Rode my DVT this morning after riding my Touring S 63 plate yesterday. Learn't a few things this morning, The DVT is quicker than it feels compared to the 63 plate, maybe they have moved more wind away from the bike and rider, and DVT has the standard screen on, My 63 has a pikes peak on. Ride is quite a bit firmer on the Older Model, but I have really changed my modes on the DVT giving it is very soft ride in my touring mode, enduro is harder and more preload, on full power. where as on my 63 plate the everything is default except pre load set to minimum, to lower the bike. I think the PR4's suit the M\S's than the OEM's and have Pr4's on my 63 plate, so looking forward to getting PR4's on the DVT soon. I have to move about more on the DVT, and put weight forward to make it sharper, when riding faster, where as on my 63 plate you sit and just ride it. More conscious where my feet are on the pegs when cornering as they are lower DVT has more power all over, it is quicker except off the initial snap of the throttle, it is the smoothness that makes it feel more lazy, but in the right gear it is very very quick, certainly do not see a mid range grunt issue at all, mid range for me is about 4k to 7k once it hits 6k things get rapid very quick, again the bikes are different, so it makes the lower end of the mid slower as the top end of the mid pulls harder. Seat is the issue for me, it is like the middle of the seat needs lowering to make it a larger area of a flatter seat, my small of the back just seems to dig into the seat and pushes me forward, I do not want raise the seat as I am short, so I am not sure how much lower the the middle can go down. I am sure there will be many variations of seats to suit pretty well everyone soon. It is a very different bike and you have to ride it different, you cannot just test ride it for a while, the modes do need tinkering with to suit every rider. There are so many things that have been improved though by a long way. I have done near 4k on my DVT and still I have not got used to it fully like my old 63 plate, 63 Plate just easy to ride, fast, and gives you confidence with a smile on my face, The DVT needs more involvement from the rider I find, you can be going faster than you imagine so you need to keep check of it, you need to use the gear box more, it has a learning curve not found over night. Engine breaking is very different, with the DVT at lower revs you can get the run on, but after a while you understand where it is and how effects, so hence using the gears more. The DVT is a fantastic bike, and given time not just a couple of hours trash about, it is better than a 63 plate, and more suited to some of the more racy riders, certainly do not dismiss it for minor points like seat issues, which of will be the easiest to sort out in time
My main reason for going to the Multi s over the Diavel is ride comfort, whats the ride comfort like on the electronic Ohlins? The roads here are pretty crap a lot of the time and I found the Diavel just too hard at times no matter what I done, I was hoping for a magic carpet ride lol! And by the way Iain, a great write up. thank you!
Ride comfort is as hard or soft you want it on the Sky Hook, then change mode it is hard for good roads, change to another mode and soft for crap roads, and the active suspension keeps everything in check. you pays ya money for Sky Hook, and worth every penny in my books, the Variations are huge, solo luggage, 2 up etc.
Yep, heard great things about the Skyhook, but I dont think my budget will stretch to one unfortunately, thats why I'm so interested in the previous Ohlins equipped S model. Road surfaces here, as anyone who has toured the southwest will vouch for, can be pretty shite at the best of times
Very interesting thread and, may I say, really nice photos. Isn't Spain great? However it seems to me, who has to think pretty carefully before spending large-ish amounts of money, that ANY problems with a bike this expensive are scandalous, especially at the tiny mileages quoted. And even more especially on an "adventure" bike which should, after all, be able to be relied upon to get you there under any circumstances. Just to think, my winter Deauville has 146k on the clock and the original everything except oil, coolant, plugs, pads and radiator! And all the extra time I get from not wondering which setting to select I can use up looking at the view or figuring out what's most likely to go wrong with my old SS next.
Everyone seems to be going on about all these so called problems as if it is the end of the world, but tbh the problems so far on the DVT are pretty irrelevant, has the actual bike let anyone down yet, very very few if any in quite a few bikes they have sold.
I 've heard of a few that wont start, keys that don't register, steering locks that wont disengage..... I'm off to toure Europe and ride around Croatia on Saturday for 14 days, I'd feel much less apprehensive about it it I didn't have to worry that some substandard part that's been fitted to the £17.5k that I bought just over a year ago might fail ruining my hard earned trip. And I know your going to say it could happen to any bike, but I bet they didn't cost as much as a mutly S GT.
Sure it'll be fine. Have fun in Croatia. The multi should enjoy itself there .... I ended up on an unmetaled mountain pass through what appeared from the signage to be a minefield in my 206 a few years ago. Highlight of the trip! Zagreb well worth a look if you can spare the time from the coast. Slovenia's lovely, too.
Hi Ian, very much enjoyed reading your story and I echo many of your experiences as I am on my second, soon to be my third Multistrada! Current bike is a Grand T. Nice too that you speak highly of the boy's at GT motorcycles, my bikes had it's fair share of call backs and faults including fork replacements all dealt with by GT's Plymouth in a friendly efficient way....thanks to Mike/Simon/Shaun/Steve/Lisa etc. For the record I tried the BMW XR to see if MCnews got their review correct which I obviously doubted. For sure the bike is exceptional, makes riding fast even easier. I'm not going to list it's pros and cons there's no point because it lacks ....soul! Regards Vince. Ducati Owners Club member.
