Bryn Davies gives five reasons why he loves the Ducati Multistrada 1260 Enduro
We’ve had our Ducati Multistrada 1260 Enduro for close to six months now, and over that time we’ve been enjoying the Great British summer on it. Admittedly, my usual long termer for this year has been the BMW R 1250 GS, but while Alun wasn’t looking, the Ducati was giving me suggestive stares and begging me to take it out for a spin.
Those tempting looks and the seductive growl of the exhaust will do that to you. There’s so much that I like about riding this bike, but I thought for the purpose of this feature I’d narrow it down to the five things that make living with it just so pleasurable.
1. The seat
For me, all-day comfort is something that’s so important on a motorcycle and, while there are a lot of factors that decide how comfortable a bike is, perhaps the biggest player is the quality of the saddle. I’ve ridden all sorts of adventure bikes over the last five years and there are few seats that come close to the Ducati Multistrada 1260 Enduro’s in terms of comfort.
Despite the bike’s off-road pretences, it’s nice and wide, offering plenty of cheek support, and it’s delightfully cushioned. It’s also, in some ways, a fine work of art with the meticulous red stitches adding an aesthetic that I never thought a saddle could have.
2. The fuel range
While I do enjoy stopping at motorway services and gulping down a caffeine-filled coffee, having to stop every 200 miles on an adventure bike with a small tank isn’t my idea of touring efficiency. The Multistrada 1260 Enduro comes with a humongous 30-litre tank that’ll see you outlasting most bikes on the road in the stamina department.
Indeed, a group of us rode over to Ireland a few months back (I was on the BMW R 1250 GS for that trip), and Alun, who was riding the Ducati, spent a fair portion of his time sat on the petrol forecourt looking smug while he didn’t have to fill up. If you can handle the increased size and weight that the large fuel tank inevitably provides, you’ll never want to go back to anything smaller.
3. The style
A good motorcycle isn’t just one that performs well, it’s one that taps into your emotions, makes you proud to own it, and makes you feel like Steve McQueen when you’re riding it. The Ducati Multistrada 1260 Enduro does all of that and more.
Riding through the packed streets of Stratford upon Avon, it draws more looks than any bike I’ve ridden in the past. Parking up to go to the shops, I can’t help but turn on my heels multiple times to check out its sleek curves and dazzling red paint.
4. The luggage
It’s not often that I’ll compliment a manufacturer on its official luggage, but Ducati has done a great job with its aluminium panniers. They’re easy to use, they complement the style of the bike, they’re hardwearing, and they have all of the features I look for in a good set of boxes, including a carry handle and built-in locks.
At the time of writing this, Ducati is offering complimentary Touring Kits with new Multistrada 1260 Enduro purchases, worth £1,897. This consists of aluminium panniers, a handlebar bag, and heated grips.
5.The weather protection
Price: £17,755
Engine: Ducati Testastretta 1262 liquid-cooled, L-Twin 2-cylinder, 4-stroke engine
Power: 158bhp at 9,500rpm
Torque: 128Nm at 7,500rpm
Suspension: Front; 48mm fully adjustable USD forks, electronic compression and rebound adjustment with Evo Ducati Skyhook Suspension. Rear; Fully adjustable Ducati monoshock with electronic compression and rebound adjustment with Evo Ducati Skyhook suspension.
Brakes: Front; Twin 320mm semi-floating discs with radially mounted Brembo M4 32-piston calipers. Bosch cornering ABS
Seat Height: 860mm
Tank Capacity: 30l
Weight: 254kg
Earlier in this magazine, James Oxley wrote about how the Honda Goldwing provided such good weather protection that he didn’t get wet while riding through hour-long downpours. The Ducati offers something similar thanks to that huge front fairing and great touring windscreen.
The tank bulges out and protects your legs from wind and rain, while the screen does a great job of deflecting head-on gusts.
This doesn’t only benefit you from a weather protection perspective though, it also adds massively to the comfort of riding the bike and will leave you less fatigued when you finish a long day’s ride.