Hello, I bought a used (4K miles) 2010 Multistrada last year but didn't have much time to ride because of a bicycle trip I had planned in Alberta. This year I took a six week road trip from Alaska to Nova Scotia and around the US logging 14K miles. It has taken a while for me to get use to this motorcycle. My last 5 bikes were BMWs with the last 3 being GSs. In Alaska and Canada riders have the opportunity of riding over hundreds of kilometers of gravel roads. The Ducati is a totally different motorcycle. The power and handling are awesome. Even with street tires it did pretty well through constructions sites, some up to 15 kilometers long. I was bit frustrated that no authorized dealer carried wear parts. To get spockets took a week because they came from Italy. Also, the rear break lines had to be bled three times and the clutch once. I was told that this was a common problem and I should expect to deal with it again in the future. I was under the impression that the Multistrada was suppose to be a "go anywhere" motorcycle. For that to happen the rider needs to rely on the dealerships for support. When you need an oil change and you're told to come back next week, that's unacceptable. You should have priority if you're on the road. Waiting around sucks. A 125 kilometer stretch of the Alaska Highway from Haines Junction to the American border has to be some of the worse road in North America. The perafrost is melting and the Canadian government cannot keep up with the repairs. For a motorhome or a truck pulling a travel trailer, the road is a nightmare. For a motorcycle with a decent suspension, it's quite a bit of fun. Just prepare to come out of the seat once in a while. Ira
Welcome. Man that Highway sounds just like the A5 through Kilburn, minus the fun of course :biggrin: You must be one of the most dedicated Ducati riders dude, so I bid you a fond welcome from the other side of the Atlantic. Yes waiting sucks, but the end result is just that much sweeter
I can't augue with that. I've been going on these trips for the past 20+ years and they never get old. Sometimes it's just hard to get off.
Welcome Ira, you must have some of the best roads to enjoy your bike on, it sounds like a fabulous place to live. Have fun on here.
Welcome Ira. Sounds like dealers are a bit thin on the ground up there. Better get used to no rear brake my bike is having its back brake done for the 4th time in 10,000 miles and the clutch has been done twice. Still a great bike and sounds like you have plenty of space to enjoy it. Pics please.
+1 ..........welcome to the forum Ira, you live in Multi country I can imagine how great that road trip was. You'll have to tell us more! ;-) Look forward to seeing you in the Multistrada section of the forum......put yourself on the map: http://ducatiforum.co.uk/f6/multistrada-owners-maps-490/ ;-) ....and enter your bike details in your Profile
It does sound like it's something you have to live with. I'm shooting for an upgrade kit. It was recommended in Calgary on the way home.
Can't seem to upload anything. The one I like is a picture of a Grizzly bear (ass shot) and her two cubs that I came very close to hitting in the Yukon. I was able to stop within 15 feet of her and she decided to go the other way rather than towards me. It took me a while to get up the nerve to take my hands of the bars and reach into my tankbag for my camera. One of things to be aware of on the Alaska Highway are animals, lots of them. I encountered a bison herd, a bunch of mountain sheep and some caribou, all on the road. I've done that road numberous times over the years and it's always the same. The name of the game is to scan as far ahead as possible. Also, everytime you see a gas station fill up. You never know who has gas and who has gone out of business during the winter. In the Yukon and northern B.C., many business generate their own electric which tends to be expensive. Ira You're right, we have plenty of space here.
Best to host your photos with a hosting service such as Flickr, Photobucket, SmugMug etc and then from the tool bar when you're posting on the forum, click 3rd icon from the right, select 'From URL' in the dialogue that opens, paste in the URL (web address) for the photo, UNCHECK 'Retrieve remote file and reference locally' and click OK ;-)
Depends. If you live near the water, no. If you live in the interior (Fairbanks) it can get very hot. Lots of rain this summer and very cool where I live.
