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Riko · 08-21-2016 07:04 AM

Hi all!

I have a question for the (used to be) Ducatistas on this board.

Is it bad to ride a ducati engine below 3000 for a prolonged time, so bad it can even damage the engine itself?

This post made me ask the questions:
http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread....9#pid15569

Unfortunatelly the member has not been active here for 2 years, so I can't ask him.

Main reason for asking is I'm quite interested into adding a Multistrada to my stable, one day, in the far future Smile

It really seems to be a true All-in-one kind of motorcycle.
Relatively low weight, powerfull, handy riding modes, wind protection, good mileage, some cool electronic gadgets, etc.

But its expensive and...its Ducati, whenever I have a reflex about buying Italian , I always have the reflex to think twice Blush

Fashion stuff, no problem Smile

cfr. riding gear.

In fact, on the Duc board I saw this problem thread on the latest 2015 Multi:
http://www.ducati.ms/forums/44-multistra...blems.html

Makes me wonder, are they still problematic, even after Audi took over? (not that a German owner guarantees reliability..)

I mean, we also have some issues on the CB1100 board, look at my idle issue, but in general the issues are small.
We do not have a dedicated "Problem" thread nor reasons to open one.
But that Multi thread from May 2015 has 103 pages about 1 specific model. Sleepy

Despite all of that, the bike has a certain appeal to me.

In think in september the local Ducati dealer has free test riding days, so I think I'll hop on one than, but meanwhile I'd like to hear some opinions about Ducs, the New Multi and the way to threat a Duc engine from users here Smile

Thx a lot!

**The ferret** · 08-21-2016 01:31 PM

Euro bikes in my experience are not luggers, but revvers. My son's Ducati definitely does not like running below 3000 rpm and prefers 4500 rpms and above. Every Euro bike I have ridden, BMW's, KTM's, Ducati's, Moto Guzzi's have all been like that.

Don't know that it would do any physical damage to the bike, but it definitely wouldn't like it.

Riko · 08-21-2016 02:05 PM

i saw on fb you rode one? Smile

general findings? Smile

redbirds · 08-21-2016 05:15 PM

Member Chapomis rented a Multistrada for the first forum rally in 2015. He could probably give you some good feedback from his experience.

**The ferret** · 08-21-2016 06:35 PM

(08-21-2016 05:15 PM)redbirds Wrote: Member Chapomis rented a Multistrada for the first forum rally in 2015. He could probably give you some good feedback from his experience.

Maybe Chapomis wouldn't be the best person to talk to. IF I remember correctly he wasn't real happy with that bike.

LongRanger · 08-21-2016 07:16 PM

My 620 isn't very tractable below about 3500 rpm, but it definitely smooths out and makes nice power above that. Very nice fueling and drivetrain. However, I am still trying to get used to the Adler clutch. It has a very late and very narrow engagement point. Makes launching the bike a bit awkward sometimes.

Ulvetanna · 08-21-2016 09:50 PM

You will be riding the bike wherever it needs to be ridden, it will feel natural after you get used to it. If you have never owned a Ducati maybe you should give it a try, but if you don't really have a lot of cash to spend on maintenance and need a reliable machine it is perhaps not the most effective choice out there. If it makes little to no power below 3000 RPM you won't be riding it in that range anyway.

103 pages of problems? Wow.

Chapomis · 08-22-2016 02:53 AM

To be perfectly honest, I'm not the person to ask about technical questions on any bike. My biggest complaint, at first, was the height, but I got used to that once Redbirds wife showed me how to "climb on" . Having come from a CB and an even lower Softail, I had no clue. It took a day, but I got used to it and had a great time at the rally. Did I like it? No, but I appreciated it and it's fine engineering.

Riko · 08-22-2016 07:27 AM

what exactly did you not like about the Multi except for the height maybe?

engine characteristics?

(08-21-2016 09:50 PM)Ulvetanna Wrote: You will be riding the bike wherever it needs to be ridden, it will feel natural after you get used to it. If you have never owned a Ducati maybe you should give it a try, but if you don't really have a lot of cash to spend on maintenance and need a reliable machine it is perhaps not the most effective choice out there. If it makes little to no power below 3000 RPM you won't be riding it in that range anyway.

103 pages of problems? Wow.

gonna test ride one the 10th of September, gonna rent one for a whole day, they predict a heat wave in Belgium starting tomorrow, so ideal bike weather and good to conditions to test how the bike handles in heavy traffic in hot weather.

On de Duc forum they warned me the bike doesn't like that, as many other bikes I assume, in that it gets hot in the leg area Smile

The bikes seems to have all elements for a long distance travel bike.

Ulvetanna · 08-22-2016 08:03 AM

(08-22-2016 07:27 AM)Riko Wrote: what exactly did you not like about the Multi except for the height maybe?

engine characteristics?

(08-21-2016 09:50 PM)Ulvetanna Wrote: You will be riding the bike wherever it needs to be ridden, it will feel natural after you get used to it. If you have never owned a Ducati maybe you should give it a try, but if you don't really have a lot of cash to spend on maintenance and need a reliable machine it is perhaps not the most effective choice out there. If it makes little to no power below 3000 RPM you won't be riding it in that range anyway.

103 pages of problems? Wow.

gonna test ride one the 10th of September, gonna rent one for a whole day, they predict a heat wave in Belgium starting tomorrow, so ideal bike weather and good to conditions to test how the bike handles in heavy traffic in hot weather.

On de Duc forum they warned me the bike doesn't like that, as many other bikes I assume, in that it gets hot in the leg area

The bikes seems to have all elements for a long distance travel bike.

A day is not, of course, going to reveal anything about the longevity of the bike if ridden under those conditions. If you're looking for a bike to commute on, the Ducati is most likely not going to be the best choice. They do like to be opened up on the longer faster rides.

I never owned one, as the bikes are quite expensive, have a plethora of engineering compromises in order to continue to use that huge displacement V-twin, and are just not as reliable or durable as the Japanese or even the German stuff.

I have to say that while the Ferret is generally on the mark in speaking of the EU twins a being more peaky, that's only in comparison to true tractors like Harley, which have no top end at all. I've owned a couple of Harleys, a couple of the air-cooled R-bikes and a couple of the Rotax GS series; all had very flat powerbands, very useable below 3000 RPM, just like the CB1100. In fact the dyno chart for the F800GS looks nearly identical to the CB1100's, flat as a pancake.

However, the Ducs use a very different design philosophy and are in fact very peaky for a twin.

Anyway, you'll see about the bike after you rent it.