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2010 Ducati Multistrada 1200 vs. BMW R1200GS
 

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2010 Ducati Multistrada 1200 vs. BMW R1200GS

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Good Job
 

These are definately two of my favorite bikes. A good write up requires a discerning eye. Well done as usual. All things being equal I think I'll take one of each.

While I drooled on the Multi at Miller and loved riding the KTM Adventure, if I ever were to do my own long way round its the GS every time. Can you even fathom Charlie or Ewen dropping the Duc as many times as they dropped the GS (or the KTM for that matter)? The Duc would look like a rat bike probably after the first drop.

These three (incl the KTM) bikes each has distinct benefits. I'll take the KTM for the Long Way 'Round trip, the GS for an exploration of America, and the Duc for the kind of riding I normally do.

Better get one of each then.

At least! The problem when I get bikes is that there's always someone who wants them back!

You and I have different problems Mr. Duke!

Another great review, as expected. One day when I outgrow my naked bike ways, this will be my segment. Bimmer, Duc, Katoom or Tiger? There are worse decisions to have to make.

Here's another article I'll be reading two or three times. Great stuff guys.

This comment is particularly perceptive:

Ducati’s attempt to snatch away market share from BMW in the on-road/off-road segment with the Multistrada 1200 could prove highly successful given what we suspect (and mentioned earlier) is the Adventure-Touring customer’s inclination to keep most adventures of the paved variety. However, this also presumes consumers will honestly assess where they spend the majority of their two-wheeled miles.

Bikes are fantasy toys for a lot of riders, and there's not a damn thing wrong with that. For cruisers it's the "I'm a badass Hell's Angel" fantasy. For sportbike riders it's the "I'm Casey Stoner" fantasy. As for ADV riders, most of them dream of the day when they'll load the bike with tent and sleeping bag and head for the hills. Few ever will, but I suspect people will be standing in line to buy a GS long after the buzz on the Multi has worn off. Having ridden the Multi pretty hard, it's clear to me this is a streetbike with ADV styling.

Although I don't share the utter distain for complexity in bikes that some MoFos do, the Multi has gone a lot further down the electro-mechanical path than I'm interested in. Frankly, I think the bike is an enormous service bill just waiting to happen.

I rode all but the KTM before I bought the Tiger. Mainly I see it as a nice Standard decked out for touring. Being a person who actually does ride on dirt roads I believe that all these big ATs are too heavy for any real Adventuring. If you have a passenger and gear you are going to be tippy-toeing whether you are on a Goldwing or a GS. Maybe if you can afford a slew of support vehicles following you around like MacGregor the 1200GS is the way to go.

The 650 class ATs are much better. Off road, weight (or lack of it) is King. BMW F800s are a better choice than the big ones as well. A lot of people are waiting for the expected Tiger Cub for that reason... plus the fact that the 675 engine outclasses anything else in the midrange area.

If I were to spend a summer on real back roads adventuring it would probably be on the older lighter KLR or a DR650. Picking a Tiger or 1200GS up time and again would be a real pain in the @ss. It's hard to beat the mileage of the singles too.

I ride around on the ugliest bikes I can find. I call it my "Kenneth Moore Fantasy."