/twitchier steering, owing to the steeper rake & shorter trail.

If you are not suffering from too much New Bike Fever, then why not buy the Multi a new front tyre [the Pirelli 120/70R17 MT 60 RS CORSA] and see how you go with that, on the gravel roads & sandy terrain (at slightly reduced tyre pressures). There might be other, semi-suitable 17-incher tyres, but I am not aware of them - other than some (rear) low-speed rated tubed dirt tyres which would have clearance & other problems.

For dirt riding, a scratched/damaged Multistrada sounds a better idea than a pristine one. Are there engine guard bars, etcetera, available for the Multi ?
Only supremely capable and/or carelessly-rich dirt riders ought to go without them.
[The Stroms have a goodly range of aftermarket protection stuff available.]

Twenty-plus years ago, I had an aircooled Duke that wasn't too bad on easy dirt roads - but that was in the days of a tall/narrow 18-incher front & stable/slow-steering front geometry.
The Multi will be a different matter in heavy, hot going - slow slogging at medium throttle in hot weather is okay with a watercooled Strom - but the Italian designers did not have slow hot sandy conditions in mind when designing the aircooled 1000. But you would probably be okay at moderate speeds & light throttle (and using a 15W-50 synthetic oil).

If you absolutely must get a new/newer bike for much dirt, then I'm thinking something "completely different" from the Multi or V-Strom would probably be the go.
A thumper with real long-travel suspension (and lighter weight) sounds the choice - if you can live with the leisurely on-road performance. Upmarket (and heavy to hoist-back-up-again) stuff like the 1000cc KTM, and 1200GS shaftie, are nice, if you can live with their reliability problems. Or maybe the 1200XTZ Yamaha or 800XC Triumph?

All in all, if the dirt itch is upon you, why not buy a cheap old Suzuki DR650 or the watercooled 400, and run it for a year : before deciding whether to continue like that - or to sell the Multi and the thumper at the same time, and get something new?
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