Ducati Multistrada 950: accessible, but still sporty and premium [ROAD TEST VIDEO]

Many were waiting for it, a more accessible Multistrada, because its bigger sister 1.200 had risen so much, in all fields, with top equipment and performance, but also a price that can exceed 20 thousand euros for an "S". Are 160 horsepower really necessary? We say that you can never have too much power if you're a geek, but we challenge anyone to say that the new 950 doesn't have enough of it. Seeing is believing, someone would say, so get on the motorbike with us and come and discover it.

19 wheel at the front, a double-sided rear swingarm (the same one we find on the Multistrada 1200 Enduro), the Testastretta 11° with 937cc and 113 horsepower they are among the main elements of a motorcycle that aims to be less demanding than its older sister, but which it would be wrong to define as entry level. In fact, it places itself a step above much of its direct competition, both in terms of sportiness and driving pleasure, as well as in terms of quality, comfort and equipment. It has almost 20 horsepower more than an Africa Twin or a Tiger800, but it also offers superior charm, with the family feeling of a front end which is a trademark, without sacrificing quality in the slightest and the beautiful LCD instrumentation is a sign of this obvious.

Aesthetics and finishes:

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It combines elements of the Enduro with others of the 1.200 "smooth"

Her appearance is the one we know well, with elements that we have already seen on her older sister, in her various versions. So it takes the double-sided swingarm from the enduro, but iThe front end and the tank are the slim ones of the standard 1200, all combined with a care and quality that Ducati has accustomed us to and which it does not give up on any of its models.

Once on the saddle, the position is more oriented towards road riding than off-road, but customers are still left room to choose a higher and lower saddle, 20 mm compared to the standard one. As mentioned, the tank is the 20-litre one, while the dimensions, in terms of length and wheelbase, are identical to those of the 1200 Enduro, due to the adoption of the same swingarm. It is therefore not smaller, but only slightly lighter due to the smaller engine.

The front end does not give up anything of what we find on its older sister, with the same and very powerful braking system and an entry level chassis, but of great quality. An "S" version is missing at the moment, we will see if it will be introduced in the future, or if the desire is to maintain the right distance, from the point of view of the list price, from the Multistrada 1200.

Multistrada means versatility, so we find a 19" front wheel, perfect for tackling an off-road route, or details with a view to increasing comfort and driving pleasure on longer journeys, as demonstrated by the adjustable fairing, which can be used with just one hand and therefore even when the vehicle is moving, with a simple and quick gesture.

Engine and performance:

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Less displacement and less horsepower, but pleasure and fun in abundance

When it was presented, someone must have thought of a Multistrada intended for a more relaxed user, who is less interested in performance, a sort of younger and cheaper sister of the real Multistrada, which is the one with the 1.200 cc twin-cylinder. After trying the 950 we can tell you that anyone who thinks this way is very wrong. The Testastretta 11th of 937 cc he has in fact proven to be sporty beyond any minimum threshold you can set for yourself. Consider that many say that the 95 horsepower of an Africa Twin are more than enough for the real use of a motorbike, here we have almost 20 more, given that in Touring and Sport modes the Multistrada delivers 113, while in Urban and Enduro it drops to 75 horsepower. We therefore have prestigious electronics, which allow you to calibrate the engine's responses, but not only that, as you wish, there is no lack of Ride-by-Wire type throttle control and the consequent possibility of having a more gentle or aggressive delivery, depending on equal power output, as between Sport and Touring.

What the cold numbers don't say is that the 937 is gritty and sporty, even more evil than the mere power figure can guarantee. An engine that is therefore half a surprise, because it doesn't make you feel less power than its bigger brother, on the contrary, it seemed to us to be a compromise decidedly shifted towards sportiness. Also thanks to a perfect ratio, with 15 pinion and 43 crown, exactly like on the 1200 Enduro, while the standard 1200 has 3 fewer teeth on the crown.

From 3 to 7 thousand rpm the engine is consistent and smooth, it is therefore perfect for touring and enjoying its beautiful sound and an always full and regular thrust. The 937 of Hypermotard origin has been revised in electronics and power supply and is even worse at high speeds, with a maximum torque that reaches 250 higher, at 7.750 rpm, and then extend furiously beyond 9.000 rpm at which it delivers maximum power. The transmission is good, although not always perfect in the clutches, while the slipper clutch,which allows you to make ferocious climbs without the slightest problem.

Ride and handling:

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Multistrada in name and in fact, it is pleasant in every context

It arises from intelligent choices, which combine a natural propensity for driving on the road, with elements that also favor it on dirt roads. The suspensions are in fact perfectly calibrated for use on asphalt, with the saddle placed just 840 mm from the ground (820 or 860 optionally), but the Multistrada 950 also digests a light off-road well, thanks to the rear swingarm and to the 170 mm of travel of the suspensions, all adjustable and which see a Sachs at the rear and a Kayaba with 48 stanchions at the front.

The standard covers are the Pirelli Scorpion Trail II, measuring 170/60 17 at the back, 120/70 19 at the front. Instead, the two 320 discs in front, bitten by prestigious ones, are the main thing slowing it down Brembo M4-32 4-piston monobloc radial calipers and managed by an ABS system, which we have never found invasive and which can be calibrated on three levels or excluded, as on the best Ducatis, with the riding modes that can be customized, modifying the output, engine power and control of traction, the latter on 8 levels.

With the company Enduro package the Multistrada can be made more Off-road ready, with additional spotlights, steel tube engine guard, radiator protection grill, stand base widening plate and off-road footrest set, the spoked rims are missing, testifying to the fact that it you remain more of a road person than an off-road person. Driving it it is at ease in any context, even on dirt roads that are not too demanding, but the best is when you find the right curves, where you can brush the trajectories by bending and it's simple and comes really naturally. One of those bikes with which you never get tired and go in search of the least straight and most tortuous path. If the navigator takes you on unpaved roads, you can tackle them without great difficulty. Braking is excellent, with a top system and a never invasive ABS, which can be adjusted to multiple levels or even excluded, which is important for off-road use.

Price and consumption:

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Premium entry level, many accessories to customize it

The Multistrada 950 lacks nothing, as mentioned not even a windshield that can be easily adjusted with just one hand, even when moving, but it is the quality that amazes, with the beautiful LCD instruments, high-level electronics and also a chassis that cannot be find any fault.

Defining it as an entry level is therefore totally out of place, in fact it is in the Multistrada world, but we are talking about a premium product, capable of important performance. For a complete motorbike, which is anything but a compromise on savings, but a product capable of fully satisfying the needs of many, as well as providing a lot of fun, the price starts from 13.990 €, if you choose it in red, 200 euros more to have it in white, or rather Star White Silk.

Various kits then allow you to enrich the equipment, but also to stretch your hand in various directions from the point of view of how you want to use the motorbike. So we can choose the Enduro package, or the Touring, Urban or Sport ones, which includes for example the sporty approved Termignoni silencer. As for consumption, they obviously depend on the driving style, but even with very lively speeds it is difficult to go below the threshold 18 with a liter, it is more likely to reach values ​​close to 20 with a liter, with an autonomy therefore close to 400 km.

PROS AND CONS
We like it:
More accessible, but still premium, high performance, versatile, pleasant and easy to drive
We do not like it:
The “S” is missing, the gearbox is not without some uncertainty when inserting it

Ducati Multistrada 950 My 2017: the Motorionline Report Card

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Tester clothing:
Jacket: Dainese Carve Master Gore-Tex
Trousers: Dainese New Galvestone Gore-Tex
Gloves: Dainese Ergotour Gore-tex X-trafit
Boots: Dainese TRQ-Tour Gore-tex
Helmet: Caberg Duke II Legend Ducati