Ducati MultiStrada 1200

[Pampero]

Originally Posted by Sock Monkey

That right there is funny, and is exactly the "poser persona" that is so rightly deserved by so many people (regardless of the brand they ride....but one seems to stand out ).

Good on ya for riding your bike any damn place you want, regardless of what it's "supposed to be able to do".

-SM

First off, I am not looking to pick a fight or disparage you....have enjoyed quietly reading a lot of your commentary, actually but when I see comments like this it makes me wonder what people think of me. I have been riding for 45 years, almost exclusively paved roads. I love to ride and use my bikes for pleasure and transportation depending on my whim. But I am not a racer and not a dirt guy. I have owned a GS, many sport bikes, a K12R and now this Multi. I won't likely ever drag a knee on it, never dragged a knee on my Mille but really liked riding it. I believe I am a competent rider and like to get it on from time to time, but I don't kid myself about what I am or am not.

I toured my K12RS (I guess that's what you do with them). I used the GS as a go anywhere every day ride, toured and rode long distance on it but not as an Adventurer tourer in the accepted sense of that word. I just liked the way it worked and handled for me.

I think calling people out on their choices because they don't use the bike the same way others do is bullshit. Whatever pleasure you get from it, as long as you don't hurt other people or yourself, is just fine with me. I don't get the reverse snobbery and elitism that comes as baggage with the idea that if you don't drag your knee on a sports ride or drop your GS in the mud 16 times you aren't the real deal.

Kudos and congrats to those who fully enjoy their machines precisely as intended and go interesting places and do amazing feats on them, can wring all 193 HP out of a Panigale and can ride their GS around the world and ford the Amazon, but those who elect to simply enjoy them at whatever level they do have just as valid a claim, can enjoy what they have and are still motorcyclists in my book. I don't have a Dainese leather man purse and don't care for the repli racer look myself, but if it makes somebody happy, fine.

I sneer at loud pipes run up at 3AM and idiots who make the sport look bad by doing stupid stuff on crowded roads, don't take the time or have the interest to learn basic technique or endanger themselves or others. After that, who cares?

[Sock Monkey]

Originally Posted by Pampero

First off, I am not looking to pick a fight or disparage you....have enjoyed quietly reading a lot of your commentary, actually but when I see comments like this it makes me wonder what people think of me. I have been riding for 45 years, almost exclusively paved roads. I love to ride and use my bikes for pleasure and transportation depending on my whim. But I am not a racer and not a dirt guy. I have owned a GS, many sport bikes, a K12R and now this Multi. I won't likely ever drag a knee on it, never dragged a knee on my Mille but really liked riding it. I believe I am a competent rider and like to get it on from time to time, but I don't kid myself about what I am or am not.

I toured my K12RS (I guess that's what you do with them). I used the GS as a go anywhere every day ride, toured and rode long distance on it but not as an Adventurer tourer in the accepted sense of that word. I just liked the way it worked and handled for me.

I think calling people out on their choices because they don't use the bike the same way others do is bullshit. Whatever pleasure you get from it, as long as you don't hurt other people or yourself, is just fine with me. I don't get the reverse snobbery and elitism that comes as baggage with the idea that if you don't drag your knee on a sports ride or drop your GS in the mud 16 times you aren't the real deal.

Kudos and congrats to those who fully enjoy their machines precisely as intended and go interesting places and do amazing feats on them, can wring all 193 HP out of a Panigale and can ride their GS around the world and ford the Amazon, but those who elect to simply enjoy them at whatever level they do have just as valid a claim, can enjoy what they have and are still motorcyclists in my book. I don't have a Dainese leather man purse and don't care for the repli racer look myself, but if it makes somebody happy, fine.

I sneer at loud pipes run up at 3AM and idiots who make the sport look bad by doing stupid stuff on crowded roads, don't take the time or have the interest to learn basic technique or endanger themselves or others. After that, who cares?

Didn't mean to offend, but in my defense 1) my comment wasn't directed at anyone, and 2) I was VERY careful to say "by so many people", not "everyone riding brand/style X".

My comment really stems from experiences like cptapholmes had, where his riding mates gave him shite over his choice of MTS over their GS, then adding that to ten.98's comment about the GS's taking the tarmac route on a DS ride. It just adds up to MY experiences with many people who insist that a certain style (or brand) of bike is needed for a certain type of riding, and that's just not the case, but it's amazing that so many will literally turn their noses up at those who ride "lesser" machines.

Anyway, don't take anything I said personally. It certainly wasn't meant that way. If I wanted to call out an individual, I would have....I'm funny that way. As for what people must think of you, hopefully they form their opinion based on what you say and do, not on what you ride.

-SM

[Pampero]

Originally Posted by Sock Monkey

My comment really stems from experiences like cptapholmes had, where his riding mates gave him shite over his choice of MTS over their GS, then adding that to ten.98's comment about the GS's taking the tarmac route on a DS ride. It just adds up to MY experiences with many people who insist that a certain style (or brand) of bike is needed for a certain type of riding, and that's just not the case, but it's amazing that so many will literally turn their noses up at those who ride "lesser" machines.

Anyway, don't take anything I said personally. It certainly wasn't meant that way. If I wanted to call out an individual, I would have....I'm funny that way. As for what people must think of you, hopefully they form their opinion based on what you say and do, not on what you ride.

-SM

I think I may have misunderstood you, and I didn't take it personally. In fact, it looks like we agree. I simply found it expedient to use "me" as an example.

The general impression for me, and you see a lot of it......more in the G Spot, I think.....is to disparage people's choice because they don't "get dirty enough" regardless if dirty means using a GS off road or sparking your knee sliders. Or to knock a particular ride (the Multi comes in for more than it's share) as a poseur, good for sourcing a cup of coffee but not a legit traveling tool. In the greater world, this is not a very big issue (to say the least!) but if a guy buys a 998 and then decides to hang it from his ceiling as art instead of ride it like a weapon, more power to him. We make our choices for different reasons and it''s not for me to judge somebody's choice even if it isn't my own.

I get now that you see it the same way I do. BTW, I'm one of those people who will put some miles on his MTS and may find it's weaknesses, which is a big concern. So I'll probably use it as I think it's intended; a fast bike that can take you to a destination with a change of shorts and socks in some style. I'm glad Ducati built it for me. I hope it goes the distance.

[oalvarez]

Originally Posted by Sock Monkey

That right there is funny, and is exactly the "poser persona" that is so rightly deserved by so many people (regardless of the brand they ride....but one seems to stand out ).

-SM

Sock, since the subject is being discussed, who/what is the one that seems to "stand out" to you?

[Sock Monkey]

Originally Posted by oalvarez

Sock, since the subject is being discussed, who/what is the one that seems to "stand out" to you?

You're trying to get me into trouble aren't you.....

My personal experience has been that I've met more people who ride a certain brand that are more likely to "look down upon others" if they don't ride that brand, who talk a really BIG game re. their "adventures", and at the end of the day haven't ridden their bikes more than 10 miles on a dirt road. THAT, in my definition, is "posing". It's not the bike brand or style, but the wild-arse claims of daring deeds that they've supposedly performed on their machine which in fact are complete fabrications.

Hey, everyone has ideas and dreams of what they'll do and where they'll go on their bikes. That's a part of the enjoyment of buying and owning a bike. With luck we'll even get to do some of those things. But that doesn't mean we HAVE to for fear of being called a poser. But berating others for their choice of bike, stating quite flatly that certain bikes can't do A, B, or C, and oh by the way, when I was riding across the Pacific on my way to Atlantis (nice place by the way, you should try their coffee), blah blah blah.....nope, that don't fly with me.

As Pampero said (I'm paraphrasing here), ride your ride HOW you want to, WHERE you want to, and WHEN you want to, and be happy. I know you feel the same way.

Now, back to more MTS goodness, and I hope hope hope ten.98 has more pics for us from his DS ride on those TKCs. My mind has this image of a nearly 6" wide TKC roosting rocks, shrubs, and possibly small animals out of the earth.

-SM

[Paulvt1]

To change the subject slightly - anyone running non Duck heated grips? Isit ok to just run a live to the 12v battery supply? I was interested in the OE ones - 'till i got a quote of £400 for them...

[Doug Pirahna]

Originally Posted by Paulvt1

To change the subject slightly - anyone running non Duck heated grips? Isit ok to just run a live to the 12v battery supply? I was interested in the OE ones - 'till i got a quote of £400 for them...

I've got Symtex grip heaters and they work great. I have to confess that I installed everything but didn't connect them to the power supply, I asked my Duc mechanic to when it was in for tires. I wanted it hooked to a switched power supply so I wouldn't have to worry about remembering to turn the switch off, and didn't trust myself on that. Total for the purchase of the heaters and having the mechanic connect them was $75 and you can use whatever grips you want over them. I prefer ProGrip 714s.

[dsauer]

Originally Posted by Sock Monkey

You're trying to get me into trouble aren't you..... -SM

It's those Vespa people isn't it

[dsauer]

Originally Posted by Doug Pirahna

I've got Symtex grip heaters and they work great. I have to confess that I installed everything but didn't connect them to the power supply, I asked my Duc mechanic to when it was in for tires. I wanted it hooked to a switched power supply so I wouldn't have to worry about remembering to turn the switch off, and didn't trust myself on that. Total for the purchase of the heaters and having the mechanic connect them was $75 and you can use whatever grips you want over them. I prefer ProGrip 714s.

Would that be these'uns? Where did you put your toggle switch?

http://www.casporttouring.com/store/...uct_code=16025

[Doug Pirahna]

Originally Posted by dsauer

Would that be these'uns? Where did you put your toggle switch?

http://www.casporttouring.com/store/...uct_code=16025

That's them, Symtec, not Symtex as I previously wrote. I put the switch on the vertical part of the black panel, below and to the rear of the fuse cover. It's easy to use there and hardly noticeable. I suggest putting some shrink tubing over the left side of the handlebar, then the heater on top of that, so the aluminum bar doesn't act like a heat sink. It's not an issue on the throttle grip side.

[Paulvt1]

Just won a Daytona set of heated grips on fleabay for £30. That'll do nicely.

[Sock Monkey]

I wonder if you can take something like the Oxford Heaterz (or any others for that matter) and wire them into the same point as the OEM grips??? I know you can do that with other bike brands (Guzzi comes to mind, possibly Triumph as well) and that way you can use the built-in controller. Just a thought.....

-SM

[Pampero]

Originally Posted by Sock Monkey

I wonder if you can take something like the Oxford Heaterz (or any others for that matter) and wire them into the same point as the OEM grips??? I know you can do that with other bike brands (Guzzi comes to mind, possibly Triumph as well) and that way you can use the built-in controller. Just a thought.....

-SM

Why not? They're all just baby toasters; the resistance and draw can't be much different. But usual caveats apply.

I would say that if your research shows you can do it, it would be the very best way since it would use Ducati's intended grounding scheme. A lot of grip kits come with instructions to steal power from a switched circuit like the tail light, and that makes sense, but that still doesn't tell you where to go for your ground. If you grab ground at the easiest place (say the fork or frame) you could be looking at a different path that could lead to electrolytic corrosion, and that is maybe a thing to be aware of in these installations. Otherwise installing heated grips is a piece of cake.

[bingbong]

Originally Posted by Paulvt1

Just won a Daytona set of heated grips on fleabay for £30. That'll do nicely.

Well done. How about connecting them to the accessory plug wiring. It's switched and rated for heated clothing.

[ten.98]

Here's a short clip of my first ride with the TKC's. I didn't have time to do any major editing so it's basically just raw footage spliced together. It best to watch it muted so you don't have to listen to me laugh like a dork the whole time. My mic started to have some issues toward the end of the ride so the audio cuts out or is completely absent from some of the clips.



You can tell at the beginning I'm not really trusting the tires very much, and as a result I quickly fall to the back of the pack. About 1/2 way through I started to get the feel for them and begin catching up again.