I have just returned from a 10 day trip to the Dolomites on the trusty ST4S, two up and through almost permanent rain all the way there. Snow and driving rain whilst away and do you know what, the old girl never missed a beat. I wasn't suprised but a few BMW owners i met along the way were. No software reboots, no leaking panniers, no misting clocks.Good weather protection and comfortable all the way. It never used any oil either although it will now get a change. A small concession to failure i suppose, the speedo sensor did give up on the way home but it did not go into limp home mode or hesitate in anyway. Just relentless reliable oomph back towards calais.
I know what you mean. I used to feel that way every time I returned from a long hard European two-up tour. I used to wonder when it was going to let me down but it never did. As you know I did go to Multi ownership and it is good but I do miss the ST4S and especially the beautiful sound track. The Multi sounds a bit girly even with the Termi can but by-eck it shifts and is so much more flexible and better at low speeds. Thats progress I suppose but I'd prefer a ST style bike if they made one. I'm off for a 15 day tour around Spain on Sunday and planning to visit Segovia, Caceres, Merida, Seville, Ubeda, Cuenca and back to the north Basque coast before returning. It should be bloody hot!!
Last year in France one of our party had a brand new 1100 multi,and he was surprised that he could not get any where near me,I even overtook him on long straights ,he is still checking the small print .BTW mine never used a drop of oil till now,can't see any smoke and no leaking crankcases or from the blow pipe,but hard riding(all riding) now seeing about 300Ml per 700 800 miles.Quite often look at triumph ST 1050 but I just love the oomph and the induction roar.
I'm waiting for Ducati to make a gorgeous sports tourer but these days if it hasn't got a plastic beak on it they won't make it. We don't all want to sit up and beg.
Me too and i was so hoping the multi was going to be it. It certainly has the spec and the wife loved sitting on a demo one when we first got to see one in the flesh. In the end i could not justify the cost of a new one over the £4k ish value of the ST and decided to perhaps buy when they get down to about £8k themselves. 3 years on and to be honest i dont think i would want one without a warranty after reading all of the character building traits of the multi.
