Out with the Old?

As I think about my next ride, it probably makes sense to think about my current ride, the 2012 Multistrada S Touring. I bought the Multi with less than 2000 miles on it, from a guy whose wife was beating him up to get rid of it because it was just gathering dust in his garage. I got a GREAT price on it, and it was, at the time, my dream bike. I have enjoyed it immensely since then, and it is, hands-down, in my opinion, the finest single do-it-all motorcycle the world has ever seen. Twisting, turning, speed, handling, distance, comfort, looks (subjective, I know, but I think the Italians can make a paper clip sexy), carrying capacity, on road, off-road (a bit of a trade-off here, but it will get you through it, if slowly), urban, commuting, touring, sport, and even track days. Don't believe me? Check this out. 

With that said, like any sexy Italian supermodel, she is demanding, and those demands come at a price. There are the known issues of brand reliability (and cost of ownership in general), and the Multistrada is not immune to any of it. I have replaced the fuel sensor, which is a known problem for the Multistrada. I got a boot full of fluid when one of the fork seals blew, probably as a result of sitting unloved and underused in the previous owner's garage. I had a leak from the tank, but never the notorious tank bloat which comes from using ethanol in the plastic tank; a solution is the use of a coating, which keeps the tank from swelling but voids warranties. I replaced the kickstand sensor, which decided to go, cutting the engine and turning the bike off, as I was getting ready to dive into a turn, and again as I was in the middle of a busy intersection). I needed a new slave cylinder on a trip to Seattle, which almost stranded me, which brought to light the shortcomings of the dealer network, the dearth of Ducati dealers in Montana and South Dakota, and the inability/unwillingness people have too work on these bikes, in general. I also sorted some wiring problems and replaced a bunch of rear tires. In short, if she doesn't try to leave me, she will likely try to kill me.

None of these issues was as inexpensive as other bikes (read as: Japanese), and the Ducati is not one to wrench on your own, generally speaking (I have a buddy who has a C14 and he laughs at how difficult it is, even though it takes him a fortnight to take the plastic off to change the oil on his). Another complaint I have with the Multistrada is the wind. Ducati mismanaged the front end design for 2010-12, and at speeds of about 75+ the wind flows up into the helmet creating a racket and a lot of buffeting. I have tried multiple screens, gadgets, helmets, and the like, to no avail - people at my exact height all seem to have the same complaint for the bike. Ear plugs help, and I suspect custom ear plugs would be better. The lights suck. The low beam is “okay” but when you switch to high beam, it throws light out to the distances and inexplicably turns off the low beam, which was previously filling in the 0-20 feet directly in front of you. If Ducati thought about it, they would have both lights on when you get to high beam. There are a couple of people who have made their own wiring harnesses and strung them together in their bikes to do exactly this, but it’s a miss for Ducati. Apparently, the newer models are GREAT at this, and I have a guy that rides a '16 reporting it's the best bike lighting he has ever had. The heated grips on the ‘12 are on the right side. This is still weird to me, but they are fantastic, with three levels, the top of which will cook an egg in a Pennsylvania winter. The dash screen scratches easily; on a bike of his caliber, I would expect better. Some of these are niggles, I admit, but I list them here as points of reference as I move forward, and also perhaps as a reminder to myself, because I have had these thoughts befoore, and every time I get back in the saddle with her, she makes me forget all of these shortcomings.

There are certainly a lot of other pluses, which I am including to point out what what I love about this bike and to showcase what I am seeking in a bike. The Ohlins suspension is remarkable. People have also raved about the Skyhook suspension when it came out. I love the adjustable-on-the-fly suspension AND power settings. Urban is 100HP and relaxes the throttle aggression; Enduro is 100 HP, turns off TC and increases the travel on the suspension; Touring is 150 HP and gives a plush ride for long highway days; Sport unleashes the beast with 150 HP and aggressive throttling, and it has a profound effect on your ability to do anything but smile (In the words oof Buddy the Elf: "I like smiling. Smiling's my favorite."). Keyless fob is nice to have. The range is great, and I CAN get more than 200 miles on a tank. The engine has character, soul, and it's undefinable to someone who does not get it, unneeded for those who do. There is just something about that twin, and, I changed out one of the gears to make low speed handling easier - she purrs like a cat, prowling through parking lots, now. The riding position is 100% neutral to me, and it just feels like home. Even with the stock seat, I just throw a Pat Garrett sheepskin on and go all day long.     

With all of this in mind, I am looking at, most likely, a Japanese bike, I want something with great power, strong handling, solid reliability, a broad dealership network, and a sensible cost of ownership. If we are going to be honest, what I really need is a touring bike, a sport bike, and an off road bike, but Mrs. Fishr, CFO is finally getting comfortable with the idea of me having a motorcycle at all, and the accompanying expenses, and would not be too keen on a stable of bikes...yet.