Finally got the Multistrada V4 Spanish registration today. Great news. Means I can use it to go to the European Multistrada Meeting in France in a couple of weeks time. Also ordered a pair of Dunlop Sportsmart IV’s for the trip. Don’t feel happy with the standard tyres and not sure they’d last the trip anyway.
Picked up some good part worn tyres for various bikes. They seem to be getting hard to come by now at a reasonable price.
Spent 2 full days trying to programme a Diavel ecu while the b5stard thing keeps shutting down in the middle of writing. Bugger it, bench writing the ecu is the answer.
DUCATI ROADSHOW BOLDON SUNDERLAND Had booked in yonks ago for a test ride on a Multistrada V4s and then the V4s Streetfighter… Weather was sunny and dry, but fek me it was windy !… As you can see here by my polyester wig almost reaching take off speed !! Changed my mind about riding the V4 Multistrada when I saw the new Desert X, thought it might be interesting to try this as I have ridden the V4Multistrada before. After the test ride I wasn’t too struck on it tbh, engine was a bit “ meh” , decent grunt from the bottom but it just seemed to lack a bit of character really, too linear and uneventful power delivery for my liking, but I just found the buffeting from the screen once you got past 80 ish was really bad, not for me thanks. Then onto the V4S Streetfighter, much more my type of bike,….insane!! Over 200 bhp, pretty comfortable riding position, mega Rev range, thought I was giving it a handful but looking down I realised I still had another 4K revs to go! You could hang onto one gear for ages it covered so many revs, went like a stabbed rat when it was wound up and accelerated so fast it rolled yer foreskin back !! Biggest downside was just that you copped all the air blast, trying to peel you off the bike once you got to 90 ish, that coupled with the limited tank range means that it just lacked a bit of useability for me, it was however a lovely ride, quickshifter, brakes, suspension were all fabulous , but somehow I think you would tire of it pretty quickly, so another no from me I’m afraid. Nothing I saw today made me feel like chopping in the little red bomb ..the new V2 Panigale ( should be called a Supersport to my mind? ) and the V2 Streetfighter just don’t do it for me, mainly due to the reduced horsepower and the utterly gash exhaust system on them both, Ducati has been famed for years for building beautiful looking bikes, whoever signed off on this exhaust design should have gone to Specsavers,..Jeez it’s hideous, ugly exposed welds everywhere and yes I know the Termi system looks much better, but why should you have to spend another 3-4K on a different exhaust system for a new bike!! Good day out though, pleased I went, answered a few questions for me
Interesting analysis and I’m sure many would agree with you. Why the hell they don’t put a touring fairing and panniers on the Streetfighter V4 I’ll never know.
Pulled the Scrambler out of the garage for a last ride before leaving for Finland for two months tomorrow. Dead as doornail... Put it on the Noco for an hour, no joy. The error lights on the charger show an internal short circuit in the battery. Well unhappy, the bloody battery is just over two years old... Oh well, c'est la vie. Will just have to find a new one when I get back in August. At least the baby Z is still OK.
Same for mine, the immobilizer drains the battery. You then end up with the odometer failing to show and a spanner symbol which seems to indicate a return to dealer for a reset. I just leave mine disconnected and with the spanner symbol lit when I do use it which is infrequently.
Sorry to hear your last ride thwarted. Quentin Tarrantino would be mystified to hear that the Zed is alive but the Scrambler is dead - the words just don't flow. Is the trip to Finland for work Gandalf? Either way i hope you enjoy. I have a friend who is about to return there after living in the UK for almost 30 years.
Interesting thoughts on the streetfighter seeing as I have one. Apparently the new models are a lot smoother and easier to ride, with much better electronics. Not what I am after with this style of bike, which is why I'm keeping mine. It has a genuine 212 rwhp, so I can't agree you would tire of it. 100 mile tank range is a bore, but I regularly do 400 mile days so its not surmountable. It's the maddest road bike I've ridden.
Went out on the versys to the Classic Japanese Bike Day at Industry and Supply near Weedon, put a few more miles on it towards the first service
Yesterday, collected my sons FZR400 3TJ, and put my Superdream alongside it, ready for Kelsall Steam and Vintage show next weekend, just need to pack everything around the bikes now
Don’t get me wrong, it was a great ride but for me, the windblast / tank range would get to me eventually, besides,..my mates would lynch me having to stop for fuel every 90 miles or so! I prefer your model with the SSS and the smaller wings, the big red wings on the new model are a bit ott for my liking
The trip is not for work. My wife is studying there and my son is hopefully going to complete his schooling there. I am going to visit them for the summer. I shall however be doing some work. Someone has to pay for all of this
MOT by @cookster of this parish yesterday morning, passed no advisories. Afternoon fitting a new set of Michelin Road6s. For a change the old tyres were a bugger to get off, breaking the bead was quite a struggle, especially the front. Now ones went on really easily though. Opposite of last time
Fitted a front tyre to the mighty Gixxer, stripped and cleaned the brake calipers and washed the bike.
