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I just turned over 10K on my 2016 Multistrada 1200 S. 160hp, 100-ft-lb torque claimed, at about 525 lb dry. rwhp probably 135. But with a button click you can dial that back to 100hp. It's a computer on wheels; traction control, wheelie control, abs, electronic suspension front and rear, angle sensors. The four available riding modes can all be customized by changing any of the settings and saving it to your own custom configuration. The 1200 changes are done through the bar controls, the 1260 that came out in 2018 also lets you change and save set ups through an app. It's got so much torque it's a blast to ride and in the right gear/rpm will get you to triple digits like now, if you avoid the small flat spot in the middle of the rev range. And it's got real electronic cruise control, cornering lights, gear indicator, and on and on. At idle with stock exhaust I think it sounds a little like a Briggs and Stratton lawnmower, but when the throttle cracks open it's got a roar that's intoxicating. I plan to pay the Termignoni tax and put a proper exhaust on eventually. It is a tall bike and carries that weight higher than a VFR. For me, not growing up on dirt bikes, the position and spread out bars were a change but I've gotten used to it after lopping an inch off each side of the bar. It tours with ease, the wife enjoys it immensely, the bags look good on it, and the bike looks good with them off. I get a solid 40 mpg every single tank. But it wouldn't be Italian without a few little things. The right front fork seal is on it's second leak, the fuel gauge is on it's way out, both common problems. My (used) bike came with a 5 year all expenses paid warranty, so it hasn't cost me anything except a couple trips to the dealer. The heated grips were useless, replaced with a $40 Symtec kit. The biggest complaint is wind buffeting at the shoulder and helmet, which equates to noise, another common complaint, I'm on my 3rd screen with some screen offsets that's helped a lot. It's really grown on me and I can see having it long term. The 2018 1260 had some improvements but not enough for me to switch. However, apparently Ducati is set to announce a V4 Multistrada in October, probably due out late next year along with the V4 streetfighter they've already previewed. Rumor is the V4 Multi will get some form of active radar and be well over 170hp. Given all that, my '99 VFR is just as good of a bike, probably because it fits me like an old pair of leather shoes that just get more comfortable with age.

Well my chapped lips have healed and stopped bleeding and I've given the VFR the love and attention she needed after Laguna Seca. Mounting up to ride in the morning I began to flash back to the weekend so decide to pick up where my last semi exhausted post left off. Includes some picture. Me and my BTE friends on corkscrew hillside over turn 4. Could see some great action there and over turn 1/2 hillside. Pit Lane Walk Santa Clause. We got in line for this only to be turned away because we didn't have the wrist bands. We must have looked liked sad puppies. A big heavy man in a Hawaiian shirt straw hat and cargo shorts reached into his pockets and managed to find 4 bands and gave them to us. What a cool guy. Hawaiian Santa got us into pit lane. Hwy 1. My favorite part of the ride up and back. Views and temps are perfect and the curves keep you on your toes. Monterey Bay Cannery Row on Sunday night. Extravagant seafood dinner and drinks. Uber was our friend all weekend. Ride home Monday. We were happy to see our bikes again. They'd been locked up in the garage of our Airbnb apartment complex whilst UBER drove us everywhere it was often cramped and not at all cheap. Breakfast at the Breakfast Club was our goodbye to Monterey. Hwy 1 would be our friend now. We made the wrong route choice on the way back. We cut inland at Santa Maria on 166. First group of cars coming the opposite way included a CHP cruiser. We all took the clue and started laying into the climbing sweepers and long satisfying multi car passes. Fast but not go directly to jail fast. By the time we hit Maricopa and our favorite road hwy 33 the temperature was horrific. Hot and tired is not the right condition to ride that road at pace. I stayed back with a rider more my speed and we let our 2 A group riders vanish ahead of us.

It updates as fast as my "garage quality" multimeter (my good one stays in the house). Pretty much as fast as I can read it... I don't really know about durability and longevity yet, but accuracy is not an issue.

Good advice... I'd remove and clean and grease the rear spindle bearings... if you can't remember the last bearing service you have everything to gain and nothing to loose... Here are my axle care notes that I send out to my fellow RC30/ RC45 owners... Because the VFR and RC45 employ the same caged needle bearing that rides directly on on the rear axle I offer my method to clean both the axle and bearing... Once you have the bearing removed you employ a two jewelers screw drivers and carefully lift each roller from the cage... Give the rollers and cage a bath in gasoline... you be surprised at all the dirty deposits hidden in the old grease and every nook and cranny... you're looking at the deposits after only 10K miles of normal operation... Once the bearing are really clean lay them out and inspect each roller for scoring... Dirt mixed with the old grease will leave a trail of deposits on the axle at point B... Spun in a Lathe... it's easy to remove the deposits employing a gray micro fine 3M pad... it's soft enough that it does *not* remove any precious metal... What you'll end up with is an axle with the deposits remove plus giving the metal a nice luster...

I have always used standard H4 by simply bending the 2 lower tabs back. Never a problem once I found you don't bend 'em too much just enough to fit. Bend 'em too much, and they'll be loose.

I fixed this problem. With a set of road 5s