Ducati reviews

My Multistrada shares a garage with a Tiger 1050 and K1200GT gen 2. The Multi is naturally compared to the Tiger in magazine shootouts and that is a fair comparison because both bikes are aimed at folks who want a bike that does it all. However, the Multi would appeal more to those who enjoy pushing the limits of a bike on fun/challenging roads and the Tiger would appeal to those are not as likely to want to find the limits of handling. Multi is firm, turns very quickly, brakes strong and enjoys spirited riding on roads where I love to ride, but have a hard time finding those roads where I live. When I find those roads, the Multi is great. It has a comfortable seating position and decent wind protection. Factory luggage is fairly well integrated, but side cases are difficult to open and close when loaded because they are a bit flimsy. Seat is not good for distances, even the gel version. When compared to the Tiger, the Tiger has softer suspension, does not turn quite as quickly nor does it brake quite as strong as the Multi. However, the Tiger does do all of those things well and it is has a seat that will not punish you, luggage that is easy to open and close once you do it a couple of times, has great wind protection. If I had to choose one I would have to go with the Tiger because I do not have roads that compliment the Multi and the Tiger is just that much more comfortable, engine is stronger and is a bit easier to live with. That being said, when I find the right road on the Multi it makes me realize the Multi is a great alternative to a sport bike. Handles like a sport bike with much more comfort than a sport bike. Only gave reliability 4 stars because my Multi suffered from the instrument panel problems that plague so many Ducati's and needed to be replaced. Mechanically it has been 100% as most Ducati's are. Most Ducati issues are annoying and mysterious electrical issues that most of the Ducati's do not have, but if you are one of the unlucky ones that has the gremlins you may be chasing them for the life of the bike. I would endorse the Multi 100% if you like riding aggressively but do not want to ride in pain like you would on a sport bike. Show less

I moved from the UK to the US and couldn't find a suitable alternative to my UK owned and riden Honda SP1 sportsbike. Having researched and visited a lot of bike showrooms in Houston I found this baby. It's the best ride and the best bike I have ever had. It's comfortable, it's easy to ride and it molds itself around you. Perfect. You'll not regret buying this bike. Show less

First I want to say this bike is awesome, I love nearly everything about it after my mods other than the fuel tank size. Most of my riding is longer 200-300 mile rides that are not in the city so my bike opinions and mods all reflect that. As a stock bike four issues I had were: 1 Suspension was rock hard and needed to be re-sprung or completely reworked for my weight and riding style. 2 Seat was not good for anything over an hour. I was ok up until that point but wasn't comfortable afterward. 3 I can't believe how bad the mirrors are! Horrible stock mirrors even with the extenders on which allow you to see past your elbows. 4 Gas tank size! I mean what the heck, after your low fuel light comes on it takes 2.5 gallons and if you run it dry it will maybe take 3.6 gallons. If ridden the way it was meant to that means you're empty at 100 miles which may be fine 90% of the time but can cause issues. I'd like a bit more but haven't done anything yet. Probably will go with a 5.62 gallon ETI fuel cell but I don't know yet. Suspension was easily remedied and gave me a chance to tear it down and see how well this bike is engineered (better than I would have guessed). The rear wheel removal is shockingly easy with the single sided swing arm. One clip with bolt and it is off. Remove the rear & mid sections of exhaust and the rearsets and you can drop a new shock in without issue. Forks were equally as easy to remove/replace once you get the many fairing bolts pulled to remove the fairings. One issue is the number of fasteners, in short there are LOTS. The seat took some time as I first bought a Sargent which have always been good in the past. I really didn't care for it as the side edges are not comfortable for aggressive riding although long term comfort was good. The Ducati Performance neoprene race seat is better. No edges and comfort is better than stock and you don't slide into the tank with this one. I can do 4 hours on it and my butt feels fine. A few of the mods I did improved the overall fit and function. The adjustable clipons added a bit of comfort and the progressive throttle tube with roller bearing movement makes off/on throttle transitions much smoother. The taller windscreen makes a big difference in fatigue level for longer periods at highway+ speeds. The CRG mirrors allow you to actually see behind you, Great! The Termi exhaust is uncorked and sounds awesome and may help with throttle response although I never rode the bike with stock ECU and cans as I had them pulled before I took it home. The carbon stuff is mostly just because I like it. Overall, This bike is light and I mean really light. With a full tank of fuel this bike is under 430 pounds. That is around 45 pounds lighter than the new R1 WOW! You can tell it's light when you ride it, really good stuff. It's also a narrow bike which I LOVE. Compared to my 07 CBR1000rr it's a dream and I think it may even have more seat to rearset room. The bikes flickability is a bit heavy stock but is better with the suspension changes and gets through twisties just fine with faster transitions. Brakes are outstanding and I wouldn't change a thing. Brembo Monoblocks, good job. Braided steel lines, good job. Brembo master cylinders, good job. The engine is awesome with torque galore and good top end punch. It power wheelies effortlessly and is super easy to control. Add the beautiful sound of the Italian L-twin and HOHA, it's a dream. Revlimiter is hard On a side note, women love this bike. When stopped for one of your many fuel stops during a ride don't be surprised when the most attractive young women around flock to your bike and ask you all kinds of leading question. It's true, so be ready. What else to say? I love it and plan on keeping it for a long time to come. Show less

I love these bikes. There is simply nothing like a Ducati. The sound, the feel are very special. Not only have I continually loved these bikes but people stare at them constantly because of their beauty! They are very reliable as well. Ducati has come such a long way simply because they have produced so many bikes and become more and more popular in the past 5 or so years. I would recommend a Monster to anyone! It's like a sport bike without the uncomfotable ergonomics. Show less

Wow! The Hypermotard is the most fun bike I've ever thrown a leg over. I've been riding bikes since I was 9-10 yrs old. I've owned a large number of bikes, mostly dirt, but a few street including a couple of Harleys and a Triumph. This Ducati is like a 450SX dirt bike on an Olympic size dose of steroids. It has sick power, great suspension and looks that kill! Did I mention the sick power? The seat position definitely requires that you ride it tight to the gas tank, which is a good thing, because if you're sitting back too far, this beast will become a unicycle in a hurry (and that is in multiple gears!!) The torque is out of control - in a good way. The only slight negative is that with so much usable torque down low, city commuting takes a bit of clutch/throttle control finesse, which again is a good thing, because this Duc will help you meet local law enforcement in a hurry. Heck, it looks like it is going fast while parked in the garage. All in all, I couldn't be happier with this bike. If you're a dirt bike guy/gal that is looking to crossover to the street side, look no further.. this bike is THE answer. Show less

I absolutely love this bike. Styling-wise, the GT is a perfect balance between having a retro vibe but with modern handling and performance. The lines are Italian sexy, eye-catching, and just plain unique. It's a head turner I get a lot of compliments on, and it's the most comfortable bike I've ever ridden. The torquey acceleration is a blast and the braking is silky and confident. Handles like a dream too. I love the bike's dual personality. Up to around 3500 rpm you really feel the strong thumping pull through the bars, the seat, and the pegs - just like a big torquey twin should feel. Above 3500 rpms or so it smooths out nicely, yet not so much where you don't feel connected to the road like you can on a 4 cylinder shaftie. If you like retro but want something that can run with the real world big dogs, the GT is it. The only complaint is that due to the factory ECU being programmed lean for emissions reasons, the throttle can be a little jerky in gears 1-2 below 3000 rpm. The Fat Duc O2 Manipulator is a cheap plug and play solution for this which I plan on getting soon. Show less

I bought my Ducati ST2 last fall, when it had 18,000 miles on it. I absolutely love this bike. The seat could be a little bit more comfortable, but for the most part it is great. I love the features of the digital display. The speed and smoothness, in my opinion, is wonderful and the style is beautiful. I do have to say that the dry clutch is a little loud especially seeing that I don't have the stock cover on it, I have a vented cover. My bike has a chip and new pipes, so you can imagine how it goes and sounds, I would recommend making theses mods to any bike. The hard bags have been a huge plus, and the ease of taking them off and on is a plus. Some of my friends like the bikes look better with the bags on and some like the bike better with the bags off, even though the bracket is still there. The suspension is great, the power is great and over all I think that I made a great purchase. Show less

My first bike for 30 years - awesome difference in handling from bikes of that era. I'm still getting used to its capabilities but find the acceleration fast enough for me - an occassional head shake under hard acceleration when the front wheel gets light and hits a bump. Cornering is supurb as you would expect from a Ducati. I kind of like the gurgling the engine makes on ownshifts - like you are dealing with a living animal. Long distance rides (more than 3 hours) gets a bit tiring and hard on the wrists. AND its a Ducati - a bike I dreamed over but couldn't afford in the 20s. Show less

This bike is addictive on open roads and in the country. If you are running around town in traffic, it sucks. Needless to say, it is a piece of art and everyone takes a picture with their phone camera if they know anything about exotic bikes. I can't own an F1 car or an expesive Ferrari, but it you look around, you can own a world class racing bike that delivers the goods. It's the damn speed limit that really kills the fun on this type of bike. Oh well, style counts for something. Show less

I bought the 2006 S2R 1000 Monster in August 2007. I had not owned a bike in 32 years and was wanting a new Triumph Bonneville since I had owned a 1974 Triumph Trident (3 cylinder). The guy I worked with told me to trot on over to the Ducati dealer before I made a decision on what to buy. I fell in love with not only the looks (white wheels, red body), but the test drive sold me in a heartbeat. Nearly two years later, I still enjoy riding the bike and look forward to using it more often this year. Handling is pure Ducati; stable in turns and high winds, and a joy to do the winding roads. I have no problems recommending the S2R 1000 Monster to anyone. The bike is as clean as the day I purchased it (white wheels and all). Show less