Hi Folks I collected my Pikes Peak on Saturday and am over the moon with it. Following test rides on the BMW and KTM competitors as well as stuff like the K1300S, it just had to be the Ducati. Whilst the PP doesn't meet all my practicality needs as well the Touring or GT might, the sheer eye-popping presence of the thing sealed the deal for me. I've wanted a Ducati since being aged 16 and watching Fogarty, Corser and Chili bang down the gears approaching the Monza chicane. I'd always thought I'd end up with an 888 SP variation, 999 or some form of large capacity Monster, but when the opportunity came to replace my tourer I couldn't not sample the Multi. Chazaxl of this parish was also instrumental in my persuasion. In terms of mods, I really, really need to do the decat/full system swap as a priority. That catalyst arrangement is a travesty for a bike like this. After researching the various threads on here and ducati.ms, I've decided the Termi, Zard and QD options are too pricey whilst the Mivvs at the cheaper end may be somewhat flaky and potentially too loud (or compromised with the BR baffle). The Arrow looks like a good compromise although its can is not the prettiest. Anyone here running an Arrow system? I'm also getting rid of the cruddy plastic tops on the Brembo resevoirs. As I get used to the bike, I will post further thoughts. You all know what they look like, but here's my bike:
Nice. Very nice. It won't stay long like that though. Muddy, scratched, wet crud encrusted; perfect for a Multi
Quick update after doing a bit of mileage. Still learning to ride it as such, I know I would be much faster on my old GS in most cornering situations despite the massive increase in grip and power with this thing. I also had a commuting accident a few weeks ago which destroyed my confidence on corner entry. I'll get there eventually. Either way, am happy with the bike and thanks to the guys at Hyside, I got the Arrow system fitted yesterday. I am pleased with it so far as there is a decent improvement in volume and bass without being obnoxiously loud. It actually sounds like a motorbike now, rather than some piece of shit scooter. I think there is a bit of room for more volume but will let it settle a bit before trying it baffle out. If anything it is fuelling better than it did on the stock stuff. Next job is to get the front brakes fixed. A full bleed and fluid change drew out lots of dirty fluid and air, giving a solid lever feel for a few days. But it regressed into a mushy lever once again. Air must be continually entering the system somehow. The power is still there, but you need a lot of travel and a good squeeze. Not ideal on a bike like this. The other thing I want to try is slacking off the front preload a bit. I believe this is adjusted on the fork leg itself.
Push the lever out a little, makes a huge difference to initial bite and takes some of the 'fuck its to the bars!' Panic away lol I really like how the std multi sounds, esp when cracking on thru 5k it seems to rasp and whine, like a std 848 does. Altho its no where near as loud at tickover, or as deep any revs, as aftermarket stuff. I may ditch the cat but leave the can as is
The snarl and rasp is still there in the upper ranges with the Arrow but it also adds a bit of around town throb. Not the air-cooled vibe, more like an LC8. All in all, it's still a 'polite' sound and doesn't set off car alarms. Maybe you could try that custom header from AndyW's thread to decat yours.
