Will the new Multistrada Enduro be king of the big ADV mountain? Ducati invited ADVMoto to Sardinia, Italy for the 2016 Ducati 1200 Enduro world press junket. Close friend and long-time contributor Bret Tkacs headed across the Atlantic to give us the latest skinny on the newest ADV monster class contender.  Full report coming soon in ADVMoto Magazine!

Day 2: Time to get "Ducati-dirty"

Ducati jumped into the Adventure riding market in a big way. The first official Adventure bike from Ducati is no light makeover of the Multistrada 1200 we know; Ducati says they built the new Multistrada Enduro to be an authentic “Globetrotter” and I believe they may have hit the mark dead on. The Multistrada 1200 Enduro took a departure from the street focused Multistrada 1200 with over 30% of the bike all new for its new mission. Ducati kept and improved the best parts from the Multistrada 1200 while making the required changes to make it a serious contender in the adventure motorcycle market.

On the road, this bike is pure Ducati with handling characteristics you would expect from its long history of superbikes but with long-distance comfort never experienced at this level from any Ducati, ever! I haven’t smiled so much riding any bike with a 19” front rim off-road. The motor had character while still being very smooth. The only time you noticed motor vibration was between 6,000rpm to redline, and even then it was more pleasant than intrusive.

Power was huge but most riders may prefer the 100hp mode for off-road use. In the 160hp mode, it takes work to keep the rear wheel hooked up without relying on the electronic traction control. Gear ratios were good and the clutch had an easy pull with clean output. The off-road ABS mode is for the front wheel only and worked great while letting me slide the rear when I wanted to.

What stood out the most for me was how well the suspension worked. Once I dialed them in the shocks worked better than most custom built suspensions I have on personal bikes. Hit the fire roads and you won’t be hearing Multistrada 1200 Enduro owners making excuses for their high dollar exotics. These bikes handle the dirt like a veteran considering the front wheel is a laced tubeless 19" rim.

The Multistrada 1200 Enduro is serious with a capital “S”. Whether the goal is to load up and head into the mountains or to power slide through corners, it's happy either way. Leave the off-road ABS on and set the traction control to one of eight different levels for dirt and you will easily motor up those hills and over loose rocks. Want to turn up the grin factor? Dial up the power a bit and use the rear brake to slide in sideways, roost that tire and power slide out of the corners.

Sometimes the hype overshoots the delivery but in this case I’d say this bike is everything Ducati claimed it would be and more. Stay tuned for the full review coming soon in ADVMoto and read about our ride through the hills and coastal roads of Italy on the 2016 Ducati Multistrada 1200 Enduro!

Day 1: Just a look...

160hp L-twin, 4 modes of programmable electronics including settings for the ABS, traction control, suspension and power. You can customize each setting to your liking and the bike will keep the settings for later use. Ducati did some serious homework on this bike and addressed most every concern had about an Enduroized Multistrada. They are coming at this as a serious contender and aiming for the top dog. It looks like there is another top tier contender.

From the travelers perspective you get a 7.9 gal fuel tank, outstanding wind coverage and 40L and 45L side luggage designed by Touratech plus a 38L top box. The Multistrada Enduro will come in Red, White and Silver. The Silver model can be ordered with Luggage and Pirelli Scorpion Knobbies from the factory.

That's just scratching the surface... This thing makes the moon landing look like it was done by the flintstones.  Stay tuned for more soon.

• Bret Tkacs is also co-owner of Pugest Sound Safety training school. Visit PSSOR.com for more info!

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