2006 Ducati MTS1000 User Ratings

The multi's engine is old and that shows,as it only puts out 84 horses, however the sound is terrific, it pulls strong above 3000rpm and does not stop until the redline, which does come in a bit early. However it has plenty of usable power and, most of all, charisma.

Suspension is good, premium units by showa(owned by Honda)used both front and rear. They will both suffice for a weekend in the twisties, however if someone opts getting it on a track he/she should consider buying the 's' version in the first place. Suspension shows a bit more static friction than the ohlins units used in the 's' model. You can tell that as it kinda reacts harsh over small anomalies. However I believe it works 100% for the use it was destined, and much better than any sport tourer out there.

Handling is very good, exceptional for a sport touring bike of this size. The Multistrada behaves with good manners, it is quite friendly and cooperative, and will show you its traction/grip limitations, if you let it. Which are very high, by the way.

Transmission is precise, though it needs a bit of extra force on the clutch as well as the gear selector. It is also a bit vague when modulating the clutch, it takes some getting used to, but overall works fine.

Ergos are spot on for me (5ft9'). Some say they could do with lowering the bike somewhat, but I am fine as it is. Plenty of legroom, great cover from the windblast up to 90Mph.

Buying a bike is not supposed to be an investment, obviously. However I feel I would have lost much more in resale value if I had bought an Aprilia Caponord, or a Yamaha TDM instead.

The front brakes combine nicely feeling with stopping power, however sometimes they present a slight shudder which most likely has to do with the rotor setup being fixed on the wheel directly. The rear is a bit more powerful than needed for sport use, which is exactly what you need when two-up and carrying extra luggage.

The ECU is made by Marelli and so is the injection system, the clutch and brake actuators are all made by brembo, the suspension is made by Showa, the switches are made by Domino, they look great and work well. The electrical connectors used are waterproof, automotive type. The battery used is a Yuasa, and is rather small for a litre sized twin.

Battery size is probably the only issue you will have to deal with.