I've been looking at Multistrada's and thinking one might be quite nice! Clearly I need help. However, there are far worse symptoms, such as 'looking at Harleys' which I don't suffer from at all. Here's how it started Doc. I decide to give my life long mate my beloved ST4. Now I don't for one moment regret this but... I would like to have, what I call, a back up bike. And that was what the ST4 was. A brilliant all weather, cost next to nothing V twin with more torque than my wife and several of her mates put together. I was and still am happy that I helped my mate ...but.... I found I missed the back up bike this summer. A bike I don't have to worry about. A bike that owes me nothing. A bike I don't get upset about being in the rain. A non 'worryer'. What I like to call, a hacker. So when a Scott's guy advertises his dad's ST4 on the esteemed forum my mind starts to tick. Maybe I'll buy another, with less miles. Good idea, except for the fact he's new to the forum and doesn't bother getting back to me or by the sounds of it any other enquirers. Whatever, let's not be too hasty and hard on him. Meantime, I've looked at other ST4's and thought maybe I'll be disappointed because it'll be 'No different'. Nothing new to me. Enter the mind game! What has torque, a full fairing, can take a pillion, will do 30mph and 90mph happily and is,..er, different, a change? I know, a Supersport! No, costs plenty of money and on the test ride I didn't think it even had the Ooomph of the old ST4. Although I could be wrong about the Ooomph. SO,.....MY MIND TURNS TO MULTISTRADA'S. They're more modern than an ST4, old enough to not cost too much ...aaand if I could pick up a reasonably low mileage one...mayyybe it would fit the bill. Suddenly they are looking attractive. You know, like a five pinter on a Saturday night, stood at the other end of the bar, one that you'd never normally consider. The question is; Could I possibly face waking up to a Multistrada in the morning? Or am I really sick?
I'm sure you'd cope, to try and help you settle you could tape a picture of a scrambler the the tank and that'd remind you how much worse things could be
The first step to fixing a problem is knowing you have one. The second step is not buying a Multistrada. Coincidentally, that is also the third and subsequent steps.
Hold on a minute... aren’t Harley in the middle of designing a multi type bike... bide your time and give in to the ultimate sickness
Maybe, if I buy one, I could wear a brown paper bag over the top of my crash helmet. That might work.
No....no,no,no,nooooo. I'm not that ill. That is seriously ugly. What ARE they thinking? Last time I posted an opinion like this I got a proper telling off (deserved). This time I think El Tel will be pleased to agree. Just in case I'll say...it's not my cup of tea. Because it's a stinker!
Once bikes get to 6 years or older depreciation stops being much of a factor so get yourself an older multi, if it scratches your itch keep it, if it doesnt then sell it and try something else that doesnt hurt your eyes. Loads of lovely bikes available and if you are careful there is lots of fun to be had and very little to lose.
Nothing wrong with a multi great pillion position for the likes of me SS you do need to be able to hang on as a pillion in that lovely sports bike kind of way Go with the multi and make sure it’s red and don’t forget ya bins
Sam have you considered a first generation Multistrada. I bought a 1000S DS last year and love the bike. Ride one, and be surprised how good they are, cheap as chips too. You are very welcome to ride mine if you want to see what they are like.
The fugly is fantastic value for low money and is a hoot to ride. Only two issues that bugged me about it, the side stand needed to be longer on the early ones and so either a blob welded on the bottom then smoothed or a sidestand from a later 2005 cured that. The funny shapped tank that means on the 1000 you have to jiggle it a bit to avoid airlocks when filling up ,that have a full tank on the gauge leaving the petrol station, and half a tank showing within minutes. I prefer a lil rumba when filling up as the salsa makes me cock fizzy when jiggling on the bike. On that basis I would suggest a 1100s Are you telling me you have never ridden something from behind without looking at it's face? hmm hhmmmm be honest now? Get one of the fugley ones, cheap and rarely do you get off one not smiling, very flickable, power is suited for fun and is outstanding beauty always attracts attention Don't get a 1200 multi, they are for pussies who like using the "my bike is broken help" section and don't get the 1260 as after the v4, the 1260 had the quickest warranty needs plus both are for pussies who say things like, where do I plug my ....in Behold the beauties of fugley 1100s 1000ds
The Mark 1 will always always look to me like someone who had their face smashed in and then repaired using a pug. Ugly, ugly, ugly. Any uglier and it would clock the scale of ugliness, become divinely beautiful and create World Peace. But no. Goat, no. No offence, MS Mk1 riders! You guys rock! (Oh, Goat. Pugly ugly.)