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Multistrada as a long term bike.

  1. #1
    Lifer 01xj's Avatar
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    Multistrada as a long term bike.

    Looking at a multi 950 and a 1200 as a long term bike. There are two locally both with under 10k mikes. I want to stop playing bike add and hang on to something for several years. The duc checks a lot of boxes and its right in my wheelhouse in that its adventure styled but only kinda sorta meant for off road. I have no plans to off road it and the upright seating with bags is the most appealing.

    I know with the newer L twin they extended service intervals and from what I understand its considered to be a reliable bike. I guess my question is, are they 60k plus miles reliable?

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  2. #2
    Lifer TIMMYDUCK's Avatar
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    Re: Multistrada as a long term bike.

    In 2016 and 2017 when KLP and I were on tour with Ducati doing the Demo rides , I used the 1200 Multi as my main choice for lead bike .

    The bike was solid , put up with all of my abuse, not use and came out sparkling on the other side.

    If you can find a 1200 Multi in the Pikes Peak edition you will love it .

    If I wasn't buying a Gen 3 Busa , I would pick a Multi as a daily use bike, It really does perform well in real world applications.

    So to answer your question of reliability, she never had a hiccup over 2 years each of 8-10 K miles of use ( Abuse ).
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Multistrada as a long term bike.-vest-jpg  

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    Last edited by TIMMYDUCK; 02-12-21 at 09:14 AM.
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    Jamnuts jhawley's Avatar
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    Re: Multistrada as a long term bike.

    Did a bunch of demo rides back in the day when they were new and they were amazing. Iirc the seat was kinda tall even for me. but was an awesome do everything one bike. I mean if i were buying one, i'd proably just keep some cash in the sock drawer for when something breaks your not blindsided.

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    Lifer 01xj's Avatar
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    Re: Multistrada as a long term bike.

    I sat on a 950 the other day. It was tall and I’d need to be careful but that’s just how it goes when your as tall as a fire hydrant. With a low seat I would be fine. I’m trying to see if the 1200 has the dimensions but I think I read it is taller by a little bit.

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    Awesomeness, Inc. MattR302's Avatar
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    Re: Multistrada as a long term bike.

    Check out that 990 SMT that was just posted, looks pretty sweet and is a similar type of bike.
    Mike R (theducman) has had a Multi for a few years and he loves it

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  6. #6
    Wizard loudbeard's Avatar
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    Re: Multistrada as a long term bike.

    I like Multi's, would do.

    Also, have a look at the KTM 790 Adventure (non-R.) Honestly a pretty appealing platform for the pavement oriented bikes, get a lot for your money.

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    I went to MMI I know what Im doing here chief

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    I hardly know ‘er Spooler's Avatar
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    Re: Multistrada as a long term bike.

    I’ve done a few demo rides on the 1200 (I think at least once or twice with TIMMYDUCK as rideleader, unbeknownst to me at the time) and I really loved the bike. I wanted to buy one last year, but then got a deal on my new Triumph that I couldn’t pass up. Really, the Multi checked almost all of my boxes. Comfortable, fun to ride, great engine, good for touring, handles great, I like the looks and sound. What made me hesitate was cost/worry about reliability. When I was shopping it was very difficult to find one that I thought was well priced with respect to mileage. And I have heard of the bikes being trouble free, but I’ve also heard of people having a lot of trouble with them, so I was a little nervous. Other bikes I was considering and have ridden were the KTM 1190 Adventure (which I also had some reliability concerns with) and the R1200GS, which was also hard to find reasonable price/mileage. Ended up with a Scrambler 1200, which technically ticks less boxes but I just love it so much.

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    2019 Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE
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    Re: Multistrada as a long term bike.

    Quote Originally Posted by TIMMYDUCK View Post
    In 2016 and 2017 when KLP and I were on tour with Ducati doing the Demo rides , I used the 1200 Multi as my main choice for lead bike .

    The bike was solid , put up with all of my abuse, not use and came out sparkling on the other side.

    If you can find a 1200 Multi in the Pikes Peak edition you will love it .

    If I wasn't buying a Gen 3 Busa , I would pick a Multi as a daily use bike, It really does perform well in real world applications.

    So to answer your question of reliability, she never had a hiccup over 2 years each of 8-10 K miles of use ( Abuse ).
    +1

    Yeah we did some pretty thorough beta testing on those Multis. Mine was a 950 and I loved it - fast enough, always stable. A little tall but otherwise super comfortable. I agree with Duck, the Pikes Peak is the one to get if you want the best of the best. I rode one for half a day in Laconia and it was much nicer than the regular bikes.

    The only thing I really didn't like about the 950 was the electronics were a little invasive for my taste. It would always shut me down right when it was about to get fun.

    They are super practical every day bikes, you won't be disappointed.

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  9. #9
    Senior Member Big Draggo's Avatar
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    Re: Multistrada as a long term bike.

    I have a 2016 S, great bike, love it...

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    Yellow light, green light, heart stands still...

  10. #10
    Lifer
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    Re: Multistrada as a long term bike.

    I have also done a TIMMYDUCK guided tour out of the NHMS parking lot on a demo day on a multi. I don't even remember which model I was on, probably a 1200. But wholey shite that bike was quick. Great fueling. Comfortable. Excellent sound, even in stock trim. And just bananas fast.

    Someone in my orbit had one for a short while. Lots of electronic doo-dads like automagic suspension and keyless ignition. I believe he had problems with both. He dumped it before the warranty ran out.

    Quote Originally Posted by loudbeard View Post
    Also, have a look at the KTM 790 Adventure (non-R.) Honestly a pretty appealing platform for the pavement oriented bikes, get a lot for your money.
    Interesting. For mostly pavement duty why would one walk past the 790 Duke to spend more on the ADV? I hear the Duke is a really gosh-darn good time on pavement. Something about a supermoto mode?!

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  11. #11
    Lifer 01xj's Avatar
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    Re: Multistrada as a long term bike.

    The best of the best isn’t really what I’m after honestly. The pikes peak is probably way outside my price range and I’m even questioning weather I’d use half the options the 1200 comes with.

    Anyways, there are two I’m looking at, one is a 17 950s with 8k miles. The other is a 2014 1200s. Both are priced the same. Mileage is almost the same as well. Both dealerships offered me about the same for my Harley. So across the board it’s kinda even. I’m tempted to go with the 17 since it’s a newer machine, but the extra hp and amenities would be fun to have on the 14.

    This is the 1200s if any of you guys up in the boondocks have any input on buying or dealing with national power sports.

    https://www.nationalpowersports.net/...l?itemid=49656

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  12. #12
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    Re: Multistrada as a long term bike.

    I think it all depends on you, your riding style, what you're into, and most importantly, your expectations.

    I play motorbike musical chairs more than anyone, and I just so happen to have ended up with a 2013 MTS1200 a few months ago. I'm not sure it's for me long term, but it is REALLY REALLY GOOD. It's got the 4 modes (sport, touring, urban and enduro) that affect throttle response, suspension, and total available HP. The bike has no business being in sport mode; 150hp, stiff suspension, ultra snappy throttle. Don't get me wrong, it's super fun, but wildly inappropriate considering you're effectively on a dirt bike. Touring and urban is where I spend 95% of my time. It's really comfortable and really fast. Maintenance is reasonable; worse than a Japanese bike, better than a lot of Euro trash. 7500 mile oil changes, 15k belts and valves, 30k forks, repeat. Mine's coming up on 27k. I'll do the belts myself and probably skip the forks and valves, as I have no reason to believe either of them need attention. From what I've read, the 15k and 30k services run about $1500-2500 at dealers. I'm shipping it down to FL next month and me and the wife are going to put about 1k miles on it down there; I think that's where it'll shine.

    Nitpicks:
    - Keyless ignition is cool, but you still need the key for the bags and seats, so don't bury the key in a tank bag or something.
    - PIN code backup for key can only be reset by the dealer. Battery in the key seems to die a lot, so carry a few spares (under your keyed seat)
    - Serious menu fatigue with only ~3 buttons to control what amounts to a space station
    - It's not a great sport bike, nor a great dirt bike, so make sure your expectations are set for a sport tourer
    - Center stand drags and hits your foot. Seems like many/most have been removed

    I don't think I'll ever find my "one" bike that can do it all, but I guess that's why I have a bunch. I need to put more miles on mine, but at the moment it feels like I'm going to trade it towards a Tiger 800/900 or a KTM 1090/1190/1290 for more ADV action. In parallel I've got a Vstrom 1000 which is an excellent sport tourer.

    If you want to come to Salem, MA you can take mine for a spin.

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  13. #13
    ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Yev's Avatar
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    Re: Multistrada as a long term bike.

    I rode a friend's Multi through the hills of central Cali with Haley on the back and it was the bees knees.
    The ride height was taller than what I am accustomed to, but that's not a huge issue.
    My friend ended up selling it because it had some issues with the gas tank (swelling and fitment issues). Do some digging and see what you come up with.
    Multistrada as a long term bike.-calimulti-jpg

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    Last edited by Yev; 02-12-21 at 11:29 AM.

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    Jamnuts jhawley's Avatar
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    Re: Multistrada as a long term bike.

    fuck i forgot all about the damn center stand, rubbing my foot

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    Wizard loudbeard's Avatar
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    Re: Multistrada as a long term bike.

    Quote Originally Posted by nhbubba View Post
    Interesting. For mostly pavement duty why would one walk past the 790 Duke to spend more on the ADV? I hear the Duke is a really gosh-darn good time on pavement. Something about a supermoto mode?!
    Because the Duke is a naked bike. By that logic, why would someone buy a 1290 SA when they can get a Super Duke 1290?

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    I went to MMI I know what Im doing here chief

  16. #16
    Lifer
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    Re: Multistrada as a long term bike.

    Quote Originally Posted by loudbeard View Post
    Because the Duke is a naked bike. By that logic, why would someone buy a 1290 SA when they can get a Super Duke 1290?
    Okay. I buy that. I had forgotten how little fairing there is on the Duke.
    For a while the 1290 SA was the only 1290 other than the Super Duke. Now that the SA-R exists I think the SA is a bit less interesting.
    I guess the 790 ADV is sort of the sport-tourer of the 790 lineup. I can see that.

    As you were.

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  17. #17
    Lifer OneCheekRider's Avatar
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    Re: Multistrada as a long term bike.

    I know OP is looking used, but if something happens to my Tiger 1200, I could see myself on a V4 Multi...36k valve intervals and 170hp, yes please.

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  18. #18
    Lifer
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    Re: Multistrada as a long term bike.

    I have looked at the MTS for a while. I have too many bikes and it would also be a keeper, like the VFR I got 10 years ago. The 1260 and the 2015+ 1200 are lower to the ground than the 950. The 2015 MTS 1200 significantly so. For a long term bike, I would trust the 950 more. It is less complex and the engine is simpler. My friend had to overhaul his 1200 engine after something went wrong at 14k miles. The 950 gets terrific reviews from all who ride it. Yes, the 1200 is significantly more powerful and not much heavier. But, the 950 is plenty fast and engine has enough torque for most riding even two up. The service intervals on the 950 are better as well, 18k between major services. How tall are you? I'm 5'7" and was able to manage fine with a 2012 multi and even better with a 2016 one I rode. The 950 is a smidgen taller and I am not sure the seat is adjustable. It does have a low seat. Or, spend money and get Daytona M-Star boots like I did ;-) I bought my boots on ADVrider used for half the price almost new

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    '15 Ducati Scrambler, '13 Multistrada 1200S, '07 VFR, '14 CRF250L/M, '15 FJ-09, '23 Tuareg

  19. #19
    Lifer 01xj's Avatar
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    Re: Multistrada as a long term bike.

    Quote Originally Posted by Yev View Post
    I rode a friend's Multi through the hills of central Cali with Haley on the back and it was the bees knees.
    The ride height was taller than what I am accustomed to, but that's not a huge issue.
    My friend ended up selling it because it had some issues with the gas tank (swelling and fitment issues). Do some digging and see what you come up with.
    Multistrada as a long term bike.-calimulti-jpg
    I think its safe to assume you guys liked it two up? Any issues with the ride height and parking or backing it up?

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  20. #20
    Lifer
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    Re: Multistrada as a long term bike.

    If you don't care about brand and want to keep the bike long term, the Yamaha Tracer GT maybe also a worthwhile bike to look at. I have rented it twice in the pacific northwest for 1800 mile tours and it was fantastic. Very similar to the 950, but slightly less charismatic

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    '15 Ducati Scrambler, '13 Multistrada 1200S, '07 VFR, '14 CRF250L/M, '15 FJ-09, '23 Tuareg

  21. #21
    Powered by Kurtz theducman's Avatar
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    Re: Multistrada as a long term bike.

    I love my 2013 S. I have been toying getting rid of it. Bit it has been the best street bike I have ever had.

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  22. #22
    Lifer SwiftTone's Avatar
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    Re: Multistrada as a long term bike.

    Last year I was shopping the Multi 1200 (2014+), S1000XR (2016+), and Super Duke GT (2016+). Ultimately decided on the S1000XR due to familiarity (I had a S1000R), ease of maintenance (already owned special tools for S1000R), power (155hp the the wheel), and reliability. Bought my bike with 10k miles, and I put 12000 hard miles on it. Zero issues.

    If you can deal with lack of character the BMW is a good choice. I think my second choice would have been a toss up between the Duc and KTM.

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  23. #23
    Lifer oVTo's Avatar
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    Re: Multistrada as a long term bike.

    I have a 2013 Mutli GT. Bought it with 9k miles in 2016, it now has 26.6k. Many of the miles were 2-up plus gear along the east coast from Newfoundland to Georgia. It has great power even fully loaded. It handles great and is lot of fun on any kind of pavement or gravel roads. We use it mostly for long trips on minor highways and back roads and think it's a perfect bike for that. So far it's just required maintenance and annoying fixes of minor components that are more hi-tech than needed (see below). I expect it to go 100k miles, but maybe I'm too optimistic.

    The luggage is huge. We can pack camping gear (tents, bags, cookware & food), clothes, and everything we need for lengthy road trips.

    My wife loves the passenger seat but hates the climb to get to it. My seat sucks after about 100 miles but I bought a sheepskin seat cover for long rides and that made it all day comfortable. We've done a few 600-700 mile days 2-up and could have kept going but we reached our destination.

    Overall, we both love the bike.

    But...

    • Key fob - its antenna breaks. The workaround is to give the bike a reach-around - put the key on the bike's nose so it's close enough to the sensor to start the bike.
    • If you're close to a police or fire station, hospital, or any location with a lot of RF, the bike may also need a reach-around to start. It is very sensitive to RF interference.
    • Gas gauge - when it breaks, the dash is messed up. It's not just that you can't see the gas level, it's flashing warnings etc. Annoying as shit.
    • Rear hub collects dirt and can freeze up, preventing chain adjustment. I learned this when in TN and after I gave up trying to free it up, I brought it to a dealer and they couldn't fix it either. Fortunately SSC could. Make sure it's kept clean.

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    DanG
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  24. #24
    Powered by Kurtz theducman's Avatar
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    Re: Multistrada as a long term bike.

    I put the sergeant seat on mine.... Huge difference

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  25. #25
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    Re: Multistrada as a long term bike.

    Quote Originally Posted by theducman View Post
    I put the sergeant seat on mine.... Huge difference
    I've been thinking about doing that. I found a like-new Corbin seat for my RC51 on eBay for cheap and that transformed the bike. Changed it from unbearably painful after about 100 miles to just uncomfortable.

    I hadn't pulled the trigger on a new Mutli seat yet because I didn't know which aftermarket seat was best, so this recommendation is great. Now, I just have to get over paying $600 for a seat. Yikes.

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    DanG
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