It is funny how there is always a big fuss after bike tests if your own bike is not a winner. To me motorcycling is all about feel and emotion. As a youngster I used to read bike tests and I kept motorcycle journalist opionions as the ultimate truth. Now I read them to get some usefull data that is important to me like quality, riding comfort, service interwalls and so on. I think Multi vs Xr 1000 test on Bikesocial said it well. It is like do you want wife for life or just girlfriend to play with[emoji1]
There is actually no useful data in that MCN test and that's the problem. They could have written 95% of the same words without having ridden any of the bikes.
If that's you in you avatar poor bike, I did get a chance to read the article today. and your right it did seem biased towards the BM. But I couldn't help wondering if because Ducati spec the bike to what you want on it when you order it, maybe MCN decided model with panniers was the standard touring model because it had paniers?
I read the Bike magazine review today, comparing the Multi, XR and Versys. Still not exactly a comprehensive test but at least it comes across as unbiased. They mentioned the vibrations on the XR and the trip reset on the Multi. At the end of the day the dealers all let you try them out, so the only valid test is to try them for yourselves.
As a fence sitter I didn't think it was bias,it's was fast but those who look at the write up a little deeper no mention of suspension and yet the Multi was a stocker and the XR wasn't so who needs it,the Multi has 20hp less so what!!! But in fairness Ducati needs a quick shifter. If you read the test in Bike there's a snide comment about not being able to feels you hands after a ride on the XR God knows how many tests and opinions I've read but the one that comes out top of the list based on practicality/logic/cost/ size of fuel tank/ lack of vibes/mirrors is the Kawasaki but who the hell uses many of those options when buying a bike. What I didn't realise that there must have been a change in the law about how old you need to be to hold a motorcycle license because some of the posts both here and the XR site is school yard stuff,my team didn't win I'm taking the ball home.
got to blame Ducati UK or a dealer surely, MCN would have approached importers/ dealers with their intentions and asked for a bike to compare, BMW obviously said "here have zis it's got bells unt vistles" and someone within the Ducati realms said "yeh we've got a bog standard bike that's been returned because the dash keeps misting/clock resetting /shocks leak (add your own fault) take that, but don't have it to long we've only got it till the new parts arrive from Italy".
Mags don't always source their bikes from the main importer. Maybe that the Ducati UK test Multi wasn't available for their test so they borrowed a bike from elsewhere.
I hired a BMW GS in the States and did 3,500 miles up and down the West Coast on it in ten days. Came home, rode a Multi for three hours and that was enough to convince me to buy the Ducati. Actually I had made largely my decsion on the back of Kevin Ash's review. Two years later ... I still find it a joy to ride.
Surely if a mag contacted you and said it 100% definately has to happen on these dates and we need a bike to put head to head against other bikes you'd 'make'a bike available? This obviously is assuming the bike was procured through these channels and not just using a 'long termer' from two years ago. Have to say that since we house trained the puppy I have no need for MCN.
It doesn't work like that though. They will have one bike as a testers mule and if its promised elsewhere then there is little they can do. MCN had already done one Multi v S1000XR test this year which was far more informative than the test this week.
Just downloaded it on the iPad. DVT=£13687 XR=£15310 How much is a top spec DVT? I imagine that would bring the two level on cost too.
That price would include the panniers, the top spec SE is £14700 ish, I brought one and have now sold it. A massive selling point on the XR is badge snobbery and the up/down quickshifter ! Ducati NEED to stick a shifter on the multi, the XR is for the owner whom is not mechanically sympathetic and just wants to jump on a bike and ride it, the ducati has a sole, full of character and makes you feel like you have dumped the fat bird and got a super model, a love affair.
It would be more informative if MCN gave the price of a base 1200 + nothing, and the price of a 1200S + all options (touring, urban and sport). That would give the £min to £max range.
They do state the price for base and the tested model for the other models but they leave out the DVT
For a while I've been generally unimpressed with the MCN 'mag' and after that review I was convinced to cancel my sub....unfortunately they don't allow any refunds for the balance of the sub and so I'm stuck with them until it has run its course
What i like about the Multi is its built to be what it is The XR is a Bitsa bike made of parts of other bikes with fresh clothes no real identity No Bias hear just my opinion as i own a 2015 S1000RR as well and that is also built to be what it is and its great. Regards Neil
